Itch You See

The ad played over the radio while I was standing by the sidewalk, outside one of the ukay-ukay shops that have sprouted all over downtown in recent years. The station is a newer one, yet it seems popular among the public. The radio ad campaign for a “Yes” vote on Naga's conversion into a highly urbanized city (HUC) was well-produced. It sounded nice. It contained short snippets from the Mayor, a brief discussion of the benefits, and, towards the end, a catchy yell of “Yes!”

I started to think: the city government paid for that airtime. On the other hand, it is possible that the station could have provided that airtime for free in support of the campaign. I doubt it. A paying commercial could have filled those minutes. Anyway, I read somewhere that the LGU had allocated ₱20 million for the HUC plebiscite. Don't raise those eyebrows too high. Of course, a campaign of any sort would require considerable spending. Media placements and consultative meetings would entail some expenses.

A university public administration professor has cited potential improvements in national funding, infrastructure, disaster preparedness, education, healthcare, housing, social services, and local autonomy as benefits of HUC conversion. He noted that it would allow the city to access greater resources and exercise greater autonomy in pursuing its development goals because highly urbanized cities generally receive a larger share of the National Tax Allocation (NTA), formerly known as the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) (Neola, 2026). An economics instructor sees opportunities for investment, employment, and greater economic competitiveness. According to an article, HUC status would improve the city's investment climate by enhancing its profile among local and foreign investors in real estate, commerce, tourism, information technology, healthcare, and education (Neola, 2026).

Maybe we really need improvements in disaster preparedness, since the Commission on Audit found that 32 of 45 disaster risk reduction programs had no corresponding provisions in the city's disaster risk reduction plan. Six programs, with appropriations totaling ₱15.7 million, were misaligned, and only seven of the 45 programs were aligned with the 2023–2028 plan. In fairness, the city acknowledged the inconsistencies and committed to correcting them (Ong, 2026).

Some residents have expressed sentiments that Naga may not yet be ready, particularly concerning its water supply, the lack of assurances that long-term development plans will continue beyond the current mayoral administration, the potential additional burden of higher land taxes on residents and businesses, the difficulty of sustaining businesses under the current economic environment, and the possibility of increases in land values (Reddit, 2026). City Administrator San Luis-Lutey has clarified that HUC status does not automatically mean a tax increase (PIA, 2026). But they have a point about the concern over water supply. I remember that fiesta weekend when there was no water flowing from the faucets. It wasn't a case of occasional drops or low pressure. There really was no water coming out for hours and hours. How was I supposed to flush my dump?

In the past two years, I have been hearing about the growing distress among city residents. They say that what's good about being down is that you have nowhere else to go but up. But if you start at a high level, you could go further up or slide down. Even before the elections, there were groups that lacked confidence in the city's then incoming leadership. Arguably, that was natural. After the elections, the buzz of discontent slowly started creeping in.

There had been groans from LGU employees and their families. Public utility drivers, small- to medium-scale entrepreneurs who need to transport goods, and regular passengers shook their heads at the inconvenience caused by carless streets. Taxpayers started getting confused about the priorities behind projects that received millions in funding, projects that took a long time to finish, and basic services that seemed to receive insufficient funding and support.

I have heard angry, resentful complaints about the unfair implementation of regulations, leading to situations where ordinary people end up paying penalties while watching honchos in expensive cars get excused from the same rules. We hear promises of good things to come, but the city streets remain an urban maze of vehicles and vendors that you have to figure out how to navigate. People from outside the city envy us, but what is there to be envious of? This buzz of discontent has been going around in offices, on the streets, and in online comment sections, to the point that I feel myself being pulled towards that position. Maybe I've been hanging out with the wrong crowd.

So, this plebiscite will not only decide on the city's conversion into a highly urbanized city; it will also serve as a gauge of the people's disposition towards its leadership—whether one of deference or discontent."

Proverbs 29:2

“when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”