Vol. 9, No. 2 | April - June 2018 ARMIE B. GUNAY This quarterly magazine A Quarterly Magazine of the SHARMAINE ZEN O. MANZANO is published by the City Government of Naga ALLEN L. REONDANGA Writers City Government of Naga, Bicol, Philippines JOSE V. COLLERA ALEC FRANCIS A.SANTOS thru the City Publications Office CHRISTOPHER E. ANTONIO and the City Events, ARMIE GUNAY ANSELMO B. MAÑO SYLRANJELVIC C. VILLAFLOR PAUL JOHN F. BARROSA Website Administrator LILIBETH SANCHEZ RUEL P. SANDUCO Protocol and Public Information ISSN 2094-9383 Supervising Editor REYNALDO T. BAYLON Circulation Photographers Technical Advisers Office, with editorial office at City Hall Compound, JASON B. NEOLA FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City Managing Editor REUEL M. OLIVER 4400 Philippines JOHN G. BONGAT Editorial Consultants City Mayor Tel: +63 54 881-8328 RAFAEL RACSO V. VITAN +63 54 871-3098 Graphics Design and Email: [email protected] NELSON S. LEGACION Layout Editor City Vice Mayor Web: www.naga.gov.ph KEVIN JOHN O. BILLIONES JOSE B. PEREZ Layout Artist Editor 17 7 MILES: 70 MINUTES PHOTO BY JUNE MT. ISAROG ECO-ENDURANCE CHALLENGE JOSE COLLERA (3K | 5K | 11.15K) PLAZA QUEZON | 5AM TABLE OF CONTENTS The “An Maogmang Lugar” logo is Mayor’s Message 3 Naga celebrates Farmers Week an attempt to capture Naga as we 50 want it to be – a city that is progressive and yet environment-friendly, where Celebrating the City and Honoring Its People The “Naga SMILES to the World” 7 PSO convenes inter-agency task the people freely participate in the logo is composed of the two 52 group for Oplan Balik Eskwela day-to-day affairs of the government, baybayin characters, na and ga. The Mayoral Awardees and where culture and arts are 8 flourishing. Na, shaped like a mountain, 2 Naga Math wizards provides a strong foundation for the Pimentel keynotes 53 shine in USA contest The stylized design of “NAGA” Narra tree which grew abundantly 10 Mayoral Awards night represents the city’s aggressive along the Naga River while a zigzag march towards modernization and line denotes the majestic Malabsay progress. The sky-blue background, Naga goes Platinum: Falls. Nagueños fly Philippine flag the 54 A simple, meaningful the Narra tree, and the Naga River 41 longest and proudly - 70th year for the Nagueñ os represent our people’s desire for an Ga, shaped like a farmer’s plow, ecologically-balanced community. is symbolic of the Nagueño’s agricultural roots and hardworking 2018 Naga City The ring of people surrounding the personality. 42 Youth officials take oath entire design shows the Nagueños’ SP HIGHLIGHTS participatory mechanism which is The baybayin Naga characters part and parcel of the city’s way rest on a wave-like element which of doing things. It also shows the MNCCI lauded for job well done represents the Naga River and the 44 people’s concern and unity in serpent, which is read in Sanskrit Naga Airport everything that is good for the city. 77 Re-Orientation Project as naga. Naga signs sisterhood pact Today, the city, as Maogmang Lugar, This new branding for Naga, 45 with San Fernando City aims to portray more than a happy launched in 2010 by the dynamic Towing and Expanded place but a happy people who are the Bongat administration, envisions a 78 Wheel Clamp Ordinance true beneficiaries of everything good more livable city that is world-class. 47 City Hall embarks on housing project for that is happening in the city. indigent families 48 First normal school for girls 1 APRIL - JUNE 2018 APRIL - JUNE 2018 2 Their achievements will henceforth serve as both The fourth major award, which was launched an inspiration and insurance for our city’s brighter Mayor's Message in 2014, is named after a young fearless soldier, Lt. future. Delfin C. Rosales, who braved the enemy’s hail of bullets to save a wounded comrade from the superior It was while the Mayoral Awards Committee power of the Japanese Imperial forces. A bridge was was preparing to make the final list of this year’s A CITY MADE PROUD BY ITS PEOPLE named after him on that site by the Naga River where prospective awardees from a long list of nominees he gave his life for his country and his fellow soldier. that two young brilliant students from Naga City This award is conferred on any Nagueño for his or as members of the Philippine team received gold her extraordinary act of heroism, valor, and civic duty, medals in the International Regions Mathematics including acts of honesty. League (IRML) competition held in the University WAS on that momentous day occasion to honor our outstanding citizens who of Nevada, in Las Vegas, USA last June 1 and 2, this – June 18, 1948 or 3 years after have done their share in making our city great This year we have the longest list of exemplary year. the liberation of the city from and proud. Their exemplary achievements shine individuals who qualified and were conferred the the Japanese Imperial Army, brightly in the tradition and mold of Juan Q. Mayoral Recognition Award. We salute them for They are Hans Mackenzie Uy of St. Joseph that then President Elpidio Quirino signed into Miranda and other great leaders before and after their sheer talents, skills, and the capacity to excel School and Dominic Olivan Villegas of Naga City law House Bill No. 1255, which was authored them whose lives have been offered and unselfishly in one’s chosen field of endeavor, such as the arts, Montessori School. IT education, business, and sports. By such achievement, by Rep. Juan Q. Miranda, the commander of the spent to secure a brighter future for the city and guerilla forces that liberated Naga. This became our people. they brought honor, recognition and positive impact Incidentally, both Uy and Villegas are among Republic Act No. 305 which formally declared to the city by the award given them on either national this year’s mayoral recognition awardees. They Naga as a Chartered City, one of the original few With great pride, every year we confer the or international level during the year preceding this have earlier won gold, silver, and bronze medals in throughout the country and the first chartered Mayoral Awards to our present crop of individuals search for outstanding Naga citizens. This includes various Math competitions in China, Singapore, and city in Bicol. and groups who have distinguished themselves in those who landed in the Top Ten of any national Bangkok. their respective fields of endeavor. Their notable professional or academic examination; those who were It was six months later, on December 15, achievements have definitely contributed to Naga’s awarded gold, silver and bronze medals in any national The Philippine team, which ranked 3rd in 1948, that Leon SA Aureus, a former guerilla growth, honor, and glory. or international sports or academic competition; and the Nevada international math contest held in Las officer under Miranda’s leadership, was appointed those who are national or international awardees on Vegas, was composed of 22 students from different as the first mayor of Naga as a chartered city. The Juan Q. Miranda Award, otherwise known leadership, public service, volunteerism, and other high schools across the country. as the Mayoral Distinguished Award, which is the commendable human enterprises. On June 16 this year, or two days before the highest city award, is aptly named after the Father China and Macau ranked first and second place, grand celebration, we have set aside a special of the Naga City Charter. Only one person or And last but not the least, we have conferred the respectively. The Philippines' final score was one group, or institution -- if so qualified -- receives Special Community Service Awards to individuals and point higher than South Korea, which placed 4th. this distinguished award every year. groups who have made direct and actual contribution to projects, programs and activities of the city. Their Still among our awardees is a team of students The second highest city award is named after voluntary acts of charity, civic duty, community from Camarines Sur National High School that won the first Mayor of Naga as a chartered city – Leon participation and involvement have undeniably made the second highest award in a robotics competition, SA. Aureus Award. Appointed by then President an impact on the lives of our people and contributed also in the USA. Quirino, Aureus accepted the gargantuan task significantly to the socio-economic development of governing and rehabilitating the city that had thrusts of the Naga City Government. Naga is indeed what it is – a proud and dynamic suffered so much from the ravages of World War II city – because of its people! where he fought as an officer of the Tangcong Vaca And with 51 individuals and groups chosen to guerilla unit that liberated Naga from the Japanese receive these awards in their corresponding categories Mabuhay po kita gabos! invaders. during the celebration of the 70th foundation year of our chartered city, we have actually opened a treasure Introduced in 2013, the third major award trove of ordinary citizens whose extraordinary is named after the former Naga City Mayor and achievements have made them extraordinary persons. Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. This award, known as the Jesse M. Robredo Youth Award recognizes the Nagueño Youth, individual or group, who strives and perseveres in living the ideals of a servant-leader whose kind of governance and innovative leadership has been widely recognized and emulated. 3 APRIL - JUNE 2018 APRIL - JUNE 2018 4 ayoTHEral MAwards The Mayoral Awards Message of the Mayor WARM NAGA SMILES! On that momentous day, June 18, 1948, the people of Naga, filled with high hopes, rejoiced over the signing by President JUAN QUERUBIN MIRANDA AWARD Elpidio Quirino of House Bill No.