By Danny Estacio
STO. TOMAS CITY, Batangas, Philippines – Mayor Arth Jhun Aguilar Marasigan highlighted the city’s accomplishments over the past year and cited future development plans during his 5th State of the City Address (SOCA) on Monday, Aug. 10.
Marasigan emphasized the remarkable achievements the city has accomplished over the past 12-month period serving as local chief executive – aligned with the core development points his administration promised to achieve. Providing high-quality healthcare services, the mayor mentions that in year 2025 the city has conducted 145,000 medical and dental consultations including those assisted thru the “Aksyon Bilis Caravan” and “Aksyon Bilis Mobile Clinic”, delivered 29,000 sanitation and food services, 56,000 preventive health services such immunization, deworming and newborn screening, he bared.
In Education, 10,000 senior high school and college students had been given scholarship grants in two semesters for School Year 2025-2026 amounting to P47 million, a significant increase of 66.67 percent from the previous school year figure of 6,000.
Educational assistance for abused children, Children In Conflict with the Law (CICL), children of solo parents and out-of-school youth taking up technical-vocational training are also provided.
Marasigan said that the city employment program has recorded 15,474 job placements through initiated school-based job fairs, local and overseas recruitment, barangay recruitment and location-based job fairs while the city’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) program helped 93 students earn while off school.
He initiated the SULONG program with 200 qualified farmer-beneficiaries receiving P15,000 worth of farm inputs to augment deficient amounts to sustain crop production.
Strategically as the home of the open frontier that serves as gateway to the south, the promise of opportunity for trade and commerce to magnify is very evident.
“Realization of our local government frameworks most beneficial to Tomasinos is a challenge that requires heart and hard work combined”, Marasigan said. According to Marasigan, this time, the city has 5,600 registered businesses which is 12% higher compared to 5,000 in 2025.
For locally sourced income, the city is expecting 7.3 percent increase in revenue collection for 2026 amounting to P968 Million. Marasigan announced that the city has maintained a 10.5 percent yearly average economic growth since he assumed office from the year 2022 to present date.
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data this growth rate is almost double than the Calabarzon record of 5.6 percent and much higher than the province of Batangas with 6.7 percent growth rate. Marasigan said.
He announced several priority projects for 2027, such as the construction of a child-minding station for solo parents, Wellness Hub to address mental health concern, expanding social hygiene clinic, digitalization of government services, and additional livelihood programs for small businesses.
“Our goal is to make the healthier, safer, progressive and vibrant community where comfort living and ease of doing business is not temporary but a way of life”, Marasigan said.
Sto. Tomas City Mayor Arth Jhun Aguilar Marasigan delivers his state of the city address, on Aug. 10. (photo via Danny Estacio)
