JOHN G. BONGAT JASON B. NEOLA City Mayor Senior Writer Vol. 6, No. 3 | July - September 2014 NELSON S. LEGACION City Vice Mayor RAFAEL RACSO V. VITAN A Quarterly Magazine of the Layout and Design City Government of Naga Bicol, Philippines SIEGLINDE BORROMEO-BULAONG ANSELMO B. MAÑO ISSN 2094-9383 Editor Website Administrator The ROTUNDA at Concepcion Pequeña welcomes all guests and weary travellers coming from and going to all the four directions leading to the City with the warm and environment-friendly topiary image of the Virgin of Peñafrancia, Patroness of Bicolandia! This magazine is published FLORENCIO T. MONGOSO, JR. JOSE B. PEREZ by the City Government of REUEL M. OLIVER ALLEN L. REONDANGA Naga, thru the Ciy Publication Editorial Consultants PAUL JOHN F. BARROSA Office and the City Events, Technical Advisers Protocol and Public Information Office, JOSE V. COLLERA with editorial office at City Hall Compound, XERES RAMON A. GAGERO ALDO NIÑO I. RUIVIVAR J. Miranda Avenue, Naga City SYLRANJELVIC C. VILLAFLOR MAUREEN S. ROJO 4400 Philippines Photographers Staff Assistants Tel: +63 54 472-2136 Email: [email protected] Web: www.naga.gov.ph TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER STORY NAGA -- PH’s 3RD MOST COMPETITIVE CITY; NO.1 IN GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY 3 THE PASSING OF A BELOVED ARCHBISHOP 6 FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR ARCHBISHOP LEGASPI 7 MAYOR’S TRIBUTE 9 THE NEW ARCHBISHOP’S LIFE OF SERVICE The “Naga SMILES to the World” logo is composed of the two PEÑAFRANCIA FESTIVAL/TOURISM baybayin characters, na and ga. 10 FIESTA! A MOSAIC OF COLORFUL EVENTS Na, shaped like a mountain, P MISS BICOLANDIA 2014 provides a strong foundation for the P TRASLACION Narra tree which grew abundantly P 2ND REGIONAL BAND/MAJORETTE/FANCY DRILL COMPETITION along the Naga River while a zigzag P REGIONAL BSP/GSP PARADE line denotes the majestic Malabsay P CIVIC PARADE AND FLOAT COMPETITION Falls. P PEÑAFRANCIA VOYADORES FESTIVAL P REGIONAL MILITARY PARADE Ga, shaped like a farmer’s plow, P REGATTA 2014 is symbolic of the Nagueño’s P FLUVIAL PROCESSION agricultural roots and hardworking P 2ND REGIONAL CHEER DANCE COMPETITION personality. P PEÑAFRANCIA LONG BOARD FESTIVAL P TATTOO ART & SKATE FESTIVAL The baybayin Naga characters SHORT FILM FESTIVAL BRINGS OUT FACETS OF BICOL’S FAITH rest on a wave-like element which 25 represents the Naga River and the JOINT OPERATION CENTER ENSURES PEACEFUL, ORDERLY 28 AND SOLEMN PEÑAFRANCIA FIESTA serpent, which is read in Sanskrit as naga. 29 10 REASONS WHY I LOVE NAGA PEÑAFRANCIA: THE FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS This new branding for Naga, 31 launched in 2010 by the dynamic Bongat administration, envisions a GOVERNANCE, ADVOCACY AND DEVELOPMENT more livable city that is world-class. 33 LENI FILES BILL CEMENTING ROBREDO LEGACY 34 MNDC INITIATES GENDER RESPONSIVENESS IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE NCCWPC: INITIATIVES AND INNOVATIONS DO NOT STOP IN SERVING THE 35 INTEREST OF CHILDREN 1 JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014 TABLE OF CONTENTS 37 RDC OKs NAGA AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT 39 NAGA RIVER TRANSPORT SYSTEM LAUNCHED 41 IN FOCUS: CITY OF NAGA POWER COMMISSION 43 INFOBOARD BOOSTS GOVERNANCE EFFICIENCY TARGETS LEGISLATION The “An Maogmang Lugar“ logo is an attempt to capture Naga as we want it to be – a city that is progressive and yet LEGACION KEYNOTES SANGGUNIAN SECRETARIES BOARD MEETING, WORKSHOP 44 environment-friendly, where the people NAGUEÑOS IN THE WAKE OF TYPHOON GLENDA freely participate in the day-to-day affairs 45 of the government, and where culture and 47 SP PASSES MEASURE TO MAKE SURE EVENTS START ON TIME arts are flourishing. TRIUMPHS IN HEALTH AND NUTRITION 49 The stylized design of “NAGA” represents the city’s aggressive march towards BUSINESS, AGRICULTURE modernization and progress. The sky-blue AND ENVIRONMENT background, the Narra tree, and the Naga River represent our people’s desire for an 50 10TH BICOL BUSINESS WEEK ecologically-balanced community. 2014 HALYAO AWARDEES HONORED 53 The ring of people surrounding the entire PANICUASON CORN FARMER WINS ‘GAWAD SAKA’ REGIONAL AWARD design shows the Nagueños’ participatory 57 mechanism which is part and parcel of 59 NAGA’S GREEN AND FLOWER PROGRAM the city’s way of doing things. It also shows the people’s concern and unity in CCTV, COMPUTERIZATION AND 5S AT NAGA CITY PEOPLE’S MALL 61 everything that is good for the city. CITY HALL PROVIDES EMERGENCY JOBS TO TYPHOON VICTIMS 63 Today, the city, as Maogmang Lugar, aims to portray more than a happy place but a BEST PRACTICES/REGIONAL RELATIONS happy people who are the true beneficiaries of everything good that is happening in the NAGA’S E-GOVERNANCE VOTED ‘BEST OF THE BEST’ IN SINGAPORE FESTIVAL 64 city. SPORTS 65 9,000 RUNNERS HIT MILO MARATHON NAGA ELIMINATION JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014 2 Naga -- PH’s 3rd most competitive city; No. 1 in government efficiency By JOSE B. PEREZ ROM No. 9 in 2013, The Philippine Chamber the City of Naga of Commerce and Industry, leapfrogged to No. 3 thru the Metro Naga Chamber in the ranking of the of Commerce and Industry, most competitive honored the City of Naga and cities throughout the Municipality of Daet for the the country, an prestigious awards and citations impressive performance that they just received for being among gained so much respect and the most competitive and dynamic Fcommendation from both the LGUs in the country in their business sector here and the respective categories. general public. The Cities and Municipalities Daet in Camarines Norte, Competitiveness Index (CMCI) is meanwhile, maintained its No. an annual ranking of Philippine 1 spot as the most competitive cities and municipalities developed municipality based on an by the National Competitiveness index that ranked cities and Council (NCC), together with municipalities throughout the the Regional Competitiveness country. Committees (RCCs), with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). City Mayor John G. Bongat, who just returned home fresh from a governance forum in Singapore, received the award during ceremonies held in Manila The Cities and on August 7. Municipalities Competitiveness Index is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council, through the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs), with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development. 3 JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014 PHOTO BY jose v. collera The CMCI measures Mr. Guillermo M. Luz, (Cavite), and Kalibo (Aklan), in that competitiveness at the local co-chairperson of the NCC, order. government level using 28 explained that the scores for Luz said it is important for all indicators grouped into three economic dynamism are based stakeholders to work together to equally-weighted pillars: Economic on the size and growth of the build cities and municipalities that Dynamism, Government Efficiency, local economy; capacity to are affordable, accessible, socially and Infrastructure. Scores on each generate employment; cost of acceptable, environmentally pillar were combined to form the living; cost of doing business; friendly, economically viable, overall score used to rank cities and financial deepening; productivity; climate-resilient, and competitive. municipalities. and presence of business and “In this way, they will be able to This year’s CMCI featured professional organizations. attract the right businesses to their 136 cities and 399 municipalities, Naga City this year ranked city or municipality.’’ up from 122 cities and 163 No. 1 in government efficiency, He also underscored that municipalities in 2013. Makati City followed by Iloilo City and Angeles what makes the index more was adjudged the most competitive City in Pampanga. significant is that it is not based on city, followed by Cagayan de Oro Government efficiency public opinion surveys or boards City, with scores of 53.24% and was measured from data on of judges. “It is based solely on 49.36%, respectively, where Naga transparency scores, economic statistics and data collected per scored 49.08% in the overall cities governance scores, local taxes and LGU. We have tried to remove as ranking. revenues, local competition-related much subjectivity as possible in The other 7 cities in the Top awards, business registration any selection,” he added. Ten are: Davao (47.72%), Marikina efficiency, investment promotion, The results highlight the (45.47%), Iloilo City (45.00%), Cebu compliance to national directives, importance of being competitive City (43.69%), Manila (43.15%), health, and education. in several factors, especially those Valenzuela (43.02%), and Paranaque In the infrastructure category, which are closely examined by (42.70%). Naga City fell from No.1 in 2013 to potential investors. It should be It will be noted that in the No. 18 this year. The top cities in noted that the top three cities overall ranking, five cities from this category are Davao, Cagayan and municipalities for overall Metro Manila, two from the de Oro, and Marikina. competitiveness also received at Visayas, two from Mindanao, and Infrastructure scores were least one award in a category. only one from Bicol and the rest of measured using data on existing The CMCI was designed to Luzon made it to the Top Ten. Iriga road network, distance from encourage local governments to City in Camarines Sur was ranked the city center to major ports, regularly track data and eventually No. 17 overall. health infrastructure, education benchmark performance against In terms of economic infrastructure, and basic utilities, other cities in the ASEAN to better dynamism, Parañaque, Makati, and among others. manage their regions. Manila took the top posts for cities. The most competitive Naga City was ranked 4th in this municipalities were Daet category where it was not in the (Camarines Norte), General Trias Top Ten in 2013. JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014 4 5 JULY - SEPTEMBER 2014 Flags in city fly at half-staff for Archbishop Legaspi, 76 ITY Mayor John G.