“Isang San Pedro na patuloy ang pag-angat nang dahil sa pagkakaisa ng lokal na pamahalaan at mga mamamayan.”
That was the assessment of San Pedro City, Laguna Mayor Art Mercado as he once again made a report on the accomplishments and programs of the city government last December 29, 2025.
Mercado’s State of the City Address (SOCA) was delivered before San Pedrenses as they celebrated the city’s 12th year since the ratification of Republic Act No. 10420 in a cityhood plebiscite on December 29, 2013.
In his latest SOCA, the city executive highlighted the fruits of fostering cooperation and goodwill between the city government, the private sector, and the people in its shared goal of becoming “Una sa Laguna” despite the challenges 2025 brought.
“Ngayong taon, naranasan natin ang mga hamon na sumusubok sa atin, hindi lamang bilang mamamayang Pilipino kundi bilang mamamayan ng San Pedro,” Mercado candidly stated.
“Ngunit sa kabila ng mga pagsubok na ito, naipagpapatuloy pa rin natin ang ating mga layunin. At bilang ama ng ating lungsod, walang anumang hamon o pagsubok ang gagawin kong excuse para talikuran ko ang tungkulin na maitaguyod ang kapakanan ng bawat isa sa inyo.”
Continued social programs
It was these challenges, Mercado added, that further pushed the city government to implement and expand its social welfare programs that will ensure that no San Pedrense will be left behind.
These, the city mayor enumerated, included:
- 4,832 students who have received financial assistance under the San Pedro City Scholarship Program (SPECS)
- 6,495 graduating students assisted by the Tulong Pinansyal Para sa mga Mag-aaral na Magsisipagtapos
- 6,004 residents who received free medical assistance, as well as 1,607 residents who were given burial assistance, 2,006 senior citizens who received their pensions and 10,038 beneficiaries of the “Botika ni San Pedro” free medicines programs
- 592 families displaced by the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) who were provided with housing at the Sining Residences, with the support of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Social Housing and Urban Development (DHSUD)
- 7,250 residents who were given jobs through the assistance of the City Public Employment Service Office (PESO), from 5,025 job placements recorded in 2024
- 300 students who were given temporary work through the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), not including 99 students placed under the Government Internship Program (GIT)
Mercado also noted the increased confidence of the business sector in investing and setting up establishments in the city, as evidenced by the 1,981 business establishments registered in the city and the P47.8 million revenues from local real estate taxes collected in 2025.
“Ang bawat lokal na buwis na inyong ibinabahagi ay napaka-importante sa bawat plano, materyales, labor, utilities at iba pang obligasyon na kakailanganing gampanan upang tuluyan nating matapos at mapakinabangan ang mga imprastrakturang ating itinatayo para sa lungsod,” Mercado emphasized.
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews #SanPedroCityMayor #MayorArtMercado #SOCA2025