CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – “Read my lips, there will be no tax increase in San Fernando.” This was the message of Mayor Edwin “Edsa” Santiago yesterday in response to queries from traders and businessmen in this city as he vowed not to raise local taxes.
Santiago, former vice mayor now serving his first term as the city’s top executive, also said under his administration, no new subdivision in the city will be given a permit. This capital city has 35 barangays with 300,000 registered total population in 2013 based on the Socio Economic Census data conducted in partnership with the University of the Assumption here.
Affected families under its Sagip-Ilog program and the Northrail Project of the national government were relocated to Northville resettlement in Barangay Calulut which is considered the largest barangay and Barangay Juliana as the smallest village.
The city has a total land area of 6,774 hectares. Meanwhile, barangay officials from the 35 barangays of the city recently went to Baguio City on a “Lakbay-Aral” program sponsored by the city government and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The learning activity, held from April 30 to May 2, was intended to widen barangay kagawads’ (village watchmen) knowledge and understanding of how good governance and shared responsibility can bring about the holistic development of society.
Divided into three clusters, the participants were deployed to two local government units and a university campus to observe best practices according to areas of study, namely, agriculture in the municipality of Bauang, La Union; environment, in Naguilian, La Union; and investment, at the Benguet State University.
Santiago said the barangay, though known to be the smallest unit of government, plays an integral factor in uplifting the lives of Fernandinos. He urged the barangay officials to pursue the practices they have learned during the seminar and apply them in their respective areas of responsibility.
For his part, San Fernando DILG officer Engr. Algy Canlas thanked the participants and the city government in helping to make the seminar possible. Also present during the event were Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin, Councilors Nelson Lingat, Lito Ocampo, Noel Tulabut, BJ Lagman, and other city officials and employees.
