Calbayog City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento with his fellow KAME IV awardees. (L-R) Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, Opol Municipal Mayor Dixon Yasay and Paco, Benguet Barangay Chairman Carlos Ringor.
The following is the profile of the City of Calbayog as printed in the KAME IV souvenir program:
KAME IV Award for City: City of Calbayog
Calbayog City exemplifies the new paradigm in city management with the broadening of focus from the traditional function of administration of basic public services to that of growth promotion and development management. The leadership of Calbayog City epitomizes the fresh breed of local chief executives who gained extensive experience and expertise in the private sector before venturing into politics. Bringing with him substantial private sector experience and expertise into the management of the City, he transformed the style and focus of management in the City Government. It is now a goal-focused, results-oriented organization. The City Government has also broadened decision-making with a highly participative and consultative system.
One of the laudable management innovations of the City Government is the organization of the People’s Committee which is a multi-sectoral body. This serves as a mechanism for citizen’s participation in the City’s development agenda and provides a two way feedback mechanism between the LGU and the community. The City’s Roadmap and Scorecard is reflective of the City Government’s emphasis on goals and results. This is formulated in partnership with the People’s Committee which includes representatives from the academe, business sector, professionals, labor, the barangays, women’s groups, church, youth, NGOs and POs such as the Federation of Pedicab Drivers Associations, the Farmers Associations and the Association of Fisherfolks.
The City Government institutionalized Fisherfolks Day, Farmers’ Congress. Women’s Day and Children’s Month to underscore the importance the City Government puts in these key sectors. It was the first to organize community watch groups and court watch groups to provide support for victims of violence.
As in many urban centers, Calbayog City is beset with an increasing number of rural migrants and informal settlers. While most urban local governments are unable to address this problem effectively, the City Government faced this squarely by creating a City Urban Housing Development Division which work closely with informal settlers, organizing them into homeowners associations and forming a federation among such associations. The federation collaborates with the City Government in the planning and implementation of housing projects for the informal settlers. To date, it has facilitated the preparation and release of 3,000 land titles to beneficiaries. The City Government promoted he bayanihan system in the development of these sites to bring down costs and to foster strong community - local government partnership.
To address the problems of its rural hinterlands, the City Government launched a novel program, the Kabuhayan sa Kagubatan which promotes pili production in the hinterland and mangrove reforestation in the coastal areas. With the program, the City Government increased the incomes of rural folk and converted illegal pouchers into planters and forest guards of the watershed.
The City Government is recognized for its Coastal Zoning Project. It is a project which delineates coastal waters for commercial and marginal fishing and features a fishing highway. For this, the City Government has been conferred two national awards and has become a learning center for the other coastal towns and cities wishing to replicate the innovative project.
The City leadership promoted the City aggressively and established a broad network of partners in the City’s development including international development agencies, national government agencies, the business sector, NGOs and the academe. The City gained substantial funding support and technical assistance; and became a pilot for several programs such as the Cities Development Strategies; Millennium Development Goals; Clean Air Program; Bantay Bugaw; Local Initiatives for Wastewater Treatment; Coastal Zoning Project; The Infrastructure for Rural Production Enhancement Sector project; Internet Literacy and Access for Students (GILAS); Techno Gabay Program; and K-Agrinet Program.
Calbayog City represents the corporate governance that most city governments can aim for. It is indeed an enterprise on the move – for the greater economic as well as social good of its constituents.
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