CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines — The Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) has recognized the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) as one of the top-performing government-owned and -controlled corporations in the Performance Evaluation System (PES) for the third consecutive year. CIAC President and CEO Jojit Alcazar accepted the award from GCG Chairperson Atty. Marius Corpus during the GCG Awards Ceremony held on December 1, 2025, at the Mahogany Ballroom of the Sequioa Hotel in Parañaque City. Alcazar was joined by Chief Finance Officer Nancy Paglinawan, Chief Operations Officer Engr. Brando Aguilera, Assistant Vice President for Legal Services Atty. Rustico Quizon III, and Member of the Board, Director Jaime Lazatin. The GCG Awards honor exemplary performance among GOCCs, recognizing top achievers in both the Corporate Governance Scorecard and the Performance Evaluation System for Calendar Year 2024. CIAC’s continued excellence in the PES highlights its sustained commitment to high standards of governance and operational performance. The PES serves as a comprehensive management tool composed of performance measures, targets, and initiatives. It helps organizations achieve long-term goals by guiding strategy implementation and promoting accountability and continuous improvement. “This achievement reflects CIAC’s dedication to meeting and exceeding government standards. It recognizes the hard work of CIAC officers and employees in advancing our strategic initiatives for the Clark Civil Aviation Complex,” Alcazar said. “May this award inspire us to continue pushing toward our goals, especially our flagship projects for the Clark Aviation Capital—sustainable and economically viable developments that will create lasting impact for Clark,” he added. As the Bases Conversion and Development Authority’s premier aviation and land development arm, CIAC remains committed to transforming the Clark aviation complex into the Clark Aviation Capital—a dynamic business center envisioned to become the country’s premier global aviation and logistics hub.    

VIGAN CITY, Philippines –The City Government of Vigan officially opened Artes ita Paskua 2025 on December 1, 2025. City Mayor Randy Singson, Vice Mayor Atty. Glendale Benzon, and members of the 9th City Council were joined by Vice Governor Ryan Luis Singson and Senior Board Member Janina Carine Medina-Fariñas in inaugurating the festivities with the Christmas tree lighting. Part One of the celebration featured the opening and presentation of entries for the “Light a Tree” competition at Plaza Burgos, followed by the blessing and lighting of the Rapunzel Tangled-themed Christmas tree, the City’s official entry for the Onederland Christmas Tree of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur. SPM Kisses Marquisse Agdamag-Lim provided an overview of the City’s Onederland entry. Part Two took place in front of the City Hall, where the Christmas tree, symbolizing “Christmas Bigueño,” was blessed. SPM Karen Baquiran explained that the tree’s design incorporated traditional Bigueño elements such as bricks, abel Iloco, and rattan, representing the rich Filipino Christmas heritage of Vigan.   The festivities continued with a Christmas Concert, featuring performances by the Vigan City Chorale, University of Northern Philippines (UNP) Choir, ICST Choir, Vigan City Hall Dancers, and the Vigan City Hall Band, which performed the festive station ID “Paskong the Best sa Vigan, ang Saya Vigan.” The evening concluded with a spectacular 3D Video Mapping Show and a fireworks display, marking the official start of the city’s Christmas celebrations.    

By Rachel Magday   NUEVA VIZCAYA, Philippines — The entire province of Nueva Vizcaya has been placed under a state of calamity following the widespread devastation caused by Super Typhoon “Uwan” (international name: Fung‑Wong), which left more than P3 billion worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure across the province. In Resolution No. 2025‑5998, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan formally declared the state of calamity, enabling the provincial and municipal local governments to hasten emergency response, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts. The measure, sponsored by Hon. Eunice Galima‑Gambol, was unanimously approved by the Provincial Board. It cites as legal bases the recommendation of the Nueva Vizcaya Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Memorandum Order No. 60 and Presidential Proclamation No. 1077 , which placed the entire country under a national state of calamity. Governor Atty. Jose V. Gambito welcomed the declaration and underscored its importance despite the existing nationwide state of calamity. “While the entire country is already under a national state of calamity, it is still necessary for Nueva Vizcaya to be placed under a provincial state of calamity,” Governor Gambito explained. “A local declaration gives us the legal basis to fully utilize our provincial and municipal calamity funds, implement price controls, and fast‑track rehabilitation projects specifically tailored to the needs of our communities.” He also expressed his gratitude to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for its swift action. “I sincerely thank our Sangguniang Panlalawigan for acting promptly on this urgent situation,” the governor said. “This declaration is crucial to fast‑track rehabilitation projects and support long‑term recovery across the province.” Under the declaration, provincial and municipal governments can speed up recovery and repair efforts, use the Quick Response Fund and other standby funds, ask for additional assistance from national agencies and nearby provinces and towns, and enforce price controls to keep the prices of basic goods and services stable in affected areas. The Provincial Board said the move is intended to sustain relief efforts already undertaken, stabilize essential services, and support medium- and long-term rehabilitation across all affected communities in Nueva Vizcaya.  

NAGA CITY, Philippines — Naga City is undertaking a strategic digital audit with global firm Artemis Intelligence to strengthen its governance foundations and scale innovation across public services. The initiative positions Naga as a model for ASEAN cities embracing inclusive digital transformation. Mayor Leni Robredo, in her remarks during the Innovators Assembly on Friday, November 28, emphasized that the city’s digital transformation is rooted in people and processes, not technology alone. “MyNaga App’s success is not just a tech story; it is a story of City Hall personnel working together, delivering solutions quickly and consistently.”   Artemis Intelligence is working closely with LGU IT leaders to map the systems that deliver services under the Naga City Citizens Charter, including those built internally and those interfacing with platforms like the MyNaga App. The audit zeroes in on the most critical systems to ensure improvements translate into faster, more transparent, and more inclusive services. By advancing Naga’s ISSP priorities for 2025, Artemis is aligning the city’s digital infrastructure with citizen needs and laying the foundation for scalable innovation and participatory governance well beyond 2025. Artemis CEO Michael Glaros reinforced the city’s vision: “Smart cities succeed when technology empowers people. Naga City is taking bold steps to future-proof its governance, launching a digital readiness audit with Artemis Intelligence to ensure citizens benefit from smarter, more transparent, and participatory services. The initiative positions Naga as a model for ASEAN cities embracing inclusive digital transformation.” The audit prioritizes systemic blockers observed in enterprise AI deployments, from legacy integration to governance complexity and scale friction. By tackling these challenges head-on, Artemis is helping Naga build agent-ready infrastructure that supports not only the MyNaga App but also future digital solutions requiring secure, explainable, and citizen-aligned AI capabilities. Conducted through a KPI-driven methodology, the audit includes document reviews, interviews, benchmarking, and a two-day multi-sector workshop. Representatives from government offices, academe, private sector, and civil society will participate in perception scoring, KPI validation, and consensus building to determine Naga’s digital maturity scores. By strengthening digital governance, Naga City is laying out the foundation for scalable innovation, inclusive participation, and resilient service delivery. The city invites partners and residents alike to join this journey toward a smarter, more accountable future.