A Quarterly Magazine of the City Government of Naga Bicol, Philippines Naga, Home of a Proud People ISSN 2094-9383 Naga is undeniably among the oldest storied cities of the Philippines. And it is also among the country’s JOHN G. BONGAT fastest-growing economies, always heading for change and transformation. City Mayor GABRIEL H. BORDADO, JR. Perhaps the best witness to its evolution from a quaint riverine settlement to a bubbling trading powerhouse is City Vice Mayor the Naga River which flows through the heart of the city’s two business districts --- the old and the new, both racing to achieve more progress and prospe rity while always enabling to do their share in making the city a bet- JOSE B. PEREZ ter place to live in. Oldtimers tell us that the river once brimmed with cargo-laden boats and half-naked steve- Editor dores loading and unloading bales of products and commodities from other towns, especially those that lie ALEC FRANCIS A. SANTOS along the banks of the connecting Bicol River downstream to San Miguel Bay. The scene, now enhanced by Executive Editor time and mo dern technology, becomes even more dynamic today, earning for Naga the titles of being most JASON B. NEOLA business-friendly while at the same being a most livable city. Managing Editor ANSELMO B. MANO~ After over three hundred years of Spanish colonization and forty years of American rule interrupted by Layout/Graphics Japanese invasion that saw the bombing of its imposing colonial structures, the city through the years has RANDYVIC C. VILLAFLOR triumphantly risen from the ashes. Its birth and rebirth are largely because of its people whose natural instinct JOSE B. COLLERA to survive and eventually to excel in our chosen fields of endeavor are both our vice and virtue. 4 From Riverine Village Photographers to Throbbing Urban Center GERALD ENGUERO Thus, Naga has produced heroes, martyrs, poets, entrepreneurs and outstanding leaders who altogether, in This riverine village is now a bustling city ALNOR ROGER A. ALCALA their own pace and time, were and are contributors to the city’s success and development. Editorial Assistants Naga City’s Historical Landmarks SHIENA M. BARRAMEDA 6 JUAN ESCANDOR, JR. Today, we, at CityHall, in harmoni ous collaboration with our fellow Nagueños, are committed to give our Historic sites speak of a rich culture ERNANI B. SURON humble share in preserving and nurturing the glory of the city’s past by hurdling the demands of everyday life NICOLAS C. MOTOS, JR. FELIMON O. BATURIANO, JR. as productive citizens because we believe that we ourselves are the builders of our city’s future. Because we are 7th Bicol Business Week / RODERICK D. REFORSADO proud, the Nagueño in us has all reason to celebrate for the bounty that we received from the Almighty, ha-rd 12 The 2nd Great Naga Sale Contributors earned blessings that we all deserve to enjoy as we all link arms in building one proud city we can truly call our The biggest trade fair combines with huge price cuts REUEL M. OLIVER home. FLORENCI O T. MONGOSO, JR. ALLEN L. REONDANGA 13 3 Green, Business-Friendly Projects Editorial Consultants Environment and economic development are twin goals This magazine is published by the City Government of Naga JOHN G. BONGAT thru the City Publications and City Mayor 2011 Mayoral Awards External Relations Office, with 18 editorial office at 2F RSR Library, Outstanding citizens are honored on Charter day City Hall Compound, J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City 4400 ~ Tracing Family Roots Becomes Tel +6354 473-4432 TEN LITTLE THINGS A NAGUENO SHOULD DO 26 Fax +6354 811-1286 By Mayor John G. Bongat Easy in Naga Email: [email protected] Inspired by Atty. Alex Lacson’s 12 Little Things A Filipino Should Do. Genealogical records are accessible at Library 1. I THINK POSITIVE and SAY POSITIVE THINGS THE COVER about Naga. The Story of Two Streetchildren 31 Success comes to two dreamers SHE deserves to take 2. I keep my surroundings CLEAN and GREEN. the center stage, as far 3. I RESPECT THE ELDERLY and MY FELLOW MEN as this magazine’s at all times. cover and our high Naga, CamSur Welcome regard for the humble 4. I am ON TIME, and I WORK HARD and SAVE 38 and yet proud Naga for my future. AdCongress Participants entrepreneur, are 5. I am HONEST in my dealings with others. concerned. She, whose Big media event to draw 5,000 persons happy face and radiant 6. I STAY AWAY from DRUGS. smiles speak reassuringly of the hustle and bustle of a 7. I OBEY TRAFFIC RULES and REGULATIONS city where the true winners are the hardworking and honest, regardless of how big or small one’s enterprise and City ORDINANCES. 37 Tourism: Stepping up the Game is. After all, most, if not all, of the giant businesses that 8. I REPORT ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES to protect myself, City and province attract more tourists we see today took a humble beginning which reminds my family and my community. us of the ancient merchants, known as ‘Halyao’, by the Naga River in pre-Hispanic times: their strong sense of 9. I PAY MY TAXES promptly. 39 Naga, CamSur Top Tourist Arrivals Anew entrepreneurship and industry continues to thrive up to 10. I BUY LOCALLY MADE PRODUCTS and Big plans amidst tourism boom this day. Because a community’s greatest resource are PATRONIZE the Naga City People’s Mall. its people, we are not at all surprised that for over 450 years of Bicol’s recorded history, Naga has been and will continue to be the region’s center of trade, com- LBO: Serving where it “Hearts” merce and industry. 48 City Hall comes to Barangay heartland Naga SMILES Vol. 2 No. 2 1 43 Naga receives US$321,000 grant to revive river 44 Bayan Muna, Kabataan partylist to help expand Naga City Youth EWS Center services N 44 Naga adopts CBMS to keep track of economic reforms 11 CA affirms possession of lot by City Hall 46 Naga cited for highest local revenue collection in Bicol 12 MNCCI, exhibitors to stage 7th Bicol Business Week 50 BSP Naga, a symbol of the city’s financial strength and growth 13 Maogmang Naga: On the go for 3 ‘green’ business-friendly projects 51 City celebrates 37th Nutrition Month; top achievers honored 14 How Naga cut garbage collection by half 52 Mayor Bongat activates “Defenders of Naga River” The “Naga SMILES to the World” Evolving from “An Maogmang logo is composed of the two 16 Joint Operations Center for Peñafrancia reactivated 53 Almeda Highway lights up! Volunteer group greenlighted Lugar” (The Happy Place), baybayin characters, “na” 16 DepEd and Naga to construct more school buildings 53 Naga City Homeowners Board: A Sounding Board for Maogmang Naga aims to portray and “ga”. more than a happy place but a 17 Pilimania: Greening the city while providing source Homeowners’ Concerns happy people as well. for economic development “Na”, shaped like a mountain, 54 Tour guides trained for surge in tourist arrivals 25 City pushes milk feeding program The first letter of the word provides a strong foundation for the 54 Naga, finalist in national search for Best Performing PESO Narra tree which grew abundantly 26 Tracing family roots becomes easy in Naga “Maogmang”, an adjective meaning along the Naga River while a zigzag “Happy” (Maogma), is a dancing line denotes majestic Malabsay 27 New chapel rises at Naga City People’s Mall human character, signifying the Falls. 28 Naga fetes 63rd year of cityhood EATURES dynamic nature of Naga. The sun F denotes the warm and cheerful 29 Naga’s project monitoring is Bicol’s best “Ga”, shaped like a farmer’s personality of the Nagueños. plow, is symbolic of the Nagueño’s 29 City Hall hires 107 locally-funded teachers 4 Naga: From a riverine village to a throbbing urban center agricultural roots and hardworking The name of the City itself 30 Scholarship program takes big leap, gets stronger 6 Naga’s historical landmarks personality. is composed of the “Voyadores”, 33 Secretary Ona to honor CHO’s accomplishments 18 Mayoral Awards conferred on 14 Outstanding Citizens male devotees cheering Our Lady The baybayin Naga characters 33 LGUs emulate Naga’s GROW Negosyo 23 naga.gov.ph: Most visited LGU city website in the Philippines of Peñafrancia as their brethren rest on a wave-like element which carry the image of “Ina” on their 36 Nagueños run for Naga River represents the Naga River and the 24 Bicol Express Redux shoulders. serpent, which is read in Sanskrit as 36 Naga River Project Team lauded in Singapore 26 Naga City Hospital: Best primary hospital in Bicol “naga”. 38 Naga, CamSur welcome AdCongress participants Colorful “banderitas” or festive 31 CSWDO: The story of two successful street children flags adorn the logo to show the 39 Naga, CamSur top tourist arrivals anew 32 Smart Buddy: Success comes to those who work for it vibrancy of Maogmang Naga – the 40 Local dish gives hope to ‘backyard’ business 34 Revitalizing the Naga River City of warm and friendly people. 41 Naga LGU to create database for vision-impaired Nagueños 37 Stepping up to the game 42 Public-Private Partnership in Metro Naga’s socio-economic development 40 NCPO’s station 2 chief named national awardee during 2010 Lead PNP Award 42 Mayor Bongat pushes for gambling-free Naga 46 ALS: A ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ to Naga’s out-of-school youth and adults 48 Lingkod Barangay: Serving where it ‘Hearts’ 2 Naga SMILES Vol.