Coming full circle
TODAY, I am taking over the reins of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) in Naga in an acting capacity. Architect Juan "Chito" O. Villegas, Jr. retired from the service yesterday after 26 years of committed and distinguished service as city planning and development coordinator.
It is a journey that has come full circle. In 1991, I joined the Naga CPDO under Chito's leadership, where I had to opportunity of working closely with the late Elmer Gallardo, his deputy. I stayed on until 1996, during which time I met other alumni like Orlando Batifora, Elmer Albo, Rafaelito Zamora, Fernando Cuadro, Alex Abiada, Gloria Albeus, Ruby Antonio, Primitivo Amaro and Juanito Lacrua. All of them have either passed away, retired or have moved on to other pursuits.
While I was away, new blood reinvigorated the office, like Norman Posugac (who is reporting on Monday, fresh from a one-year schooling in Germany), Mon Baturiano (who transferred to the mayor's office), Tali Pabines, Angel Gonzales, Chit Reodique, Arnold Apuada, Edwin Aspra and Helen Lacrua (who replaced her husband Nitoy); they joined such reliables as Cecile Daplin, Rose Ciudadano, Job Oliva, Jimmy Servino and Tess Villadares.
The office faces a lot of challenges, primarily in improving its capability to perform its mandated planning functions that will enable us to update Naga's land use and development plans. But I am confident we will rise up to this challenge and become the best local planning and development unit in the country.
6 comments:
congratulations and best wishes to you, willy!
let us know how your compatriots can be of any help.
Thanks Benj.:)
By the way, did your planned visit to PI materialize? I remembered you mentioning about it last year.
congratulations willy!
not yet. my schedules are radically shifting to I'm not even sure I can make it this year.
when I do go, I'll be sure to visit Naga - there are quite a few alumni from the Ayala Young Leaders Congress i'd like to visit with.
Congratulations Willy on your well-deserved appointment. By the way, who will be handing the School Board project now that you are with Planning?
Thank you Senen and Oliver:)
I will still coordinate the School Board effort in a strategic way, mostly policy setting, monitoring and evaluation. Synergeia is also expanding regionally, and Bicol/Southern Luzon is our assignment.
In Bob Ursua, we have a very competent and able administrator. Mayor Robredo even jokes that Bob is stricter than him.:)
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