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LC is Region I’s cleanest, greenest, safest city

B1 adjudged as Best Lupong Tagapamayapa

CLEANEST, GREENEST AND SAFEST IN REGION I. Laoag Liga ng mga Barangay President Mikee Fariñas receives the trophy from the Regional NEDA officials as the regional champion for the Cleanest, Greenest and Safest City. The awarding was held at Ariana Hotel and Restaurant, Paringao, Bauang La Union on April 2, 2014. (Doms dela Cruz)

By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff Reporter

Laoag CITY stamped its class again as it was named the cleanest, greenest and safest city in the entire Ilocos Region.

Laoag was awarded the Gawad sa Kapaligaran cleanest and greenest component city from 2000-2002, and was thereby elevated to the Hall of Fame of the said search. The city was then under the administration of three-term Laoag Mayor Roger C. Fariñas.

From 2004-2013, the city, then under another former three-term Mayor Michael V. Fariñas was given the sustainability award.

This year, the city was again given the sustainability award as the regional champion. The award was given by the Regional Development Council through the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on April 2 at a hotel in Bauang, La Union

This time though, the award included a criteria for peace and order, thus the added “safest city” in the award.

Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas said she was happy with the good news especially since it is her first year as the city’s chief executive. She however clarified that during the evaluation, it was still then the term of her husband, former Mayor Michael V. Fariñas.

She thanked all the Laoagueños as well as visitors of the city for their help in maintaining the cleanliness and peace in the city.

Ms. Fariñas expressed hopes that should there be a national level for this award, Laoag would again shine through.

She also vowed that even without searches like these, she would still work towards sustaining the criteria for the search as these are the factors why domestic and foreign tourists continue to flock to the city.

The mayor also considers the annual search for the cleanest, greenest and safest barangay a big factor for this competition as the criteria that was set is similar to the ones used in the regional level search.

The competition evaluates environmental management which is 75 points on its physical condition like the general cleanliness, urban space greening and the local government unit support system.

Public safety, which is 25 points, include how the LGU strengthen the peace and order council, crime statistics, crime prevention program, strengthen community awareness and participation for peace and order, drug prevention program and the road hazard prevention program.

Community affairs division chief Mylene Pascual, for her part, said the city’s barangays maintain cleanliness, protect the environment and keep the peace in their respective areas as part of the city’s annual search.

As a result, the barangays are very aware of the city’s solid waste management and Oplan Dalus programs.

Pascual also thanked all the business establishments for the implementation of these programs considering that the city continuously experiences an increase in the number of establishments setting up shop, people visiting the city with their vehicles and this automatically follows an increase in waste and garbage.

She said non-government organizations also participated in the city’s environment programs by adopting vacant lots and turning them into mini-parks and vegetable gardens.

The regional evaluators personally visited these barangays and they appreciated the barangays and NGOs’ participation in these programs in both the rural and urban areas.

The award was received by Laoag’s Liga ng mga Barangay Pres. Mary Michelle Louise “Mikee” V. Fariñas in place of the mayor as her mother had a hectic schedule at that time.

Barangay 1 region’s best
Meanwhile, city local government officer-in-charge Lavin Basilio also announced that Laoag, represented by Barangay 1 San Lorenzo, was again adjudged as the regional winner in the search for the best Lupon Tagapamayapa followed by the Cities of Vigan and Alaminos.

Basilio said only Barangay 1, which filed its entry for the said search, passed in all the criteria set by the regional evaluators like in their efficiency of operations; effectiveness in securing the objectives of the Katarungang Pambarangay; and the creativity and resourcefulness.


This is the fourth time Barangay 1 has won the regional award. The Laoag barangay also took second and third places in the previous national level searches.

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