Calaca City turns 1
September 3 is a day of celebration in the City of Calaca as it marks the first Cityhood Anniversary, which is a significant event in its history. This celebration commemorates the signing of RA 11544, also known as the Charter of the City of Calaca, by former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on May 26, 2021. The charter was later ratified by 29,424 Calacazens (or 88.61% of the 56% voter turnout), a year ago today.
Mayor Sofronio “Nas” C. Ona, Jr.’s visionary leadership will showcase the transformative one-year journey of this first Western Batangas city.
Calaca City Mayor, Sofronio ‘Nas’ Ona Jr.
The big day will commence with a Thanksgiving Mass at the Archdiocesan Shrine & Parish of St. Raphael the Archangel to be followed by a City Parade by the local government officials and employees, barangays, DepEd, and locators.
The upcoming 1st-anniversary program of Calaca City promises to add more significance and thrill to the festivities. As part of the celebration, the new City Seal and Slogan will be unveiled. Mayor Ona is set to give the first State of the City Address, highlighting the city’s successes and plans. The event will also be graced by Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino, who played a crucial role in Calaca’s cityhood bid as the Chairman of the Senate’s Committee for Local Government. The occasion is a momentous one and demonstrates solidarity with the people of Calaca.
The inauguration of the Calaca City Global College is a noteworthy addition to the celebration as it is a flagship program of the administration and a long-held dream. It signifies a significant milestone for the city and is an eagerly awaited event that marks the beginning of numerous possibilities for young Calacazens. The city government has put in immense effort to improve its services and equip its citizens to become more competent and competitive, and the establishment of this college is a tangible manifestation of that desire.
The city government will also be launching the Character City Program in partnership with DepEd Calaca and various socio-civic groups. This program is aimed at strengthening character development and formation among the people of Calaca. It focuses on 12 key qualities or traits that every Calacazen should possess, including faithfulness, creativity, empathy, courage, patriotism, integrity, resiliency, hospitality, discipline, respect, responsibility, and gratefulness. Booths representing each of these traits will be available for the public to visit.
The anniversary celebration will culminate in a concert featuring I Belong to the Zoo, local talents, and special guests to treat Calacazens.
The first anniversary of Calaca’s cityhood is more than just a celebration, it’s a testament to the dedication of Calacazens to achieving a common goal of building a more progressive, peaceful, and resilient community. As the city enters a new chapter and adopts the tagline “NASA PUSO AT GAWA ANG BUKAS,” the local government remains committed to empowering its people and improving their quality of life. Through responsive, transparent, and inclusive governance, the future of Calaca looks bright and promising.
Nasa Gawa Flagship Program propels the City of Calaca
The NASA GAWA program represents the flagship program of the City of Calaca, led by Mayor Sofronio ‘Nas’ C. Ona Jr. Mayor Nas is renowned for his proactive leadership style, turning his vision into practical actions that embody the principle of “GAWA.” He upholds good governance marked by honesty, openness, and responsibility, with a focus on fostering sustainable economic progress and expanding social services. As part of this mission, he has implemented various essential programs aimed at benefiting the people of Calaca.
Nasa Isip Programang Pang-edukasyon
The NASA ISIP program is a pioneering educational assistance program not only in the City of Calaca but also in the 1st District of Batangas, which provides financial aid to students who are in Senior High School (SHS), College, and even to those who are taking their Masteral and Doctoral degrees.
The launch of this program was aimed at fulfilling Mayor Nas Ona’s objective of enhancing the lives of all Calacazen families by providing accessible and high-quality education. Education is a powerful tool that can level the playing field and empower Calacazens with the knowledge and skills needed to pursue their aspirations for a better future.
Students are welcome to apply each year for NASA ISIP financial assistance. Guidelines are available in the NASA ISIP portal and applications are done online.
NASA Isip was launched in 2019 and is now in its 5th year. It has already helped more than 6,000 Calacazen students each year. Through this initiative of Mayor Nas Ona, the students, and their families are one step closer to success.
Nasa Lakas Programang Pangkalusugan
The NASA LAKAS program implemented by the City Health Office actively promotes health and well-being for Calacazens with projects such as the Pinusuan Club, Kalusugan Para sa Pinusuan, and NASA Tamang Bakuna Protektado Ka.
The Pinusuan Club offers free medical consultations primarily aimed at managing diabetes and hypertension. In addition, affordable laboratory tests, including blood chemistry tests, urinalysis, and fecalysis, are available. Patients from Calaca also receive a free monthly supply of maintenance medicines through the Kalusugan Para sa Pinusuan program, which is delivered directly to their homes.
The COVID-19 vaccination program is also a crucial service that was rendered throughout the pandemic by the City Health Office.
Calacazens are also active supporters of annual blood donation programs.
Adhering to the city mantra “Nasa Puso at Gawa ang Bukas,” the City of Calaca values and ensures the welfare of Calacazens by providing beneficial health services to all.
Nasa Husay Suporta sa Ikakagaling ng Calacazen
The city government supports Calacazen students with resources beyond financial assistance, from pre-elementary to Senior High School, for a more conducive learning experience.
Previously dubbed Gamit Mo, Sagot Ko initiative, school supplies are distributed every school year through the NASA HUSAY program. Even during the pandemic in 2020 to 2022, students received school supplies and hygiene kits. The quality of each item is carefully checked to ensure that the recipients can make the most out of them.
More than 21,000 pairs of rubber shoes were given to students in daycare centers, as well as those in elementary and secondary schools through the NASA HUSAY program.
Due to COVID-19, education has undergone significant changes, with online classes becoming the primary mode of learning. As a result, the need for devices to support virtual education has become more critical than ever. To address this need, the city government has provided NASA HUSAY tables to students from Calaca Senior High School, enabling them to learn conveniently and flexibly.
With the heightened support for students, learning is indeed more fun in the City of Calaca!
Nasa Puso Programang Pang-agapay sa Calacazen
Through the NASA PUSO program facilitated by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, projects and services that aim to alleviate poverty and empower disadvantaged individuals are implemented. This program also serves sectoral support such as Senior Citizens, Persons With Disabilities, and Solo Parents among others.
This program also focuses on assisting individuals or families whose members are hospitalized, chronically ill, needing special procedures, requiring expensive maintenance medicines or assistive devices, burial, emergency transportation assistance, and other forms of relief assistance.
Assistance provided to families whose houses were either partially or damaged due to calamities is also covered by this program. The help that they would receive will allow them to procure necessary replacements for the damaged parts of their dwellings.
Nasa Sipag Programang Pang-agrikultura
Agriculture continues to flourish in the City of Calaca. The NASA SIPAG program supports Calacazen farmers and fishermen to spur economic growth and improve their livelihood.
The Office of the City Agriculturist has introduced a new project called One Barangay, One Product as part of the NASA SIPAG program. This initiative provides seeds or seedlings to each barangay that are suitable for their climate and land type. The goal of One Barangay, One Product is to promote the cultivation of specific crops in each barangay to support their livelihood through agriculture. This project enables the residents of the barangay to earn extra income by selling their harvests or using them for their consumption.
Calaca has a significant amount of agricultural land, which means that many of its inhabitants rely on agriculture to sustain themselves. Farmers can borrow tractors to increase their efficiency in plowing their lands, while the fishing supplies are provided to the fisher folks in the coastal regions of Calaca.
Nasa Tibay
Roads, buildings, and water supply – these are some of the infrastructures built under the NASA TIBAY program spearheaded by the Office of the City Engineer. This program ensures that infrastructures needed by the different sectors of the local government are implemented efficiently.
With the success of the NASA TIBAY programs, roads across the forty (40) barangays within Calaca City are continuously improved. The safety and convenience of the Calacazens when traveling around the city are of utmost importance. Slope protections were also built to further ensure the safety of the barangay as well as adjacent provincial roads.
On the other hand, water supply systems are constructed in barangays that are experiencing scarcity in the supply of water. Moreover, additional classrooms or buildings are built to improve the learning experience of Calacazen students.
The NASA TIBAY program is not confined to one sector, and it will continue to respond to the needs of the Calacazens for better and stronger structures that would bring economic growth to the city.
Nasa Tiyaga Kabuhayang Mag-aangat sa Calacazen
The Calacazen’s innate industriousness is supported by funding for proposed livelihood or income-generating projects delivered through the NASA TIYAGA program. In this program, funding is awarded to various livelihood organizations to develop micro-enterprises among its members which will eventually lead to the development of cooperatives.
The City Assistance and Community Development (CACD) Office oversees the management and implementation of livelihood programs across the different organizations formed in the barangays. Poultry-raising, backyard piggeries, and dried fish processing are just some of the successfully launched livelihood projects under the NASA TIYAGA program which are sustained by the organizations.
Aside from the capital or fund augmentation and technical support provided to the members of the livelihood organizations, they are taught basic bookkeeping and business management to equip them with the needed skills to ensure a sustainable micro-enterprise.
The NASA TIYAGA program has helped improve the financial standing of its members thus providing a more long-term means of livelihood for hard-working Calacazens.
Nasa Barangay Serbisyong Lumalapit Sa Tao
The NASA BARANGAY program adheres to Mayor Nas Ona’s goal to bring local government services closer to Calacazens. The program delivers basic services based on his NASA GAWA flagship program which includes NASA Lakas, NASA Puso, NASA Sipag, NASA Ligtas, and NASA Barangay, among others, in fulfillment of the mission to make government services accessible to every Calacazen.
Employees from the key service departments and offices of the city government are brought to the barangays in a whole-day event that aims not only to reduce the turnaround time to avail of services but also to provide a venue to interact directly with the LGU staff.
Health services such as free consultations, fluoride distribution, tooth extraction, and laboratory tests (Urinalysis, Fecalysis, CB, and ECG) are available during the conduct of the ‘barangayan’. Updating Member Data Records for Philhealth is also possible during the scheduled barangay day.
Services dedicated to promoting the welfare of Senior Citizens and Persons With Disabilities are also being offered. Registration for different sectors – Solo Parent and Out of School Youth, and application for TESDA Trainings and Orange Card (hospitalization assistance) are made accessible to Calacazens as well.
Additionally, the Office of the Treasurer offers services such as payment for Community Tax Certificates, Property Tax, inspection fees, and laboratory fees.
Participants also enjoy receiving vegetable seeds as part of the One Barangay, One Product project while vaccination as well as medications for their animals, are also being provided. Discussions on agricultural income-generating activities such as poultry and farming are also conducted along with a session to explain the RSBA insurance offered to farmers and fishermen.
Through the Local Civil Registrar, requests for birth certificates, death certificates, CENOMAR, and other concerns involving civil documents (e.g., affidavit to use the surname of the father, admission of paternity, etc.) may also be requested and processed during the conduct of NASA BARANGAY.
Calacazens may also process their Police Clearance in the comfort of their barangays. The Calaca City Police Station also conducts an Information Education Campaign on Barangay Court and Barangay Tanod.
Aside from the services offered by the city government, the Public Information Office also brings fun and entertainment through trivia and games to help entertain the Calacazens while availing the various services.
ADVT.
