2016 JULY-AUG Final (NSM).indd 1 11/18/2016 6:26:55 PM JOHN G. BONGAT RAFAEL RACSO V. VITAN City Mayor Layout and Design NELSON S. LEGACION ANSELMO B. MAÑO Vol. 7, No. 3 | July - August 2016 City Vice Mayor Website Administrator A Quarterly Magazine of the JOSE B. PEREZ FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. City Government of Naga Editor REUEL M. OLIVER Bicol, Philippines Editorial Consultants ISSN 2094-9383 JASON B. NEOLA Managing Editor DRONE PHOTO BY IAN MAR NEBRES LEE 2016 JULY-AUG Final (NSM).indd 2 11/18/2016 6:27:04 PM JOSE V. COLLERA ALLEN L. REONDANGA This quarterly magazine SYLRANJELVIC C. VILLAFLOR ALEC FRANCIS A.SANTOS is published by the XERES RAMON A. GAGERO PAUL JOHN F. BARROSA City Government of Naga, REYNALDO T. BAYLON Technical Advisers thru the Ciy Publications Office Photographers and the City Events, Protocol and Public Information CHRISTOPHER E. ANTONIO Office, with editorial office at City Hall Compound, SHARMAINE ZEN O. MANZANO J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City NELSON D. SERRANO Circulation 4400 Philippines Tel: +63 54 473-4432 Email: [email protected] Web: www.naga.gov.ph BRAND-NEW edifices which are proof of vibrant and dynamic progress and development are sprouting everywhere in Naga City like this one in busy intersection along Peñafrancia Avenue near the famous Colgante Bridge that provides a vantage view of revitalized Naga River. 2016 JULY-AUG Final (NSM).indd 3 11/18/2016 6:27:11 PM The “Naga SMILES to the World” logo is composed of the two baybayin characters, na and ga. Na, shaped like a mountain, provides a strong foundation for the Narra tree which grew abundantly along the Naga River while a zigzag line denotes the majestic Malabsay Falls. Ga, shaped like a farmer’s plow, is symbolic of the Nagueño’s agricultural roots and hardworking personality. The baybayin Naga characters rest on a wave-like element which TABLE OF CONTENTS represents the Naga River and the serpent, which is read in Sanskrit as naga. This new branding for Naga, launched in 2010 by the dynamic Bicol hits highest growth rate at 8.4% in Bongat administration, envisions 3 2015 a more livable city that is world- class. 6 Naga to build expansive road network, new routes COMMENTARY Why Naga is consistently 7 on top CO-WORKERS IN DEVELOPMENT Metro 9 Naga VMs, kagawads take part in MNDC summit HIGHLIGHT AT MNDC SUMMIT: Council to 10 approve resolution seeking congressional charter 12 Naga: A little Europe 1 JULY - AUGUST 2016 2016 JULY-AUG Final (NSM).indd 4 11/18/2016 6:27:18 PM The “An Maogmang Lugar” logo is an attempt to capture Naga as we want it to be – a city that is progressive and yet environment- friendly, where the people freely participate in the day-to- day affairs of the government, and where culture and arts are flourishing. The stylized design of “NAGA” represents the city’s aggressive march towards modernization and progress. The sky-blue background, the Narra tree, and the Naga River represent our people’s desire for an TABLE OF CONTENTS ecologically-balanced community. The ring of people surrounding the entire design shows the Nagueños’ participatory mechanism which is part and parcel of the city’s way of doing things. It also shows the people’s Naga remembers Simply Jesse 13 concern and unity in everything that is good for the city. 15 The day Secretary Robredo’s plane went missing Today, the city, as Maogmang Lugar, aims to portray more than a happy place but a happy people 17 Naga celebrate Leni’s Victory who are the true beneficiaries of everything good that is happening in the city. 19 Sanggawadan Ordinance: What it is all about 21 Executive-Legislative Agenda 2016-2019 Naga City’s 30-Year Sustainable Urban 22 Development Plan JULY - AUGUST 2016 2 2016 JULY-AUG Final (NSM).indd 5 11/18/2016 6:27:24 PM BICOLHIGHEST GROWTH HITS RATE AT 8.4% IN 2015 By JUAN ESCANDOR JR. PHOTO BY SYLRANJELVIC VILLAFLOR the rate of 8.4 percent in 2015, Bicol posted the highest growth rate in terms of gross regional domestic product (GRDP) all over the country, according to the ATstatement released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA defines the GRDP as “the aggregate of gross valued added (GVA) of all resident producer units in the region” or the total value of goods and services produced in the region. “In terms of current value of P281 billion worth of goods and services produced, (Bicol) ranked 10th among the 17 regions in the country, with the National Capital Region having the highest at P5 trillion,” it said. The sectors and sub-sectors comprising the GRDP include agriculture, hunting, fishery and forestry, industry, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, electricity and water, service, transport, communication and storage, trade, finance, ownership of dwellings and real estates, private and government services. The PSA identified the service, industry and agriculture sectors as the main drivers of the Bicol economy that expanded from 4.3 percent in 2014 to 8.4 percent in 2015. The service sector remained as the largest contributor to Bicol’s economy at 56.1 percent while the industry sector contributed 22.5 percent and agriculture, hunting, fishery and forestry at 21.3 percent. At 5.3 percent in 2014 to 23.7 percent in 2015, the industry sector posted the fastest growth rate. Service sector has also accelerated from 5.4 percent in 2014 to 7.5 percent in 2015. But the sector of agriculture, hunting, fishery and forestry performed dismally to negative 2.5 percent growth rate in 2015 from 1.1 percent in 2014. 3 JULY - AUGUST 2016 2016 JULY-AUG Final (NSM).indd 6 11/18/2016 6:27:40 PM CONSTRUCTION projects completed in last year. The PSA identified construction to have Other government spending that added spurred the growth of the industry sector. up to the performance of the industry sector It said that the growth in construction was in Bicol includes major infrastructure projects driven by “improved government spending” with like the construction of a seven-story building “faster disbursements for infrastructure and other in Bicol Medical Center and 27 road projects in economic and social services.” Camarines Norte. “Public investments in the widening of 52 Through the KALAHI-CIDSS (Kapit Bisig kilometers of roads and 486 linear meters of Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive Integrated bridges along the Maharlika Highway, dubbed as Delivery of Social Services) of the Department Asian Highway 26 under the cooperative project of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), among countries in Asia, reached P1.9 billion in there were 2,902 classrooms, 215 school 2015,” the PSA cited. buildings, 221 community centers or multi- The infrastructure projects implemented purpose buildings, 217 flood/river control in 2015 included Catanduanes Circumferential structures constructed in 2015. The DSWD also Road; Albay-Camarines Sur diversion road, Pio completed 7,843 core shelter units while other Duran-Donsol, Guicadale Platform road networks. shelter agencies built 12,893 housing units. Also, the continuing construction of the Bicol The major projects of the Department of International Airport in Daraga, Albay added to Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were also the growth of the industry sector whi ch received considered in the growth of the industry sector IAN MAR NEBRES LEE BY P1.55 billion in 2015. which included the construction of seawall The PSA also cited the so -called projects with joggers and vehicle lane, dike, Cabangan under the Bottom-Up-Budgeting (BUB) program bridge and pumping station in Legazpi City. SYLRANJELVIC VILLAFLOR that contributed to the growth of the industry DRONE PHOTOS PHOTOS DRONE sector amounting to P333 million for the 239 PHOTO BY BY PHOTO JULY - AUGUST 2016 4 2016 JULY-AUG Final (NSM).indd 7 11/18/2016 6:27:56 PM PHOTO BY BY PHOTO BY PHOTO REYNALDO BAYLON SYLRANJELVIC VILLAFLOR ARING a new road plan to ease traffic movement in the city and environs, City Mayor John G. Bongat Bunderscored the need to construct a new road network SERVICE AND TOURISM became accessible. The much that will interconnect with other needed employment opportunities provincial roads and national The expansion of service sector are expected to increase as more highways within the Metro Naga was fueled by the increase in tourist sustainable jobs will be created,” it area. arrivals from 3.72 million in 2014 to added. Called city road network 4.52 million in 2015, of which some The PSA sees more development plan (CRNDP) 2016- 868,000 are foreign tourists and 3.65 investment to come in with Naga 2019, the idea, once realized, will million as domestic tourists. and Legazpi recognized as the decongest the mounting motor Camarines Sur (combined top and 3rd most competitive city, and pedestrian traffic within with Naga City) remained to be the respectively, all over the country the critical spots of the city, place where most tourists visited in 2016. particularly those within the city’s with 2.06 million in 2015, comprising two central business districts – 45.5 percent of the tourist arrivals in AGRICULTURE’S DECLINE CBD I & II. Bicol. But Albay (with Legazpi City In his letter sent last July combined) has the highest growth The PSA cited the effect 26, 2016 to Secretary Benjamin rate of the number of tourists visiting of the El Niño in the decline in Diokno of the Department of the province with 1.41 million in 2015 agriculture sector. “The effect of Budget and Management (DBM), from 959,000 in 2014.