VIGAN AWARDED AS MOST CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY OF ILOCOS REGION

Vigan City Officials headed by Mayor Eva Marie S. Medina and Vice Mayor Franz Ranches, together with some department heads and NGO representatives and members of the Council for the Welfare of Children receive the Presidential Award for Most Child-friendly City of Region I (Ilocos Region). The City of Vigan has been the recipient of this award for three consecutive years now. It will represent Region I in the National Search for most child-friendly local government unit.

IS IT THE END OF THE AMERICAN ERA?

The United States of America has long been associated with POWER, both political and economic. More than a month away from its Presidental Election, a major financial crisis gripped this country whom many regarded as the "land of milk and honey". The unexpected bankcruptcy of Lehman Brothers, one of the biggest banks of the United States and the American Insurance Group AIG), a multi-national insurance firm started stock markets to crash. Despite efforts by the US government to bailout these firms, the downtrend of stocks has begun to be felt worldwide. Panic selling of stocks and bloodbath are all over Asia and Europe. The United States' economic crisis now becomes a global financial disaster.

The American Dream has became a nightmare and US global leadership took a dive. Why did this thing happen? The ready answer is greed. Bureaucrat Capitalism has taken its toll. Wall Street, New York's financial center took a mighty fall and brought markets around the world with it. America's credit culture, reckless borrowings and lendings led to brankcruptcy of major US financial institutions. Fearless confidence overcame the conservative approach in financial management. Due to eagerness to earn more, american investments are everywhere. Instead of creating more job opportunities for its people, reliance was made on cheap labor abroad in countries like Vietnam and China. Hence, the ordinary Americans' purchasing power was adversely affected leading to a financial crisis.

Is it the end of the American Era? Will there be a new economic power in this world? Bailout, which is too burdensome for the American taxpayers might not solve the problem. Reaching out to its affluent allies as an attempt to restore trust and confidence on the American financial system is not enough. The United States of America should consider re-inventing itelf.

FORUM AT ST. PAUL COLLEGE

Students of St. Paul College in a light moment with Vigan Legislators

For correctly answering a question in the Q and A portion of the Forum, this coed was a receipient of a Vigan City Council T-Shirt from Vice Mayor Franz Ranches.

The Faculty and Staff of St. Paul College headed by Sister Celine Santos, SPC pose for a souvenir shot with the members of the Vigan City Council.

Vigan legislators with winners of the Q and A portion of the Forum. Second from left to right, upper row, Councilors George Villanueva, Ever Molina, Boying Apelin, Loreto Quibilan and Audie Agdamag. Lower row, fourth from left, VM Franz Ranches.

VIGAN CITY COUNCIL CONDUCTS FORUM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN PHILIPPINES

The legislators of Vigan headed by Vice Mayor Franz Ranches with the particpants of the Forum on The Role of the City Council in Community Development

VM Ranches and Student Leaders from UNP High School


With Social Work Students of UNP


With Political Science students of UNP. On the left is Ruth Ann Arellano, my neighbor.