Tourism bolsters Vigan’s income, social services

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur – The sprucing up of this UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site has won for the city a number of awards, a marked increase in its income, and the efficient delivery of basic social services.

This was cited by Mayor Ferdinand C. Medina as among the accomplishments of his administration in his State of the City Address delivered last week at the Vigan Culture and Trade Center here. In attendance were Sangguniang Panglungsod officials led by Vice Mayor Franz Ranches, city government employees, heads of offices, representatives from national agencies and non-governmental organizations, and the media.

Mayor Medina said the awards include "Best In Governance" from the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran, the country’s "Cleanest Rest Room in a Public Market," and the "Pamilihang Panlalawigan from the Ilocos Sur provincial government.

"Essentially, they are the offshoot of the successful implementation of our three-year development program pursuant to the vision," A World Heritage City for all, home to a thriving and caring community empowered by a responsive and participatory governance, he added.

Efforts in this direction have combined tourism, environment, heritage conservation and revenue generation concerns to give Vigan the facelifting it needed, like the rehabilitation of the three rivers that traverse it, clearing of clogged canals and waterways, strict enforcement of its solid waste management program alongside with the establishment of a controlled dump site and the installation of a materials recovery facility, acquisition of a water tank to flush out with chlorinated water the stench of horse urine on the streets and in clean parking areas, cleaning with soap and water of Crisologo street in the main heritage district, regreening of the barangays and enforcement of pollution control measure, among other things.

On the other hand, enhancing the attractions and conservation of centuries-old ancestral houses cobbled streets and parks were likewise equally addressed through the installation of period lamp post, wooden house markers, street signs made of red clay, and the presence of horse-mounted guards and "senoritas" garbed in old Iloco, costumes to make the area more reminiscent of its hispanic past, creation of the Vigan Heritage Village Management Office, and establishing of linkages for culture-related assistance from the TESDA, the United Architects of the Philippines, UNESCO Bangkok Office, Palafox and Associates the University of Northern Philippines, and the National Museum.

"We are now well on our way to fulfilling our goal to increase our local revenues by at least two to three percent until 2007, "Mayor Medina remarked as he went on to enumerate the gains achieved so far by the city government at present on fiscal management which has registered an income of R86,549,139.00 from January to June or R8.070 million more than that of the same period last year.

This was mainly triggered by innovations in the revenue generation methods, like the computerization of operations application of the Geographic Information System on RPTA, massive information campaign on business taxes, opening of a one-stop express permit center, fasttracking of fire safety clearances by adopting fire inspection results from the last quarter of the preceding year, new investments and increaseds income from the city’s local enterprises.

Agriculture, fishery, livelihood, and the delivery of health care services, which are likewise high on the agenda of the city government, received tremendous boost which Mayor Medina specified in the latter part of his address as he called for greater participation of the citizenry in making Vigan City the foremost tourist destination in Northern Luzon, if not in the entire country.