01/10/2026
STATEMENT ON PROPOSED ORDINANCE NO. 5, S. 2026: PRIORITIZING REAL COMMUNITY NEEDS OVER SYMBOLIC SLOGANS
While the Sangguniang Bayan of NUMANCIA convened a "Public Hearing" for Proposed Ordinance No. 5, Series of 2026—an ordinance seeking to officially adopt "ARRIBA NUMANCIA" as the municipal slogan and establish guidelines for its use—we must ask:
Is a slogan truly the urgent priority of Numancia today?
To the ordinary citizen, rural woman, farmer, fisherfolk, and small business owner, the word "Arriba" signifies progress, rising up, and moving forward.
Yet, progress cannot be achieved by words alone when our municipality faces pressing, unresolved crises:
1. The Stalled Municipal Budget: A budget deadlock that freezes essential funding, social services, and capacity-building grants for local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
2. Agricultural & Fisheries Neglect: Rising production costs and climate vulnerabilities impacting our local farmers, agripreneurs, coastal communities, and fisherfolks.
3. Economic Strain on MSMEs: Local micro, small, and medium enterprises struggling without strong, proactive municipal support systems and steady local economic circulation.
4. Environmental & Sanitation Issues: Growing operational challenges surrounding waste management, garbage collection, and local dumpsite maintenance.
5. Peace, Order & Community Security: Heightened concerns regarding local security and public safety across our barangays.
Adopting "Arriba Numancia" as a slogan while critical issues remain unaddressed renders the phrase empty.
A slogan cannot collect garbage, pass a municipal budget, protect crops, support small businesses, or secure our streets.
We call on the Sangguniang Bayan to align its legislative focus with the actual realities of our people. True progress is not measured by the catchphrases we paint on government walls, but by the tangible policies, budgets, and services we deliver to every home in Numancia.
