PS. Margarida Belém proposes strengthening healthcare in Arouca

The current mayor of Arouca, Margarida Belém, presents her candidacy for a third term in office for the PS on Thursday, proposing to strengthen health structures in this municipality in the Aveiro district and Porto Metropolitan Area.

In statements to Lusa, the mayor states: “I have the necessary procedures underway so that Arouca will soon have a Health Park that meets the needs of the population .”

Other projects that Margarida Belém intends to complete in her third term include the modernization and expansion of municipal sports complexes, the definition of the project for the new municipal auditorium, and the transformation of the Escariz school complex “into a true campus where preschool students can live and socialize with peers of various ages, all the way up to secondary school.”

The current mayor also reveals: "We have been working on the project to expand the Town Hall building, making it more modern and functional, and we have several projects to enhance the forest and villages, including Rio de Frades and its mining complex, which we want to enhance as a space of history and memory, of learning and identity."

After being elected councilor in 2009 and becoming vice-president from 2013 to 2017, Margarida Belém became president of the Arouca City Council in October 2017, becoming the first woman to lead the municipality.

Currently, he also assumes the presidency of ADRIMAG — Integrated Rural Development Association of the Serras do Montemuro, Arada and Gralheira and the leadership of AGA — Arouca Geopark Association.

With a degree in Tourism from the Instituto Superior de Assistentes e Intérpretes, and a postgraduate degree in Development and Management of Tourist Destinations, Margarida Belém was for several years the services coordinator for the Rota da Luz Tourism Region and head of its Internal and External Promotion Division, and is now a member of the Strategic Tourism Council of Porto and Northern Portugal.

Regarding her performance during the two terms in which she presided over the Arouca City Council, Margarida Belém highlights the adoption of measures such as investment in housing in Quinta do Cerrado and Vila Pavão, the paving of several roads in the municipality, the expansion of the industrial areas of Arouca and Mansores, the requalification of the primary schools in Moldes and Mansores, the modernization of the Chave Health Extension and the construction of the Arda Ecovia.

In addition to supporting organic agricultural production and the raising of sheep, goats and Arouca cattle, the socialist mayor also highlights the work carried out to implement a tripartite management of the Monastery of Arouca (between the Municipality, the Royal Brotherhood of Queen Saint Mafalda and the Cultural Heritage Institute), the expansion of the municipality's library network, the implementation of social action initiatives such as the co-payment of medicines and the program of visits to senior citizens in isolated housing contexts.

In addition to Margarida Belém for the PS, the candidacies for the Chamber of José Costa Gomes for Chega, Lara Guedes Pinho for the CDU and Vítor Carvalho for PSD, CDS-PP, PPM and IL have also been announced for the local elections on October 12 in Arouca.

With around 22,400 inhabitants and over 329 square kilometers of land, 85% of which is forested, the municipality is currently managed by a council executive that includes four members of the PS and three of the PSD.