News and Events
BEAMING with pride and clad in their sports uniform, young Nagahanon athletes, who took part in the recently concluded Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) Meet in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, paid a courtesy call on Vice Mayor Virgilio M. Chiong and the distinguished members of the 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on March 19, 2025.
The local sanggunian, in its regular session, sincerely commended the athletes for demonstrating their level best in trying to match or even surpass their last year’s performance in this regional school-based sports competition.
In the final medal tally, Team Naga ranked fourteenth (14th) among the twenty (20) participating divisions, hauling three (3) golds, five (5) silvers and eight (8) bronzes.
The city’s delegation may have failed to surpass its last year’s record of 15 medals (4-4-7 tally), still it managed to bring home a total of 16 medals.
Thanks to the exceptional performance of young swimmer Bobyn Simone Wachter who singlehandedly grabbed three golds in this annual meet that concluded on March 16, 2025.
Complementing the medal haul for Team Naga were six (6) golds, one (1) silver and five (5) bronzes courtesy of the city’s differently abled athletes participating in the CVIRAA 2025 Paragames.
The City Government is now preparing the cash incentives for medalist athletes and coaches for their efforts in bringing honor and prestige to the City of Naga.
Nagahanons are looking forward to a superb performance of Team Naga next year, as the city will host for the third time the CVIRAA 2026 edition.
The 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), led by Honorable City Vice Mayor Virgilio M. Chiong, extended its warm welcome to its newest member, City Councilor Amelita M. Lara, who assumed office on January 13, 2025.
Lara, a resident of Barangay Tuyan, City of Naga, Cebu, joined the City Council’s 125th regular session on January 15, 2025, or two days after she formally took her oath before the Honorable Cebu Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia.
Honorable City Mayor Valdemar M. Chiong and the members of the 5th SP witnessed the simple oath-taking ceremony held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol shortly after lunchtime.
The neophyte legislator filled in the vacant seat left behind by her late husband, City Councilor Alexander R. Lara, who passed away on November 23, 2024 due to complications of a serious illness.
Members of the 5th City Council will end their three-year term at noon of June 30 this year, and Lara will serve the remaining months or the unexpired portion of her late husband’s term as a full-time member of the local Sanggunian.
On November 27, 2024, the City Council passed Resolution No. 1729-2024 expressing its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the bereaved family of the late SP Member Alexander R. Lara.
Lara’s death was considered a great loss to the city, as he sincerely devoted most of his time, efforts, and insights in crafting necessary legislations all intended for the welfare and benefits of every Nagahanon.
The late legislator topped twice in the SP race when he was elected for three consecutive terms from 2010 to 2019, signifying the Nagahanons full trust and confidence in his leadership.
He also captured the second highest spot in the 10-seat City Council despite running as an independent candidate in the May 2022 local polls.
Another young Nagahanon brings honor and prestige to the city for successfully making it to the top 10 in the August 2024 Registered Electrical Engineers Licensure Examination (REELE).
On mass motion, the 5th City Council unanimously approved on Wednesday, September 04, 2024, Resolution No. 1521-2024 commending and congratulating Ms. Jane Edje Aguino Sayago for placing 4th in the REELE with a rating of 92.15 percent.
She is the daughter of Mr. Edwin Sayago, the current Sangguniang Barangay Secretary of Balirong, a hilly village of the City of Naga, Cebu.
Sayago became the fourth Nagahanon full-fledged electrical engineer who brought honor and pride to the City of Naga for passing this licensure examination with flying colors.
The three others who all made it to the top 10 in the April 2024 REELE are:
Marc Restie Sasan Laput, Barangay Tuyan, 6th place (93.05%);
Paul Anthony Manabat Aliasut, Barangay Tangke, 7th place (92.95%); and
Vijay Manuel de Guma, Barangay Tuyan, 9th place (92.75%).
The City Council, by virtue of two approved Resolutions Nos. 1315 and 1317, commended the three board topnotchers, along with Ms. Rita Jean Bagsican Cabunag, of Barangay Uling, who ranked ninth in the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) with a passing rate of 91.00 percent.
They all received P20,000.00 cash incentive each courtesy of the City Government.
Meanwhile, Sayago is one of the three Cebu Institute Technology-University (CIT-U) graduates, who made it to the top 10 from among the 1,655 successful examinees who took the August 2024 REELE.
Christopher Regino Brodith Maranga clinched the top spot with a 93.20 percent rating, while John Dale Medallo Quiñones closely followed Sayago and secured the 5th place with a 92.05 percent passing rate.
Government, under the leadership of the Honorable City Mayor Valdemar M. Chiong and in partnership with the Department of Education City of Naga, Cebu Schools Division, has been promoting the culture of excellence by giving honor to outstanding young Nagahanon learners who aspire for the best in their chosen career.
Four more proposed city ordinances got the nod from the attendees in a public hearing held at Enan Chiong Activity Center (ECAC) in Barangay East Poblacion, City of Naga, Cebu on August 16, 2024.
These new ordinances play a key role in the full implementation of the city’s health and medical care programs, as well as ensure public order and safety, with the following titles, to wit:
Providing for a Community-Based Mental and Delivery System in the City of Naga, Cebu and Appropriate Funds Thereof;
Institutionalizing the Blood Program for the City of Naga, Cebu;
Prohibiting Drone Operation within One Hundred (100) Meters from Jail Facilities; and
One-Pole Policy.
City Councilor Carmelino “Junjie” Navales Cruz, Jr., extensively discussed the first two health-related ordinances, which aimed at adopting an integrated and comprehensive approach to the development of the City Mental Health Care Delivery System; and institutionalizing the City of Naga, Cebu Blood Program in coordination with Department of Health, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center-Blood Services Unit, and Philippine Red Cross.
Both proposed ordinances require the creation of special committees or local health boards whose primary task is to perform general supervision, control, and monitoring in the implementation of the programs.
Cruz, the 5th SP Majority Floor Leader, emphasized the importance of the support and cooperation of barangay officials and health care workers in the city’s efforts to make the mental health care and blood programs readily available, accessible, and affordable to the Nagahanons.
For his part, Atty. Dennis C. Aliño, City Jail Warden of the Bureau Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), explained the importance of enacting an ordinance prohibiting drone operations within 100 meters from BJMP-run facilities.
The call for the passage of an ordinance came in the wake of reports that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) locally known as drones have been used to transport illegal drugs, deadly weapons, contrabands, and even conduct surveillance on jail facilities or government premises, posing security risks thereof.
The no-fly zone of UAVs is in line with the Philippine Civil Aviation Rules 11 and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) 21-14, which declares that “no person may operate small UAVs or RPAS in a populous area.” Jail facilities, pursuant to this rule, are considered congested and populous areas.
Meanwhile, Engr. Carlo Encabo, Engineer III of the City Engineering Office, presented before the attendees the proposed One-Pole Policy Ordinance, which regulates the installation, restoration, and maintenance of overhead and underground cables or electrical lines of the Visayan Electric Company (VECO), Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Globe Telecom, Inc., and other public utility firms.
Once implemented, all overhead or dangling electrical wires or cables shall be removed, transferred, and installed to one common pole, while redundant, idle, and obsolete poles shall likewise be removed accordingly, Encabo said.
The proposed measure carries with it penalties or fines against any erring person, corporation, or entity ranging from Php1,500.00 to Php4,000.00 and cancellation of permits.
The public hearing, the second to be held this year, ended shortly before 12 noon with a closing message from City Councilor Clint Isidro A. Chiong, the 5th SP Presiding Officer Pro Tempore.
Members of the 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) warmly welcomed the officials of the Municipality of Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, led by Vice Mayor Jocel L. Babasa during their benchmarking visit last June 24, 2024.
Babasa and her party, composed of the Sangguniang Bayan members and office staff of Bayog town, made a benchmarking tour and observed the actual use of the SP’s electronic (e)-archive system with paperless application.
The SP has been using this digital technology since the time of the late Vice Mayor Othello “Boy” Chiong after it was successfully installed in December 2018, earning the City of Naga’s distinction as the trailblazer in paperless application in Cebu.
Thanks to Devise Software Designs and Solutions, an Iloilo City-based service provider, for making it possible for the application of this e-archive legislative system to the local sanggunian.
In his welcome message, City Councilor Carmelino “Junjie” Navales Cruz, Jr., SP majority floor leader, briefly discussed the legislative process, including the advantages of adopting the new technology as a digital tool to pass or enact measures.
With this digital adoption, SP members have already enjoyed the convenience of reviewing the minutes and calendar of business at their fingertips through their flip-and-fold laptops, instead of browsing over hard voluminous documents during sessions.
During the question and answer portion, it was emphasized that the digital system has likewise become a money-saving tool because it reduces the supply of reams of bond paper to the SP every year.
The e-archive system likewise contains electronic references such as memorandum circulars from the Department of Interior and Local Government and other government agencies, the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the Local Government Code of 1991, making it easier for the legislators and staff to access, view, or retrieve the uploaded documents.
At present, the SP secretariat has already uploaded a total of 5,479 approved resolutions and close to 300 enacted ordinances in the system.
The visiting Bayog town officials then made a brief tour of Museo Naga located on the second floor of the legislative building after they received a token, a customized wood design tumbler with “Naga Akong Garbo” markings.
The City Government of Naga, Cebu expresses its warmest congratulations to four Nagahanon examinees who all made it to the top ten (10) in the recently held licensure examinations for electrical engineers and professional teachers, respectively.
For bringing tremendous honor and pride to the City of Naga, Engr. Marc Restie Sasan Laput, Engr. Paul Anthony Manabat Aliasut, Engr. Vijay Manuel De Guma, and Ms. Rita Jean Bagsican Cabunag will receive a cash incentive of Twenty Thousand Pesos (₱20,000.00) each from the City Government. Engr. Laput, of Barangay Tuyan, ranked sixth with a rating of 93.05 percent, closely followed by Engr. Aliasut, of Barangay Tangke, at seventh place with a 92.95 percent passing rate, while Engr. De Guma, also of Barangay Tuyan, secured the ninth spot with a rating of 92.75 percent, according to the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in its official report.
The three full-fledged electrical engineers are among the 4,436 out of 7,005 examinees who took and successfully hurdled the Registered Electrical Engineers Licensure Examination (REELE) last April 2024.
Meanwhile, Ms. Cabunag, a Cum Laude graduate of the University of the Visayas-Main Campus with a degree in Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Science, placed ninth in the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT) with a passing rate of 91.00 percent. Cabunag, a resident of Barangay Uling, is among the 50,539 secondary teachers out of 85,980 examinees nationwide who passed the LEPT board exams last March 17, 2024, the PRC said.
In its 95th regular session last June 05, 2024, the 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod, presided over by City Vice Mayor Virgilio “Jing-jing” M. Chiong, approved on mass motion two separate resolutions – Nos. 1315 and 1317 – congratulating and commending the four board topnotchers and granting them ₱20,000.00 cash incentive each.
The local leadership, in partnership with the Department of Education City of Naga, Cebu Schools Division, has been promoting the culture of excellence by giving honor and credit to outstanding Nagahanons as one of the motivating factors for young students to aspire for the best in their chosen professions.
For the first time in recent years, the City of Naga, Cebu, through the Department of Education (DepEd) City of Naga Schools Division, will host the National Festival of Talents (NFOT), a national activity that serves as a venue for learners to showcase their talents and skills using the competencies they have acquired in schools. The event will take place from July 07 to 11, 2024.
Dr. Leviticus Barazon, Jr., Assistant Schools Division Superintendent of DepEd-City of Naga, Cebu, appeared before the May 22, 2024 regular session of the City Council and briefed the distinguished members of the 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) about this major event. He formally requested financial and logistical support from the City Government to augment the allocated appropriation from the DepEd Central Office for hosting this four-day activity.
In his PowerPoint presentation, Barazon provided a comprehensive report to the August Body, detailing the critical insights and specifics of the NFOT activities, from the opening salvo to the grand finale, with hopes for seamless coordination and support from City Hall. He revealed that the NFOT will have 17 billeting quarters to house the delegates, VIPs, and guests from different regions, spread throughout the City of Naga and the neighboring towns of Minglanilla and San Fernando, Cebu. The various NFOT events include:
Technolympics: Fruit and vegetable carving, recycling waste materials (plastic), dressmaking (corporate attire), food processing (meat, fish & vegetables), Electrical Installation Maintenance, technical drafting;
Sining Tanghalan: Sulatanghal, Himig Bulilit, Bayle sa Kalye at Eksibisyon, Pintahusay;
Population and Development (PopDev): Extemporaneous Speech – Filipino, Kasaysayan, Heograpiya at Kultura ng Pilipinas Quiz, Pop Quiz;
Read-a-Thon for English: Story Retelling, Oral Reading Interpretation, Oratorical Composition and Presentation;
Read-a-Thon sa Filipino: Muling Pagkukuwento, Interpretatibong Pagbasa, Sulat-Bigkas ng Talumpati;
Lingo Stars: Foreign Language Writing Contest, Foreign Language Exposition;
National Musabaqah: Oration (Naseehah), Harf Touch, Qur’an Reading;
SNEd Expo: Filipino Sign Language, Braille Reading;
STEMazing: STEM Process and Practices Exhibition.
According to Barazon, each NFOT activity must comply with the corresponding venue requirements, schedule of events, and the number of medals and trophies to be awarded to the winners. After his report, Dr. Barazon led the distribution of Certificates of Appreciation to the Honorable Vice Mayor Virgilio M. Chiong and the rest of the SP members of the City Council, which were originally intended to be presented during the Local Stakeholders’ Convergence at the DepEd City of Naga Division Conference Hall. He expressed his gratitude to the City Council for all the support extended to the DepEd-City of Naga Schools Division in its various activities.
The City Government of Naga, Cebu, will begin distributing ten (10) kilos of rice to every Nagahanon family this week as part of its relief assistance aimed at alleviating the adverse effects of El Niño. This initiative follows the approval of Resolution No. 1174-2024 by the City Council on April 04, 2024, which formally declared the entire City of Naga under a state of calamity, based on the recommendation of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The declaration of a citywide state of calamity allows the Office of the City Mayor to access the calamity fund and use it for relief and rehabilitation efforts benefiting the affected residents. The families from Barangay Alpaco, an upland village, were the first batch of beneficiaries to receive the rice subsidy, with the distribution held at the barangay covered court on Thursday, May 09, 2024.
Members of the 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) and a City Hall composite team participated in the distribution, which served a total of 1,360 families. Alpaco Barangay Captain Rogelio C. Ababa expressed his gratitude to Mayor Valdemar M. Chiong for initiating this swift relief assistance, particularly for the agricultural crop farmers who make up the majority of his constituents.
“We truly appreciate the initiative of Mayor Val. This 10-kilo of rice is indeed a welcome relief for us to at least soften the negative impact of El Niño,” said Ababa in his welcome speech.
City Councilor Clint Isidro A. Chiong, speaking on behalf of Mayor Val, assured the residents that the City Government would continue providing relief assistance to the Nagahanons whose livelihoods and daily sustenance have been adversely affected by the ongoing El Niño phenomenon. Councilor Chiong, the SP Presiding Officer Pro Tempore, also expressed his sincere appreciation to the residents for their presence, highlighting their positive response to the City Government’s initiatives.
Apart from Barangay Alpaco, the other barangays scheduled to receive rice assistance in the first batch this month include: Balirong, Cabungahan, Cantao-an, Cogon, South Poblacion, West Poblacion, North Poblacion, Central Poblacion, East Poblacion, Naalad, Tangke, and Colon.
Sa ngalan sa among mga kaubanan sa 5th Sangguniang Panlungsod: Vice Mayor Jingjing Chiong ug mga konsehales, atong pagtimbaya ug Bulahang Adlaw Mga Nagahanon!
Kining grabeng kainit nakamugna na ug grass fires ug kakuwangan sa supply sa tubig. Daghan usab mga nangasakit sama sa hilanat ug ubo sa mga bata ug tiguwang. Busa agi ug pagtubag sa panginahanglan sa katawhang Nagahanon, gipasar nato sa Sangguniang Panlungsod ang resolution nga nagdeklarar nga ang City of Naga anaa karon sa State of Calamity. Kini human nga ang City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) mirekomendar sa Sanggunian sa maong lakang.
Tumong sa declaration sa State of Calamity nga mas mapadali pa sa atong syudad, pinanguluhan ni Mayor Val Chiong, ang pagpatuman sa mga proyekto ug kalihokan nga makahatag kahupayan sa katawhan sama pananglit sa pagpalit ug dugong water tankers aron mas subsob pa ang pag supply nato ug tubig sa mga kumunidad, pagtabang sa kabumberohan panahon sa sunog, pagpalit ug mga tambal panagang sa sakit nga dala sa tumang kainit, assistance alang sa sector sa agrikultura, dugang social services ug uban pa.
Sa laing bahin, kusganon ang pagsuporta sa Sangguniang Panlungsod sa mga lakang nga ga-awhag sa Commission On Audit (COA), Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) ug uban pang ahensya aron ma-recover ang Salapi sa Lungsod nga nawala diha sa opisina sa Treasury. Nakighiusa ang Bise Mayor ug mga Konsehales kang Mayor Val sa pagpasaka ug tukmang sumbong batok sa mga responsable, ingon man nga mabayran ang nawala nga salapi sa LGU, ug pag-improve pa sa sistema sa financial controls aron malikayan nga mahitaboan ang LGU pag-usab.
Isip katambayayong sa mga buhat pagpalambo, ilabi na alang niadtong labaw nga nanginahanglan sa serbisyo sa gobyerno, padayon nga nagdasig ang Sangguniang Panlungsod sa mga barangay sa pagpasar sa ilang budget. Andam kita nga mohatag tambag ug giya sa atong mga kaubang opisyales sa kabarangayan mahitungod niini.
Kon atong sumahon, ang atong mga kalihokan ning panahona pinasubay sa atong pangandoy ug paghatag katumanan aron ang NAGA ANDAM pagsagubang sa mga emerhensiya, katalagman ug uban pang pagsuway ug hagit sa kinabuhi. Kinahanglan gayud ang pag-inalagaray, pagtinabangay ug pakighiusa – mga pagtulun-an sa milabay nga Semana Santa, mga pagtulun-an nga makatabang sa mga Nagahanon, mga pagtulun-an nga makapahimo nga ang NAGA ANDAM.
– HON. CARMELINO “Kons Junjie” N. CRUZ, JR.
