Aklan may now be categorized as a first class province, Governor Carlito Marquez said in his State of the Province Address (SOPA) which he delivered over a jampacked crowd at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall here composed of provincial legislators, Aklan officials, heads and representatives of national and provincial agencies, Capitol employees and the local media.

                Governor Marquez said this is so because the province has attained and sustained an income of more than P350 million for the last four consecutive years.

                He added that according to the Department of Interior and Local Government, Aklan is excellent.

“In the 2009 annual evaluation of LGUs in Region 6 conducted by the said department called Excel or Excellence in local governance awards, Aklan was first runner-up in administrative governance second only to Iloilo, first runner-up in environmental management, second only to Negros Occidental and 2^nd runner-up in best performing province.

                Marquez also cited the other firsts Aklan has attained : it is among the first provinces to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for Philhealth coverage becoming a pilot province; first province in the Philippines to successfully complete a project – the Caticlan Jetty Port Passenger Terminal through bond flotation, listed in a book on LGU Best Practices in fiscal administration; among the first provinces to establish a very successful economic enterprise development; the first province in Region 6 to have its Provincial Hospital computerized;

                First province in Region 6 to computerize its real property tax administration; the first to have been given the privilege of creating a PPA (Philippine Ports Authority) Port, the Caticlan Port; first province to engage in a joint venture with a university (ASU) for the establishment of a nursing college; first province to implement a universal program for Philhealth; and the first province to implement a Bridge Financing with Land Bank for its Hybrid Rice Production Program.

                For these achievements, Marquez said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan should be thanked, for providing the legislative underpinnings that allowed the province to initiate, implement, and complete the programs of development. 

                According to Marquez, the Aklan SP made 348 resolutions, 56 appropriation ordinances, 7 general ordinances, and 10 special ordinances.  (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)