4 IN LGUs shine in reg’l dev’t council awards

SAN Nicolas Mayor Melanie Grace P. Valdez receives the plaque of recognition from RDC-I acting chairperson Dir. Nestor D. Rillon for winning the top plum in the Region I Search for LGU Best Practices with the entry “Cultural Heritage: Makakain Ba Yan?...Maituturo” under the 1^st-3^rd class municipal category. San Nicolas also took 1^st runner up honors in the Search for LGU-NGO Partnership with the entry “I Have a Dream: SN Express Bin-I Foundation Inc.” (Doms dela Cruz)

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff reporter

BAUANG, La Union—Four Ilocos Norte local government units were recognized in the recently concluded State of the Region’s Development Conference (SORDC) and Regional Development Council (RDC) Awards and Recognitions Program held in Bauang, La Union on April 22, 2015.

San Nicolas takes two awards

Delegates from the municipality of San Nicolas headed by Mayor Melanie Grace P. Valdez received the award as they bagged top honors in the Search for the LGU Best Practices with the entry “Cultural Heritage: Makakain Ba Yan?...Maitururo” against the entries of the City of San Fernando, La Union and Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur.

San Nicolas also took first runner-up in the Search for the LGU-NGO Partnership with its “I Have A Dream: SN Express Bin-I Foundation Inc.” entry with the provincial government of La Union emerging as the champion with Bacnotan placing second runner-up.

Ms. Valdez expressed her deepest gratitude and appreciation to the members of the RDC for recognizing her municipality’s Best Practices and the LGU-NGO Partnerships.

The town’s entry in the Best Practices is a program is anchored on its rich cultural heritage.

The creativity of the San Nicoleños in appreciating, protecting and utilizing their cultural heritage contributes to the town’s sustainable development.

Laoag is cleanest, greenest and safest

Laoag Liga ng Mga Barangay president Mikee Fariñas receive the plaque of recognition from RDC-I acting chairman Dir. Nestor G. Rillon for winning the top spot in the Search for the Cleanest, Greenest and Safest city category in Region I tied up with the city of San Fernando. (Doms dela Cruz)

Laoag Liga ng mga Barangay president Mary Michelle Louise “Mikee” V.  Fariñas, meanwhile led other city government officials in receiving the award for Laoag City as champion in the Search for the cleanest, greenest and safest under the city category. Laoag ended up in a tie with the city of San Fernando, La Union with the cities of Vigan in Ilocos Sur and Alaminos in Pangasinan taking the second and third places, respectively.

Paoay is wins cleanest inland, coastal bodies of water

The municipality of Paoay represented by mayor Dolores Clemente and several municipal government department heads also received their award as they garnered the top place in the Search for the Cleanest Inland and Coastal Bodies of Water municipal category. They won over the municipalities of Dasol in Pangasinan and Suyo in Ilocos Sur, which finished second and third, respectively.

Paoay Mayor Dolores Clemente and other municipal officials receive the plaque of recognition from RDC-I acting director Nestor G. Rillon, Paoay emerged as the champion in the Search for the Cleanest Inland and Coastal Bodies of Water. Paoay also took second runner up honors in the Search for the Cleanest, Greenest and Safest Municipality in the 1^st-3^rd class municipality category. (Doms dela Cruz) 

Paoay also took second runner-up honors in the Search for the Cleanest, Greenest and Safest municipality under the 4^th-6^th class category. The municipalities of San Gabriel in La Union and Cervantes in Ilocos Sur took first and second, respectively.

Piddig takes second in cleanest, greenest, safest town

PIDDIG, for its part, took first runner up honors in the Search for the Cleanest, Greenest and Safest municipality under the 1^st-3^rd class municipality category.

Piddig Sangguniang Bayan member Carolina Bareng stood in for Piddig Mayor Eduardo G. Guillen in receiving the award.

In an earlier interview, Mr. Guillen expressed his gratitude to all the people behind the success of his municipality in this competition because it is the first time the municipality has won the said regional award.

IN places third

Ilocos Norte government’s Provincial Planning and Development Office head Peter Agcaoili meanwhile received the award for Ilocos Norte as it took second runner-up honors in the Cleanest, Greenest and Safest provincial level. Pangasinan and Ilocos Sur emerged the champion and 1^st runner-up, respectively.

2 more towns cited

The municipalities of Bacarra and Pagudpud, both in Ilocos Norte and the city of Laoag also received certificates of appreciation in recognition of their commitment in coastal resources management planning capability, building and resource mobilization, institutional linkaging, rehabilitation and protection, advocacy and project monitoring and evaluation which significantly contributed to the sustainable development of the regions coastal and marine resources.

RDC-I vice chairman Nestor G. Rillon in his State of the Region’s Development Address also expressed his deepest thanks to all the LGUs in the region for actively participating in all the areas of competitions in the RDC.

In his report on Competitive Trade, Industry and Tourism is the need for full participation of cities and municipalities in the region in improving ease and cost of doing business, governance and business environment as these LGUs recognize that the true measure of competitiveness will attract businessmen and investors.

In 2014, the following cities in the region made it to the top 100 in the national competitiveness index: San Fernando (22^nd), Laoag City (27^th), Vigan City (40^th), Dagupan City (44^th), Candon City (45^th), Batac City (50^th), Alaminos City (76^th), and Urdaneta City (84^th).

While in the municipal category, Mr. Rillon made special mention and expressed congratulations to Ms. Valdez for the municipality of San Nicolas for placing 17^th, followed by Naguilian (51^st), Bauang (54^th), Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur (59^th) and Binalonan, Pangasinan (100^th).   

Mr. Rillon also reported the 2014 highlights of sector performances in the Agribusiness, Infrastructure Development, Governance, Social Development and the Sustainably Managed Environment.