City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas Mayor Atty. Arth Jhun “AJAM” Marasigan assured city residents that they will continue to enjoy the uppermost quality services as he highlighted the city’s accomplishments, the city government’s plans and the clear path for continuous development during his third State of the City Address (SOCA) on Monday, August 18, 2025.
Known for his strapline : “Aksyon Bilis na Serbisyo na may Ngiting Tomasino”, Mayor Ajam vows to strengthen the city’s health care program that would give residents fast medical attention right on the doorsteps, expanding health services as the city realizes the completion of the city-owned hospital.
In his speech, Mayor Marasigan stated that the Tomasinos now have access to free health services, medical consultations with free medicines including maintenance to hypertensive and diabetic patients, breast and cervical cancer screenings for women as well as prostate cancer screening for men, flu and pneumococcal vaccines, laboratory tests, dental services, SHEmpre Ligtas for menstrual hygiene management and other health awareness programs including Kulit Bulilit Oral Awareness and sex awareness for SOGIE SC.
He also cited that since 2022 the city government provides free milk and maintenance medicine with flu vaccines for senior citizens. They also now enjoy free movies at SM Cinemas during Mondays and Tuesdays and get local financial assistance every other month.
The city also hires additional 9 doctors of different specializations to attend ailing Tomasinos, ensuring that no city residents will be left behind when medical issues are concerned.
According to the mayor, the city has set aside Php31,716,450 for medical and financial assistance and Php8,230,000 for burial assistance.
In education, Mayor Marasigan mentioned that the city now has 5,450 scholarship grants, distributed 2,745 set of books for Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD); 27,383 sets of uniforms and 10,000 school supplies for SNED, ECCD and Kinder to Grades 6 students; laptops for ECCD centers and constructed three-storey with nine-classroom school building and 4 day care centers.
For local employment, the city has provided jobs for 12,433 local jobseekers from its Local and Overseas Recruitment Programs, 152 students from Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), 85 from JobStart Training to Employment Program, provided Php 30,000 seed capital assistance to 80 individuals and distributed 45 heritage chicken to local farmers.
The city also intensifies its process for fast delivery and timely release of business permits and licenses, bringing an estimated 8.7% increase in collection with a yearly growth of 11.3% from 2022 to 2025.
With the establishment of the tourism help desk, Event Center and Agri-Tourism and Ecological Park, the local chief executive is optimistic of a more vibrant tourism industry in the coming months.
For agricultural sector, the mayor said, the city has dispensed seeds, fertilizers and equipment to local growers to aide their farming needs. The city also allotted Php 15,000 to qualified farmers through its voucher system program, put up ‘Kadiwa ni Ajam’ as farmers’ trading post and a community pantry.
For security and safety of the Tomasinos, programs for disaster risk reduction and management has been in place. According to the mayor, the city has procured mini firetruck to reach narrow roads and alleys, water tankers, public address system for easy warning announcements, man lift, barangay response vehicles, energy-efficient street lighting was installed, canals riprapped and de-clogging of rivers and waters are also undertaken ahead of time.
Affordable Residence for Tomasino Homeville was also constructed to house families in high risk areas.
With the launch of Urban Greening Program, the city now has planted 2,050 in various tree planting activities.
“Our only purpose that every government service we offer to the people should be true, pure, be felt, within reach and be done with all honesty. In providing service, no one should be left behind”, the mayor said.
 on Monday, August 18, 2025.){kind=link}