VILLA FERNANDINA DE VIGAN ("Vigan in Taguig")

The inauguration of Vigan's "embassy" in Taguig is another innovative approach in promoting Vigan as a major tourist destination. Vigan's presence in the Metropolis is gradually being felt with the establishment of a satellite office in the City of Taguig, an upcoming business hub in Metro Manila.

BEATING THE HEAT: TREE PLANTING AT BRGY. RAOIS, VIGAN

FREEDOM FROM IGNORANCE PAVES THE WAY FOR ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE

June 12, 2007

Today is the 109th Philippine Independence Day. We celebrate the Philippines' independence from Spanish Tyranny way back 1898. After more than a century, Filipinos remained economically dependent and deprived. Majority of our people remains poor despite the abundance of natural resources, worse many are still ignorant, although we pride ourselves of having good and competitive universites and schools and having the brilliant minds in different fields of endeavor.

Some local governments have started re-engineering public management by focusing on their local economies by attracting investors and promoting livelihood oppotunities through entrepreneurship and micro-financing. This is not enough, education still plays an important role in eradicating poverty. You could not just give a person a seed money to start a car repair shop without first training him or her to become an auto-mechanic. The person has to be educated on the basics of car repair and management in order to become an effective service worker. Said person must get rid of his ignorance in repairing cars and running a small business so that he or she will be able to manage the car repair shop well.

Freedom from Ignorance must prevail so that people will do what is right. Ignorance is an impediment to progress. Addressing the issue on ignorance paves the way to economic independence. What the Filipinos need now is Political Education. Candidates and Voters should be politically educated in order to attain political maturity. People should be able to understand how government works so that they can avail of its services and at the same time perform their responsibilities as citizens.

Let us free ourselves from ignorance! Let us strive for economic independence!

Let us work for a truly INDEPENDENT PHILIPPINES. MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!

SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:31-34 NIV)

I adhere to this biblical passage. Faith and hard work are the Filipino’s best formula for survival. Belief in God and in one’s self works miraculously for the hardworking man.

FORUM ON ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS FOR VIGAN BARANGAY OFFICIALS

GLOBALIZATION: A Tool for Development

Globalization is basically exercising one's freedom to compete. Competition always results in doing one's best in every endeavor. Every competitor wants to prevail over the other. If done within the bounds of the law and universally accepted principles, competition is healthy and becomes an effective tool for development. In the Philippines, many local government units (LGUs) strive to outdo each other in terms of public management. Some LGUs try to replicate the best practices of local governments of other countries. The spirit to become competitive goes beyond the Philippine boundaries.

As a tool for development, Globalization plays an important role in addressing the issue on poverty. The worldwide demand for micro–financing and entrepreneurship is gradually empowering small businesses to contribute to the economic growth of third world countries. It would be unnatural to resist globalization when everybody is competing in the world market.

INSPIRATION FROM NEW LAWYERS OF VIGAN

The new lawyers of Vigan who just passed the 2006 Bar Examinations are truly sources of inspiration. I was particular struck by the message of Atty. Glenn Romano.

A fellow Tomasian, this young man from Barangay IV articulated his experiences in life, having been raised from a not so well-off family, he pointed out that he knows how is it to be poor. For him, poverty is injustice. This is the reason why he wanted to become a lawyer so he can become an instrument in addressing this social malady. He wants to prove that there are poor people who can become lawyers and poverty is never a hindrance in attaining one's dream.