Advocacies on Road Safety, Good Governance, Tourism, Heritage Conservation, and anything worth expressing can be found on this site. WELCOME TO SAFE TRAVEL!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
December 10 is International Human Rights Day
Monday, November 15, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
VIGAN CITY COUNCIL APPROVES ANNUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR 2011 AMOUNTING TO PHP 86,500,000.00
Thursday, October 28, 2010
CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN THE FILIPINO WAY
Halloween according to Wikepedia, is a holiday celebrated every October 31 in places like the United States, Canada, Ireland and UK. The Filipino Halloween on the otherhand is the celebration of All Saints' Day every November 1 and All Soul's Day every November 2. These have been associated with the Catholic Church. The Filipino tradition is to visit the tombs of their departed loved ones on these days, bringing flowers and candles including food as offerings. It is also during this time that Filipino families gather together and offer prayers for the dead, after which a family picnic in the cemeteries and memorial parks take place.
A long time ago, the "Pangangaluwa" every October 31 had been a Filipino practice in several provinces in the Philippines. However, this has been forgotten and this Filipino culture and tradition was overetaken by the "Western Halloween". Parties and merriment during the halloween are acceptable, but Filipinos should do it without appearing as cheap copycats and imitators of a culture which do they not own. Identity crisis has always been a problem for the Pinoy.
Let us start reviving and appreciating our own traditions and customs. In this way, we will be contributing to the country's cultural development towards economic prosperity.
Monday, October 25, 2010
BARANGAY AND SK ELECTIONS STILL MARRED WITH VOTE-BUYING AND VIOLENCE
It is sad to note that even the youth(15-17 yrs. old) have become victims of money politics through machinations perpetrated by many parents, guardians, or elders who desperately want their candidates to win. This is a bad precedent considering that instead of training the youth to become leaders and good citizens, they are now directly exposed to the ills of traditional politics(trapo).
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
LEGISLATORS WEEK (SEPT. 27-30, 2010)
Saturday, October 2, 2010
PRELIMINARY BUDGET RESPONSE
I have thought of proposing a PRELIMINARY BUDGET REPONSE as a method to address the issue. Patterned after the New York City Council, this aims to ensure that the Budget reflects the needs, priorities and aspirations of the people. The Council shall conduct an in-depth review of all city departmments, their policies, their programs and their expenses. At the end of the budget hearings, the Council shall submit to the Mayor a Preliminary Budget Response, which defines the legislature's budgetary priorities and the changes it would like to see in the budget. The Mayor then submits a revised Executive Budget for the final review of the City Council.
The Preliminary Budget Response will strengthen the balance of power betwen the Executive and Legislative branches in the City of Vigan. Check and Balance is a necessary ingredient in a truly democratic society. Moreover, a performance-based City Budget shall be enacted. Is this not an innovation in governance?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
VIGAN CITY COUNCIL APPROVES SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET NO.01 IN THE AMOUNT OF PHP 16,696,904.26
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
9TH SOLIDARITY DAY CELEBRATION
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
WHY THE SONA (State of the Nation Address) AFFECTS US
The SONA is an opportunity for the President to outline his vision and program of government. It is a statement or description of the real situation of our nation and where it is headed to. President Aquino's SONA can be observed as realistic, straightforward and doable. This is how it affects us:
a)If the President is against red tape and wants transparacency in government transactions, those in government are expected to behave and help eliminate corruption.
b)If the President wants to put to a stop unnecessary expenses, then we have to expect a frugal government.
c)If the President wants a Public-Private partnership in pursuance of infrastructure and other development projects, we have to expect competition among the private contractors and developers, which is healthy in the bureaucracy.
d) If the President wants to give importance to job-generation, we have to attract more investors.
Whether we like it or not, every Filipno is affected by the SONA because through it, we can chart the destiny of our country.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
ARE WE READY FOR A VECTOR CONTROL ORDINANCE?
Many are wondering what the vector control ordinance is all about. As the principal proponent, I felt a sense of duty on my part to explain what is this all about.
Vector is defined as an organism which, either directly or indirectly, via micro organisms which it carries, can transmit disease to man. The term "vector" shall ordinarily but not exclusively refer to rodent, insect or vermin species such as rats, mice, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and the like. The purpose of the ordinance is to protect public health, safety and the general welfare by:
A. Preventing or controlling the spread of vector borne disease.
B. Averting the blighting effects which the presence of vector infestation places on an affected neighborhood, including undermining the desirabilty of housing, causing the decline in property value and contributing to the image of an environmentally unfit area.
C. Expanding the services of the City Health Office by making more regulations concerning vector control.
The proposed vector control ordinance seeks to control and eliminate vectors by removing harborage areas through spraying, poisoning, fumigating, trapping, or any legal vector elimination method which is not injurious to human health or the safety of domestic animals. It will be the responsibility of the City Health office to conduct inspection of residential as well as commercial establishments. The bottom line is for everybody to exert efforts in mantaining cleanliness in one's premises or sorroundings in order to achieve a vector-proof establishment.
A fine of Two Thousand Pesos or imprisonment of not more than thirty days or both at the discretion of the court is the penalty for persons who violate or permit the violation of this ordinance. This has been presented on first reading and awaits the action of the Committee on Health in which the measure was referred to.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
COMMITTEE ON TOURISM TACKLES PROPOSED TOURISM CODE
Sunday, July 11, 2010
PAUL, THE "PSYCHIC" OCTOPUS FEVER(Adopted from Yahoo Sports)
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
LIBERAL VIEW'S NEW LOOK
Thursday, July 1, 2010
OUTGOING VICE MAYOR FRANZ RANCHES TURNS-OVER THE VIGAN CITY COUNCIL TO INCOMING VICE MAYOR RYAN SINGSON
THE VIGAN CITY COUNCIL REPORT
By: Vice Mayor Francisco P. Ranches, Jr.
(Delivered during the the City Council Turn-Over Ceremonies held on June 28, 2010 at the Sangguniang Panlungsod Session Hall)
For the Year 2007, the legislative body of the City Government of Vigan, the 2nd and 3rd City Councils approved a total of 72 legislations, 54 Resolutions, 11 ordinances and 7 appropriation ordinances. It was this year when the city council approved the relocation of the Vigan City Jail in its new site at Ayusan Norte by virtue of Resolutions No. 30 and 36 series of 2007. The rehabilitation of the Mindoro sea wall has seen light through Resolution No. 32 series of 2007. The Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Center (STAC) was established in cooperation with the Danish Polio Society as per Resolution No 34-2007.
Most notable of which are the enactment of the Vigan Environment Code, the establishment of the Vigan Skills Training Institute, the approval of the Annual Development Plan amounting to Php 62,500,000.00 pesos, approval of the Annual Budget for 2010 amounting to Php 232,402,269 pesos. Said appropriations have been allocated for the establishment of the Vigan Skills Training Institute, Implementation of the Vigan River Cruise, construction and improvement of farm to market roads and government facilities, cooperative development and for livelihood programs and projects, performance bonuses of employees, additional fund for capital outlay of various offices and the establishment of streetlights and modernization of the Vigan Gymnasium.
And for the second time, it was in 2009 that Vigan made it again as the Most
Outstanding Sanggaunian in Ilocos Sur and 1st runner-up in the region.
Although 2010 is an election year, we were not remiss of our duties as legislators. The City Council continued to function as a legislative body by continuously holding regular sessions until the last minute of the 3rd City Council’s term. As your humble Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer for the last 9 years, and in line with the codification project, we were able to accomplished the following:
1. Conservaton Code
2. Revenue Code
3. Transportation Code
4. Investment Incentives Code
5. Youth Code
6. Gender and Development Code
7. Environment Code
8. Market Code