ISSN 2094-9383 a Quarterly Magazine of the City Government of Naga Bikol, Philippines New ISSN 2094-9383 JOHN G
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ISSN 2094-9383 A Quarterly Magazine of the City Government of Naga Bikol, Philippines New ISSN 2094-9383 JOHN G. BONGAT Advocacy Mayor GABRIEL H. BORDADO, JR. of a Vice Mayor Jose B. Perez Editor (on leave) Strong Alec Francis A. Santos Leadership Executive Editor Jason B. Neola Managing Editor NAGA IS DEFINED by an empowered and a more liveable community. A City we can truly Reuel M. Oliver Florencio T. Mongoso, Jr. responsible citizenry in action. call Maogmang Naga. A happy place inhabited by a happy people. Allen L. Reondanga Editorial Consultants This is the essence behind KKDK, the new advocacy of a strong leadership under Mayor These ideals are summed up in his first State of Jan Rev L. Davila John G. Bongat that inspires Nagueños to develop the City Report delivered on January 25. His main Stephen V. Prestado Layout Artists in their heart and mind a culture of cleanliness message is everyone, young or old, rich or poor, is (Kalinigan), peace (Katoninongan), and order part and parcel of the City’s life and future with the Ray John B. Ubaldo 2 (Disiplina). These, he believes, are the essential bounden duty to “H ELP your CiTy”, as everyone Graphic Artist takes part in defining Naga’s future today. ingredients (Kaipuhan) towards the attainment of Contents Randy Villaflor Jose B. Collera Photographers Albert F. Cecilio Highlights Alnor Roger Alcala Editorial Assistants STATE OF THE CITY REPORT (Jul - Dec 2010) Mayor JB delivers first SOCR This magazine is published by the City Government of Naga thru the 7 City Publications and External SALOG KAN BUHAY Relations Office (CPERO), with Broadbased support for Editorial Office at 1st floor, DOLE Naga River Project affirmed Bldg., City Hall Complex, J. Miranda 22 Avenue, Naga City 4400. THE RISE OF A CONVENTION CITY Telephone: +6354 473-4432 A City of Crossroads, Conventions, and Convergence Fax: +6354 811-1286 50 Email: [email protected] THE MAN BEHIND THE MEN OF POWER About the Cover A closer look at the City Administrator Commercial buildings and the Naga City 77 People’s Mall surround the Plaza Nueva de Caceres (Naga’s old Spanish name), BARANGAY GROW NEGOSYO CATALOGUE highlighting Naga’s identity as a historic Naga’s One Barangay, One Product (OBOP) innovation city and reputation as a bustling economic hub. The park’s serene setting stands in 80 contrast to the busy thoroughfare just a few NAGa’S 2010 TOP TAXPAYERS steps away. As a cosmopolitan city, Naga Boosting local business, Advancing better services retains the charm of an old, provincial community with a vibrant modern economy. 86 Photography | Bong Bajo News Features 18 Chamber and Centro Traders 4 Transparency in Naga: A Blend of Old and New praise Bongat administration for initiatives 7 State of the City Report (Jul – Dec 2010) 20 Naga, DOT, team up for tourism accreditation 22 Salog kan Buhay: 21 Naga and Shefa, Vanuatu ink sisterhood agreement Broadbased Support for Naga River Affirmed 25 Earth Hour spurs 29 Of Boxing Gloves and Running Shoes Evolving from “An Maogmang more upcoming activities for environment 35 City Hall Press Corps: Bridging the information gap 26 Naga to market ‘Green Charcoal’ Lugar” (The Happy Place), 43 Channelling Charity Maogmang Naga aims to portray The “Naga SMILES to the World” 27 SciHigh bests 167 other schools 44 Leveling the field for the visually challenged more than a happy place but a happy people as well. logo is composed of the two 32 City sets measures vs. drug use, abuse 46 EduCare at its best: Bongat admin reaps baybaying Naga characters, “na” 33 Checkpoints, new police station up, crime down national award, preps for new school year The first letter of the word and “ga”. “Maogmang”, an adjective meaning “Na”, shaped like a mountain, 34 Naga eyes barangay-based survey 50 Naga: A city of crossroads, conventions, and convergence “Happy” (Maogma), is a dancing provides a strong foundation for the to pre-empt problems 53 Naga simmers with football fever human character, signifying the Narra tree which grew abundantly 37 Mayor Bongat calls for 57 National Arts Month: Bikol’s arts and culture revolution dynamic nature of Naga. The sun along the Naga River while a zigzag creation of Ecumenical Council denotes the warm and cheerful 59 24/7 public service: Councilor Nene style line denotes majestic Malabsay 38 Search for new mayoral awardees is on personality of the Nagueños. Falls. 61 Bienvenido N. Santos: The fictions of his memory The name of the City itself 40 Tabuco Bridge to be re-christened Puente de Claveria “Ga”, shaped like a farmer’s 63 MNCCI: Reaching out beyond the hall of fame is composed of the “Voyadores”, plow, is symbolic of the Nagueño’s 41 Special Bienvenido Santos section rises male devotees cheering Our Lady agricultural roots and hardworking at Roco Library 66 Fighting fire with fervor: of Peñafrancia as their brethren Naga’s Chin Po Tong volunteer fire brigade personality. 41 Free classes, livelihood trainings give hope carry the image of “Ina” on their The baybaying Naga characters to undergrads, poor in Sta. Cruz 69 Sarig Naga: From bitter fate to better lives shoulders. rest on a wave-like element which 42 Covered basketball court to rise in Abella 73 Cleaning up the city: The SWMO Colorful “banderitas” or festive represents the Naga River and the flags adorn the logo to show the 75 The Bicol Science and Technology Centrum experience serpent, which is read in Sanskrit as 42 San Francisco sees ‘paminta’ as potential OBOP vibrancy of Maogmang Naga – the “n a g a”. 48 MNDC to spearhead tourism-led growth 77 The Man behind the Men of Power City of warm and friendly people. 86 Naga’s 2010 Top Taxpayers 80 Barangay GROW Negosyo catalogue 2 | Naga SMILES | Vol. 2 No. 1 Naga SMILES | Vol. 2 No. 1 | 3 directed the i-Governance team and key offices to during Mayor Bongat’s State of the City Report. re-engineer the website to make it easier to use and To say that the new website is visually for constituents to easily access information related appealing scratches only the surface. With the to spending, legislation, and executive policies. To “Naga SMILES to the world” battlecry as the top it all up, the new website also includes news template, the City’s designers designed the website articles at its home page with comment boxes for to incorporate the many faces of Naga as the improved feedback gathering. The re-engineered center of education, commerce, investment, and website was presented to the public last January 25 tourism. For instance, the homepage includes short DIGITAL. The re-engineered naga.gov.ph offers quality content, improved accessibility, and enhanced transparency initiatives. NOT YET SATISFIED WITH THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF HIGHLIGHTING NAGA’s traNSPARENCY EFFORTS, THE CITY GOVERNMENT HAS SETTLED FOR A MIX OF CONVENTIONAL AND MODERN TOOLS. Words | Alec Santos Photograph | Randy Villaflor USING THE LATEST IN INTERNET Naga City Gazette to further enhance technology, coupled with traditional transparency in the City Government. publication, Mayor John G. Bongat Realizing the need for Naga to and the i-Governance team re- explore other ways to make citizens engineered www.naga.gov.ph, the aware of the City’s initiatives as well City’s official website and released the as its inner workings, Mayor Bongat 4 | Naga SMILES | Vol. 2 No. 1 Naga SMILES | Vol. 2 No. 1 | 5 write-ups about the six key components of SMILES. Of course, they have their own sections where they are discussed in detail. Retaining its status as a major tool in WHEN TEAM NAGA offered enhancing transparency, naga.gov.ph also itself to the electorate last features at its homepage links to past and May, it did so with a program present budget reports and city spending. Projects and supplies for bidding are also of governance built on the seen at a single glance. Clicking on their fundamental principle of links will reveal the full details. Visitors to stakeholdership -- that only by the website can also view the latest executive working together as a team, with and administrative orders, as well as Mayor Bongat’s proclamations to get a feel of the every citizen pitching in his share, general policies of the City Government. can we build a better, happier Ordinances and resolutions from the MAKING HEADWAYS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS Naga anchored on a consultative, Sangguniang Panlungsod are classified by transparent, responsive and topic and can be downloaded with ease. Under Mayor Bongat’s Executive accountable government. Order 2010-29, the City Government also compiled and published all executive issuances and key ordinances and We share this vision, not only of a resolutions covered by the period July 1 to happy place but a happy people as well, Dec. 31, 2010. The same directive also calls MAYOR JOHN G. BONGAT as we transform “Maogmang Lugar” for its publication and distribution at least CITY OF NAGA twice a year. Mayor Bongat believes that or Happy Place to a “Maogmang Naga” making important legislation and executive Delivered on January 25, 2011 or a Happy Place inhabited by a Happy directives available to the public will engage at the Arrupe Convention Center People. the citizenry. Ateneo de Naga University Capitalizing on the worldwide scope Why should I report to you today? of the internet and its accessibility, the City I am honored to report to you what Government has also opted to make the we, at City Hall, have accomplished as a Gazette downloadable from its website. team over the last six months after my This means that anyone from anywhere can administration assumed office noon of download the compendium and share it June 30, 2010.