Naga City — One good thing leads to another.
Ten days after this city celebrated with flourish and style the Naga River Day last March 8, comes the news that the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has chosen Naga River to be the second Water Quality Management Area (WQWA) in Bicol.
The highly successful celebration was spearheaded by its top city hall officials, and guests led by no less than Archbishop Rolando J. Tria Tirona of Caceres and Rep. Leni Robredo who all expressed hope over the river’s future because the people themselves advocate and participate in the preservation of the river’s role in the city’s development and history.
The newest good news was brought forth by EMB Regional Director Roberto D. Sheen when he called and presided over the initial meeting for the WQMA designation last March 18 at the Blue Room of the Raul S. Roco Library at the City Hall compound here.
The meeting which was attended by DENR officials in Bicol and Camarines Sur and stakeholders representing various NGOs and civic and business organizations, officials of the local water districts, and those from the academe tackled the WQMA designation project as one of the strategies identified to effectively enforce the Clean Air Act of 2004 and improve the water quality of water bodies through focused interventions or actions that are designed to address specific water quality issues of the areas.
Director Sheen disclosed that Lake Buhi was the first designated WQMA in Bicol, with Lake Bato, also in Camarines Sur being eyed as the third.
During the same meeting, the composition of the Naga River WQMA Governing Board (GB) was discussed, the final composition of which, that will include representatives from the LGUs and the private and public sectors, will be taken up in the next meeting after the Holy Week, Sheen said.
As explained, the Governing Board will primarily serve as the planning, monitoring, and coordinating body of the WQMA. This GB will review the WQMA action plan prepared by the DENR through the EMB and member stakeholders.
Naga City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Oscar Orozco said this is a welcome development considering that Naga is on its heels of implementing the integrated Naga River Revitalization Project (iNRRP) that seeks “to create public awareness in preserving the historic Naga River, and to encourage better stewardship of the environment in general.”
He announced that the P150M revetment of the riverbanks and implementation of related works like dredging and desilting along Naga River will soon start with the anticipated release of P150M fund secured through the efforts of CamSur 3rd District Rep. Leni Robredo.
Meanwhile, during the presentation of the result of water quality monitoring of Naga River conducted during the first quarter of this year, it was revealed that Naga River since its last monitoring ten years ago remains to be categorized as Class C, meaning that there may be habitation or life (for fish and other marine resources) within the river but its water quality remains polluted and its water may not be used for drinking, bathing, or cleaning clothes.
“But there is hope to revive the river which will be made easier through intervention and collaboration by stakeholders and the people themselves who are the beneficiaries of the river’s wealth and health,” Orozco stressed.
An EMB presentation showed that 57 percent of classified rivers throughout the country still meet the standards for their traditional use and that 31 percent of diseases reported were caused by polluted waters. CPO Naga
Naga River now a water quality management area
Naga ranked 9th in 2013 Top Ten list of Most Competitive Cities
Naga City, despite its small size in terms of population and land area, placed 9th in the overall competitiveness ranking among the 122 cities in the country for year 2013, the only city in South Luzon to have been included in the elite list of dynamic cities.
In the municipal level, Daet, the capital town of Camarines Norte, was ranked fourth among the 162 other towns in the country.
Accordingly, the Regional Development Council in its meeting in Legazpi City last March 7, 2014 passed RDC Resolution No. 16, series of 2014 “commending Daet, Camarines Norte and Naga City as among the Top Ten Municipalities and Cities in the Philippines for 2013.”
The resolution, dated March 12, 2014 and signed by RDC Vice Chairman Luis G. Banua, emphasized that “the achievement of Daet, Camarines Norte and Naga City contributed to the attainment of the sector outcome of the Regional Development Plan of good governance and competitiveness practiced in the region.”
In 2012, Naga was ranked 19th in overall competitiveness ranking. “Jumping to 9th place in just a span of one year is an admirable feat,” an elated Mayor Bongat recently told a group of local businessmen even as he noted that Naga is the only small city in the traditional league of big cities that normally land in the Top Ten list.
The Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index is an annual ranking of Philippine cities and municipalities developed by the National Competitiveness Council together with the Regional Competitiveness Committees (RCCs) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The rankings are based on data collected and submitted by the RCCs.
Overall Competitiveness
Cities and municipalities are ranked on their competitiveness based on an overall competitiveness score. The overall competitiveness score is the sum of scores on three main factors which pool data from several sub-indicators. The three main factors are: economic dynamism, government efficiency and infrastructure.
Scores are determined by the values of the actual data, as well as the completeness of the submitted data. The higher the score of a city or municipality, the more competitive it is.
Infrastructure
Naga was ranked No. 1 in Infrastructure with a score of 29.54%, followed by San Fernando City (Pampanga) which had a score of 28.58%. Cagayan de Oro of Northern Mindanao was third with a score of 28.30%. Legazpi City placed 5th in this category while Sorsogon City was ranked 9th.
Among the municipalities, Daet was ranked first (23.19%), followed by Mexico, Pampanga (second, with 21.65%), and Virac, Catanduanes (third, with 21.41%), another Bicol town.
Governance Efficiency
Although Naga was not in the Top Ten in terms of economic dynamism which has been dominated by traditional larger cities such as Quezon City (No. 1), Marikina and General Santos City, it nevertheless ranked 5th in terms of Governance Efficiency.
Other indicators
Naga also posted impressive gains in other selected indicator highlights. Along with 5 other cities, Naga was ranked No. 1 among cities with fastest processing time for new business registration. It also ranked No. 1 for having the fastest processing time for construction permits, with Legazpi City landing second, Tabaco City, fourth, and Sorsogon City, eleventh. The latter three cities are also all situated in Bicol.
Moreover, Naga was ranked No. 1, along with 19 other cities, for having 100% electricity connection. But it ranked 18th among households with water connection, where the 17 other cities all have 100% water connection. Naga had registered 99% water connection. This is because many residents in Bgy. Panicuason at the foot of Mt. Isarog chose to snub water connection by the local water district because of their more than ample supply of potable spring water, which they can avail of without limit and for free. But, nevertheless, the city government still encourages them to have their water connection in order to avoid any incidence of water contamination in the future.
DBM okays fund for Bicol International Airport development
MANILA — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced that a Multi-Year Obligational Authority has been issued to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) in support of the Bicol International Airport Development Project. The new airport in the province of Albay—which will replace the existing airport in Legazpi city—is set to be completed in 2016.
Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad also confirmed the release of a separate MYOA to the DOTC for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 North Extension Project. The project will mainly connect the LRT 1 Roosevelt station with the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) North Avenue Station, among others, and is scheduled to be completed next year.
“The country’s public transportation system has long been due for an overhaul, and we’re making that happen. To date, we’ve given the DOTC the authority to enter into multi-year contracts for the completion of their transport infrastructure projects. This is of course in line with our goal to ramp up infrastructure development towards rapid, sustainable, and inclusive economic expansion,” Abad said.
“The DOTC will finish the construction of the new Albay international airport by the end of President Aquino’s term. Improvements like this will help further economic development in the Bicol region. The new airport would also attract more local and foreign tourists to go out and truly experience what it is like when we say, “it’s more fun in the Philippines,” he added.
Consistent with the 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan, the MYOA supports the construction of the Bicol International Airport, which aims to provide the Bicol region a safe, efficient, and dependable transportation system that meets international standards and practices.
The total project cost is estimated at P4.7 billion from 2013-2016, with DBM already releasing P150 million for the project this year via the 2014 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Of the P4.7 billion, a total of P2.1 billion has already been spent from 2007 to 2012 for advance works such as earthworks, right-of-way acquisitions, access road construction, and preliminary detailed engineering.
On the other hand, the other MYOA released for the LRT 1 extension will provide a common station that will connect LRT and MRT for easy passenger transfer. The already completed Balintawak and Roosevelt stations for LRT 1 are also part of the project.
“We understand the challenges that MRT commuters are now facing because of the improvements the government is making in Manila’s major road systems. However, these inconveniences should only be temporary, and the public can definitely expect better transport services as we work on a new interchange station linking the MRT and LRT stations.
“This initiative also ties in with the MYOA we issued last month for the contactless smartcard fare collection system. By enhancing our services, we hope to encourage more motorists to make use of our public transport systems to help ease the traffic situation in the metro,” the Secretary added.
Estimate of the total extension project cost is P1.4 billion, of which the budget department has already released P629 million this year, also from the 2014 GAA. Construction implementation is expected to start by October this year.
Naga LGU forms local Power Commission
NAGA CITY – This city government has created a new body which will ensure Naga’s energy security.
Mayor John G. Bongat ordered the creation of the City of Naga Power Commission (CNPC), under Executive Order No. 2014-008.
The CNPC will prepare a comprehensive plan for the city’s future energy requirements, including identification of the supply and demand projections as well as alternative energy sources.
The Commission shall have a Board of Commissioners composed of the following: Chairman of the SP Committee on Consumers Protection; head of the City Planning and Development Office; executive director of the Jesse M. Robredo Center for Good Governance; executive director of the Metro Naga Development Council; manager of Casureco II; chair of the Naga City People’s Council; president of the MNCCI; representative of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines; representative of the Consumers Group, and; representative of the Academe.
Specifically, the Board of Commissioners will have the following functions:
1. Review, inspect, monitor, and coordinate the performance of energy sector players within the City of Naga to ensure compliance and consistency with all laws governing energy. It shall also serve as the center for solving any inter-related technical problems that may arise in the implementation of any policy relating to the field of energy in the city;
2. Protect the people by bolstering their awareness with regard to laws governing energy. One of these is Section23 of EPIRA Law which obligates electric distribution utilities to supply electricity at the least cost to their captive market. For this purpose, the Board shallbe given access to the financial records and transactions of Caureco II, including its annual budget, quarterly summary of disbursements, semi-annual trial balance, or such other records as the Board may deem appropriate;
3. Sit as a non-voting member of the Board of Directors of Casureco II.