Leni highlights Naga’s first-yr gains, 2028 vision

By Jason B. Neola

NAGA City Mayor Leni Robredo has highlighted the gains made by the city government during her first year in office, citing investments in infrastructure, social services, economic development, environmental protection, disaster preparedness, tourism and public spaces as key steps toward achieving the city’s 2028 Finish Lines.

In her report, Robredo said the administration’s direction is clear: to build a city where development translates into a better quality of life for Nagueños while ensuring that the fundamentals of effective governance and public service are firmly in place.

For 2027, the city’s Annual Investment Plan is estimated at P9.245 billion—triple the amount in 2026.

“We are taking another step forward to translate our finish lines into concrete investments. We have invited our different sectors to participate at the very beginning of the planning process, as departments identified priorities and developed their proposed AIPs,” Robredo said.

Infrastructure, flood resilience

On infrastructure, Robredo said the city will complete several unfinished public works projects, including the CESAR Building, which has a P100-million allocation for 2026, and another P100 million for its dormitory.

The city has also secured an initial P250 million for the Naga River Esplanade, supporting its first two phases that will transform waterways’ easements into tree-lined walking paths connecting downtown Naga to the Peñafrancia Basilica.

The administration has also secured P32 million for the redesign of Mt. Villanueva, alongside a pilot underground cabling project aimed at clearing the city’s skies of hazardous overhead wires.

Similar redesign projects for Peñafrancia Avenue and Magsaysay Avenue are also being pursued, with funding proposals already submitted.

Robredo also cited the opening of new roads, including the Concepcion Pequeña–Naga City General Hospital road and the Matiway–San Felipe–Sitio Almeda road, as well as the forthcoming Calauag–San Felipe road.

To address flooding, the city has secured commitments from the national government for 13 infrastructure projects intended to address drainage and waterway problems in the Central Business District and Concepcion Pequeña.

The administration is also working on a new Local Building Code that will be more responsive to Naga’s needs.

“Naga is the Heart”

Tourism is another major component of the city’s development strategy.

Robredo said Naga has embraced its identity as “Naga is the Heart,” positioning the city not only as a pilgrimage center but also as an urban destination for innovators, business leaders and travelers.

Over the past year, Naga hosted major national gatherings, including the Isarog International Hot Air Balloon Festival, which drew as many as 13,000 participants, along with marathon events, conventions and benchmarking visits from groups across the country.

The city is also investing in tourism infrastructure, including P350 million in funding for the development of the Mt. Isarog Forest Park.

The project covers a 1.5-hectare city government property adjacent to the Mt. Isarog Natural Park, as well as selected areas such as the Malabsay Falls and Nabuntulan Falls areas. It aims to develop Naga as a mountain-resort destination while promoting environmental sustainability.

Business, employment

On the economy, Robredo reported that 1,045 new businesses were registered during the first six months of 2026, with combined capitalization of more than P1 billion.

The full operation of the electronic Business One-Stop Shop has also reduced permit-processing time to just one to three days.

The administration likewise emphasized inclusive growth. Using Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) data, the city is targeting social programs toward families and individuals who need assistance most.

Its scholarship program, for instance, is now focused on students from the most vulnerable families, with the long-term goal of ensuring that every Nagueño family has at least one college graduate.

Employment programs have also been strengthened. In less than a year, MetroPESO facilitated 4,497 job placements and opened access to more than 33,879 vacancies.

Programs such as SPES, ENCEP and SEFE are also being more deliberately targeted toward those most in need of employment assistance.

Support for transport, agri

Support has likewise been extended to the transport and agricultural sectors.

The city distributed more than 3,200 fuel vouchers to jeepney drivers and provided emergency assistance to more than 500 tricycle operators amid fluctuating fuel prices.

Through the SARIG program, farmers received more than P1.5 million in zero-interest loans, shielding them from the high interest rates charged by private lenders.

The administration also cited the impact of its agricultural initiatives. The Agri-Marketing project generated as much as a 200-percent increase in income for participants, while agricultural training sessions generated P3.36 in community wealth for every peso invested.

The city’s Urban Gardening Program was also named among the 20 national finalists for the Galing Pook Walang Gutom Award, securing a P1-million grant to continue supporting Nagueño families.

Environment disaster preparedness

Environmental protection and disaster resilience form another major part of the administration’s agenda.

The city convened the 1st Basura Summit to bring together different sectors in developing long-term waste-management strategies.

It also strengthened its operational capacity with three new dump trucks and two new compactor trucks, all acquired through donations at no cost to the city.

The city has deployed 270 Barangay Environmental Enforcers to monitor compliance in the barangays and conducted ecological waste-management training for SWMO personnel and local officials in partnership with Coca-Cola and TESDA.

These efforts contributed to a 64.52-percent waste diversion rate during the first half of 2026. The administration, however, acknowledged that the figure remains below target and committed to further improving it.

Robredo also outlined nature-based measures to strengthen Naga’s resilience.

The city is implementing its Expanding Green Canopy Cover Program, which targets 138 hectares of green canopy by 2028, representing a 30-percent increase. The program aims to protect upland communities and watersheds while improving flood resilience and water supply.

The city is also looking into detention ponds and cisterns around Naga to help prevent flash floods from reaching streets.

Recognizing Naga’s location in the lowest portion of the Bicol River Basin, Robredo said the city cannot prevent rainfall but can improve its preparedness for flooding.

The administration is also moving toward the creation of a task force on waterways and drainage to assess and monitor tributaries, streams, rivers, drainage systems and major canal discharge points.

Disaster-response readiness has likewise been enhanced through new boats, outboard motors and rescue equipment, including a P900,000 airboat received through the Angat Buhay NGO.

Walkable, orderly, and secure Naga

Under the administration’s vision of a “Walkable, Orderly, Secure” Naga, the city is also reclaiming streets for people rather than vehicles.

Through an executive order, the city created the Task Force on Safe, Walkable, and Accessible Sidewalks to restore public pathways and clear obstructions for pedestrians, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Car-free activities along Magsaysay Avenue, Barlin Street and General Luna Street have also created pedestrian zones intended to encourage community interaction and business activity.

The administration said these initiatives form part of a broader effort to make Naga cleaner, more orderly, accessible and secure.

Toward 2028 Finish Lines

Taken together, the programs reflect Robredo’s broader approach to the city’s 2028 Finish Lines—investing not only in visible infrastructure but also in education, health, livelihoods, environmental protection, mobility and institutional reforms.

The mayor stressed that some of the most important changes may take longer to be felt and may require sacrifice, but these are also the reforms that can leave the most lasting impact on Naga and its people.