This morning, August 15, 2025, the City Government of Vigan formally opened its Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) formulation workshop at Awesome Hotel, La Union.

Leading the delegation was City Mayor Randy Singson, joined by Vice Mayor Atty. Glendale Benzon, members of the 9th City Council, Dr. Alex B. Brillantes (former Dean of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance) and his facilitating team, City Government of Vigan department heads and division chiefs, and representatives from national government agencies. Palafox Associates Inc. was also present as the City’s partner in the formulation of its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), ensuring smooth alignment between the CDP/ELA and the CLUP. La Union 1st District Representative Francisco Paolo Ortega graced the event to welcome everyone.

In his message, Rep. Ortega highlighted the importance of the ELA as a platform for visioning the future of Vigan City—harmonizing legislative and executive priorities and ensuring that development strategies are grounded in shared goals. He encouraged everyone to “make this day an exchange of ideas” that will inspire innovative, inclusive, and sustainable initiatives for the city’s growth.

Ms. Ainna Comia, Facilitator and Research Associate, presented the overview and rationale of the three-day workshop, also recapping the Pre-ELA held on July 4, 2025, which tackled the results of preliminary consultations—identifying common needs across offices, unique needs of individual offices, and the objectives of the CDP and ELA process.

Mr. Ryan Dizon, Director for Urban Planning of Palafox Associates, shared highlights from the sectoral consultations conducted on August 11–12, 2025, and outlined the roadmap for the City’s three-year development plan.

SPM Kisses Marquisse Agdamag-Lim introduced Dr. Brillantes, who served as the Day 1 keynote speaker. His sessions were divided into Part I – Local Innovations and Excellence in Public Service and Part II – Ethics and Accountability in Local Governance.

In his first session, Dr. Brillantes discussed key innovations in local governance, such as participatory budgeting, public-private partnerships, and evidence-based approaches to digital governance. He cited best practices from other LGUs, including awardees of the Galing Pook Awards, and underscored how decentralization can be a catalyst for innovation through e-governance, participatory governance, institutionalized leadership, and strong governance frameworks.

In his second session, he expounded on the principles of Ethics, Effectiveness, and Efficiency (EEE) and introduced McCurdy’s Triangle of Organizational Effectiveness, which emphasizes the alignment of mission, resources, and environment to achieve sustainable public service outcomes. He stressed that ethical governance builds public trust, which in turn strengthens institutional performance and the norms and conduct of public officials. He concluded by emphasizing that all governance strategies should be anchored in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligned with the long-term vision of AmBisyon Natin 2040.