The experience is definitely not improvised, since Rodrigo Villalba, Governor-elect, began to talk intensely and show management before President Gustavo Petro. Villalba did not waste the opportunity with the national government and carried out investment initiatives in strategic projects for Huila in order to obtain their co-financing and materialization.
For Huila, the leadership and leading role played by our Governor before the national government is essential, given that, although Colombia is a unitary and decentralized state, in reality the governments have been extremely centralist, coupled with the discreet work of regional legislative representation, given that they have little or no weight in the national context, since the majority of these congressmen are in opposition and those who are in government have their knees on with zero management of resources for our territory.
Among the initiatives presented by Villalba, I must highlight the proposal for the completion of the Football Stadium. Likewise, in security, the increase in uniformed public forces, 500 security cameras for the municipalities of Neiva, Garzón, La Plata and Pitalito. Likewise, he requests resources for the Zuluaga – Garzón Police Substation, Pitalito Station, La Ulloa – Rivera Police Substation, among others. Villalba will also focus its efforts on tertiary roads, requesting co-financing for the maintenance of footprint plates, on at least 200 km of roads for the rural area, whose financing scheme would be 1 peso from the region for 3 pesos from the nation, for a estimated budget of $400,000 million, as well as support for the machinery bank and the improvement of 100 km of secondary roads.
The Governor-elect also requested resources for high-impact projects in energy transition for the Alternative Energy Industrial Park. Simultaneously in terms of education, he requested the completion of the happiness schools and the creation of the University of Coffee in Huila, and in ICT the management of resources for digital networks guaranteeing the internet in rural areas.
It should be noted that, in terms of health, the Governor will require support from the national government in the preventive Primary Health Care program, which was implemented by Villalba in the 2004-2007 governorship. Likewise, he requests the provision of a Neuropsychiatry Unit for the ‘Hernando Moncaleano’ University Hospital, the construction and provision of the first-level Pitalito Hospital. Finally, in agriculture, the construction of 6 central or community plants is proposed for the processes of benefit, drying, threshing and transformation of coffee, strengthening and improving the regional fertilizer mixture plants and managing with the Ministry of Agriculture projects to camel in the 22 productive chains.
The iconic figure of the Governor regains value. Let us not forget that the legal representative of the department is not only the head of the sectional administration, but, in turn, this will be the agent of the President of the Republic for the maintenance of public order and for the execution of the general economic policy, as well as as well as for those matters that the Nation agrees with the department through agreements. Great challenge for a big Huila!
