Naga City Mayor and former Vice President Leni Robredo reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to clean, transparent governance, declaring that corrupt practices, illegal kickbacks, and inflated public expenses have no place in local government operations.
Delivering her inaugural State of the City Address (SOCA) on Tuesday, Robredo highlighted the structural reforms introduced during her first year in office aimed at bolstering institutional oversight, curbing political patronage, and enforcing ethical governance standards.
”Under our administration, there is no more place in Naga for inflated project costs, bribes, SOPs, and kickbacks,” Robredo declared.
To safeguard procurement integrity, local authorities upgraded internal auditing functions, instituted anti-corruption mechanisms, and opened project inspection bodies to civil society groups, professional associations, and barangay leadership.
The enhanced oversight yielded tangible results: out of 65 inspected public works, inspectors identified 15 defective or substandard projects, 12 of which contractors subsequently rectified, saving the city over ₱3 million.
Personnel recruitment and promotion systems were also overhauled to prioritize qualifications over political connections.
”In my one year in office, I have always appointed the PSB’s top-ranked applicant,” Robredo stated.
Addressing fiscal discipline, she outlined operational cost reductions across fuel, utilities, official travel, catering, and staff development programs.
”Every peso saved is a peso returned to the services you deserve,” she noted.
Beyond systemic administrative reforms, the chief executive detailed multi-sectoral advances in public safety, municipal infrastructure, healthcare delivery, agricultural support, socialized housing, digital public services, and educational programs.
Key funded projects include the Naga River Esplanade alongside facility upgrades, new public school classrooms, and expanded medical equipment supplies.
Regarding regional flood vulnerabilities linked to the Bicol River Basin, Robredo stressed a strategic pivot toward structural mitigation and proactive disaster preparedness.
”While we cannot stop the rains nor our location at the lowest portion of the Bicol River Basin, we can prepare better for the flooding that they bring,” she explained.
Acknowledging that long-term municipal transformation requires continued effort, she emphasized that the initial reforms mark only the foundation of her broader roadmap.
”There is still a long road ahead of us,” she said. “We are only getting started.”
Closing her address, she rallied local residents to actively partner with the local government in building a resilient, transparent, and equitable municipality.
”Let us show them how it is done.”