Category Archives: Articles

Pride Restored
By RAISSA ESPINOSA-ROBLES Naga

Does democracy mean good government? Not necessarily. Since People Power in 1986 did away with dictatorship in the Philippines, free elections have failed to wipe out clan control, patronage, corruption and plain incompetence. Politics has remained a dirty word — and many Filipinos have lost confidence in their leaders as a result. But there is hope. When Jesse M. Robredo became mayor of Naga, his hometown, the city had seriously deteriorated from its glory days as queen of the Bikol region southeast of Manila. The streets were jammed with traffic, syndicates operated out of control and unemployed squatters occupied unused property. Once classified by the government as a first-class city, Naga now languished with a third-class rating.
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MOST IMPROVED
Investing in People
Business buzzwords work in the Philippines
By RAISSA ESPINOSA-ROBLES Naga

On the surface Naga looks like a typical Philippine city. Lying in the shadow of the extinct Mt. Isarog volcano, its familiar blend of ancient and new buildings rises against a backdrop of giant, old trees. But looks can be deceiving. An unusual brand of governance distinguishes Naga from its more conventional counterparts. This is one of the few places in the Philippines where the mayor does not parade around with bodyguards; where he helps sweep the streets after devastating typhoons, and cycles through town with village leaders on weekends, looking for needed repairs. This is also the home of a unique law that authorizes citizens to meddle in city policies, institutionalizing the spirit of the 1986 People Power revolt.
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