1st Month on the City Council

In the 3rd City Council, SPM George Villanueva has been given chairmanship to two regular committees and one special committee. He is chairperson of the Committee on Revenues and economic enterprises, Committee on Public Safety and the Oversight Committee. He is also vice-chairman and member to some of the other committees like the Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, Committee on Public Health and Sanitation and Committee on Barangay Affairs among others.

Last month SPM George Villanueva together with Vice-Chairperson SPM Henry Formoso and members SPM Benedicto Jose Verzosa and SPM Lourdes Baquiran of the Committee on Public Safety met up with the Public Safety Division to confer about matters of public concern and issues regarding their jobs. The members were encouraged to voice out any issues they may have regarding their jobs so that they may be addressed properly. Public concerns included establishing a hotline for tricycle complaints and an information center for tourists getting off buses from the public library. Suggestions and comments were well taken by both parties and both agreed to work together for more efficient services to the public.

The Oversight Committee, attended by Chairperson SPM George Villanueva, and member SPM Hermenegildo Apelin and Committee of Cooperatives Chairperson SPM Maximo Alves also discussed the implementation of Ordinance no.4, series of 1994 (also known as the Vigan Livelihood and Income Generation Program) with its implementing partners. He met with the managers of Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives and Fatima Cooperative. From this meeting, it was recommended that the two cooperatives should furnish the City Cooperative Officer and the City Accountant copies of the income gained by the City government from the Vigan Livelihood and Income Generation Program. It was also deliberated that the coverage of the livelihood program should include any Bigueño needing financial assistance but still subject to credit investigation or any screening process implemented by the managing partners.

SPM George Villanueva together with SPM Benedicto Jose Verzosa was also in- charge of the Speech Choir Contest held last July 30, 2007 at the VCTC, in line with the city’s celebration of Nutrition Month. The theme was Healthy Lifestyles ng Kabataan Landas sa Kinabukasan. There were 8 groups from the different elementary schools from Vigan. The group from Vigan Central Elementary School won the grand prize with the little kids donned in military attire and holding toy guns adorned with vegetables. They gave a riveting performance that easily captured the attention of the judges. Awarding ceremonies was held in the afternoon with our honorable mayor, vice mayor and city councilors awarding the prizes.