By HENRY EMPEÑO | January 20, 2026

IBA, Zambales — Sustained financial growth is powering the Zambales provincial government’s drive to empower communities, build more social infrastructures, and deliver progress in key sectors of public service, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said Monday in his State of the Province Address (SOPA) here.

Ebdane, who addressed the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in its inaugural session this year, said Zambales has remained a first-class province in 2025 due to a growing income stream, mainly from dredging projects, as well as sound budget management.

“Today, Zambales stands tall—economically, socially, and culturally. Our province has regained ands sustained its first-class province status, fueled by strengthened fiscal discipline and revitalized revenue generation,” he said.

Zambales was recognized by the Department of Finance last year as Top 8 among the 82 provinces in the country for a 32.50 percent ratio of locally sourced revenue (LSR) to total current operating income (TCOI), a reprise of its achievement for fiscal year 2023 when its LSR to TCOI ratio was 32.74 percent.

Under Ebdane, the province also placed Top 2 in 2022 and Top 6 in 2023 for year-on-year LSR growth.

Ebdane said this record income allowed the local government to enhance delivery of health and social services, infrastructure development, education and youth and sports development, livelihood opportunities, environmental stewardship, and peace and order in the last three years.

As of now, he said Zambales is laying the foundation for a stronger local economy by promoting tourism, encouraging local enterprise and investment, and empowering farmers and fishermen through capital and technical support.

With the establishment of the Zambales Mango Industry Council, Ebdane said a total of P5.3 million has been allocated as conditional assistance to revitalize 1,122 fruits-bearing mango trees in the towns of Palauig and Masinloc, as well as P1.6 million for technical training for mango growers in Castillejos, San Felipe, Botolan, and Iba.

Meanwhile, two 45-footer lightboats, the FB Zambales III and FB Zambales IV, will be given to local fishermen this month as initial inputs under a broader program that includes development of fish landing sites, technical training, and institutionalization of fishers’ groups into cooperatives.

Ebdane also cited the distribution of agricultural machinery to farmers, improvement of farm-to-market roads, construction of two-storey Ebdane-type school buildings, and procurement of modern equipment like CT-scan, ultrasound and radiology machines for the four government hospitals in the province.

Meanwhile, the Zambales LGU is expected to complete the construction of major infrastructure projects within the next two years: the 499.6-million new Capitol building; P499-million sports complex track and stadium; P399.7-million provincial hospital annex; and the P213.2-milion Capitol multi-purpose building.

Ebdane said Zambales is bidding to host the 2027 Palarong Pambansa, with the sports complex stadium as the major venue for various sports competition.

In his SOPA, the governor also urged the provincial board to factor in social requirements in order to align legislation with defined government objectives, and noted that some outdated ordInances need review and amendment.

“What we know of today will continue to change. And what we achieved yesterday may no longer be applicable tomorrow,” Ebdane pointed out. “The responsibility of leadership is to keep moving forward—steadily, wisely, and with purpose,” he added. 