Capacitating the

Municipality of
Agoo, La Union
Towards Cityhood
Allan Hil B. Pajimola
Robina J. Sansano
PhD in DA Students
DMMMSU-MLUC, College
of Graduate Studies

WHERE IS AGOO?

OBJECTIVES OF THE
PRESENTATION
Specific Objectives:
To situate Municipality of Agoo in its quest for
Cityhood
To present the profile of Agoo in reference to
the statutory requirements unde the Local
Government Code
To present possible means to capacitate the
LGU towards its development.

CITY OF AGOO: AN
ELUSIVE DREAM
Merger

Component City

INTRODUCTION
In the global context,
Urbanization is inevitable.
Economic progress is the engine of
cityhood.
Cities are said to be the driving force in
social and economic development.
Cityhood is a sign of progress,
In the Philippines,
Cities are local government units, classified
as (a) component (b) independent (c)
highly urbanized
Requisites under the Local Government
Code

INTRODUCTION
Towards the Cityhood of Agoo-Aringay
HB 4644 by Rep. Eufranio Eriguel. The bill
seeks to constitute the contiguous
municipalities of Agoo and Aringay, both in
the Province of La Union, into a component
city to be known as the City of AgooAringay.
Two Actions:
Merger and Conversion to component city

PROFILE OF THE LGU

LAND AREA

PROFILE OF THE LGU

COMPLIANCE TO THE STATUTORY
REQUIREMENTS
INCOME

PROFILE OF THE LGU

INCOME

PROFILE OF THE LGU

POPULATION

SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE
Table 1. FACTS AND FIGURES ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDICATORS
INDICATORS
AGOO
ARINGAY
Educational Institutions
19 Public
23 Public
Elementary
5 Private
2 Private
4 Public
3 Public
Secondary
5 Private
2 Private
1 Public
1 Private
Higher Education
2 Private
Institutions
2 Public
1 Private
Hospitals and Medical
7 Private
Facilities
Innerville Resort Hotel, Villa Remy Xia
Jireh Hidden Paradise Resort,
Resorts
Agoo Coastline Villa, Cabaguan Beach
Paradiso Beach Resort, 4Js
ResorT, Sea Front Resort
Resort
Museo de Iloko, Basilica of Our Lady of
WW II Century Tunnel, Church
Tourist Destinations/
Charity, Eagle of North, Mt. Katayagan
of St. Lucy, Yaranons Park
Landmarks
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, Eco-Fun
WorlD, Agoo-Damortis Seashore Park
Philippine-Japan Monument of Peace

SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE
INDICATORS
Franchised Businesses
Banks

Access to National
Highways
Agriculture
Investment Potentials
Business Establishments
Major Traditional
Industries
Festivals

AGOO
Jollibee, ChowkinG, Mang Inasal
Greenwich, 7 Eleven, Red Ribbon
Goldilocks, Taihao, Iceland
Philippine National Bank, Banco de Oro,
Land Bank of the Philippines, MetroBank,
Bank of Philippine Islands, Allied Bank,
Rang-ay Bank, Cooperative Bank of La
Union, Rural Bank of Agoo
McArthur Highway
Jose Aspiras Highway
Rice, corn, tobacco, livestock, vegetables,
mango, fish
Farming, fishing and trading
30% Manufacturing
45% Trading
25 % Services
Dried fish, native rice cakes, antiquefinish furnitures, sugar cane wine
Dinengdeng Festival, Patronal Town
Fiesta, Kilawen Festival

ARINGAY
None
Rural Bank of Aringay

McArthur Highway
Rice, corn, livestock, tobacco,
vegetables, rootcrops, fish,
oysters, crabs, seaweeds
Farming, fishing
25% Manufacturing
40% Trading
35% Services
Mushroom
Uong Festival, Tinupeg Festival

Is it Viable for the Cityhood?

PROPOSALS:
PLAN A: Merger (As discussed
earlier)
PLAN B: Purchase of lots from
neighbouring municipalities of Sto.
Tomas, Aringay, and Tubao.
PLAN C: Donation of lots from
those aforementioned
municipalities

Is the Case of Agoo Unique?

No.
There are Municipalities in the
Philippines which are still pending for
their cityhood because of land area
requirements:
Daet, Camarines Norte 89 sq. km
Malay, Aklan 66 sq. km
La Trinidad, Benguet 80 sq. km.
Solution: Pending Senate and House
Bills amending the statutory

AGOOS ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN TOWARDS ITS

CITYHOOD
Resolution No. 163-2014 of the SB of
Agoo
Indorses HB No. 4644, entitled An Act Constituting the
Municipalities of Agoo and Aringay, Province of La Union, into a
Component City to be Known as the City of Agoo-Aringay
Authored by Honorable Eufranio Eriguel, Representative, Second
District, Province of La Union

Resolution No. 98-2014 of the SB of

Aringay.
A Resolution Supporting HB No. 4644 or the
Charter of the City of Aringay-Agoo

ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN TOWARDS ITS

CITYHOOD

Resolution No. 163-2014 of the SB of

Agoo
Indorses HB No. 4644, entitled An Act Constituting the
Municipalities of Agoo and Aringay, Province of La Union,
into a Component City to be Known as the City of AgooAringay Authored by Honorable Eufranio Eriguel,
Representative, Second District, Province of La Union

Resolution No. 98-2014 of the SB of

Aringay.
A Resolution Supporting HB No. 4644 or the

CHALLENGES TOWARDS CITYHOOD

Constitutionality of HB 4644
Acceptability of the Constituents
Two Pending Bills in the Congress
Fear of Losing Jobs of the Municipal
Employees
Clamor for Further Study
Political Interests
Fear of Increase of Taxes

STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THE

BARRIERS
Social Media Blogging
Public Hearing
Provisions of the Bill Beneficial
to Both Municipalities

Meantime while the

Cityhood Bill is pending,
lets take a look on how to
further improve their
LGU

How to Capacitate Agoo?

1. Promotion of Its Ecotourism (Beaches and
Mountain Trek)
2. Pursuing Agoo as Education Center of Southern
La Union
3. Intensifying its Dineng-deng Festival
4. Encouraging Business Investors to Capitalize
Agoo
Manufacturing Companies
Business Process Outsourcing
5. Changing Agoo People Culture on Nightlife
6. Improving Transportation System to Access the
Tourist Destinations
7. Developing Agoo as the Pasalubong Center
Because of its Strategic Location

PROMOTION OF AGOO
ECOTOURISM

Agoo is endowed with rich natural resources

and tourist destinations such as the Aplaya
Beach, Mt. Agoo and Angalakan River.
Through promotional activities like print and
broadcast advertisements, Agoo will be in
the endorsed as an alternative eco-tourist
destination in the Region and in Luzon Area

DEVELOPING THE BEACHES INTO RESORTS

Beach resorts are the forefront tourist hub because of its
inviting serenity and deep blue sea, fronting the West
Philippine Sea.
Although there are development already in beach tourism,
the LGU should strengthen the activity until it becomes a byword among the people in the Philippines

INTESIFYING DINENGDENG
FESTIVAL
Dinengdeng Festival is the banner festivity of the local
government unit. The LGU promotes vegetarianism and
importance of vegetables in the physical body. Moreover, it is
a festivity of thanksgiving for the abundance of vegetables in
the locality.
It is our proposal that the LGU should intensify the promotion
so that when we say AGOO, it would mean DINENGDENG.
They may feature 101 families eating dinengdeng, trade fair,
fluvial parade, beauty contest, street dancing, mayflower
festival, amazing race, kite festival, bloodletting, pabingo and
concerts.

ENCOURAGING BUSINESS
INVESTORS TO CAPITALIZE AGOO
In order for Agoo to sustain the labor market, LGU should
entice business tycoons or investors to try the market place
of Agoo. The Agoo should create an environment that is
business friendly such as institutionalizing a ONE-STOP-SHOP
in the processing of business permits and licenses.
Moreover, the LGU should also initiate mechanisms that will
create a long-term business deal by making taxation equally
advantageous to them. Possible inverstment would be BPO,
manufacturing, retail, etc.

CHANGING AGOO PEOPLE

CULTURE ON NIGHTLIFE
So that revenue shall continue to generate even at night
time, Agoo may adapt success stories on NIGHT MARKET that
will make the LGU livelier even at wee hours.
As a regulation to this night life, the Sanggunian may enact
ordinance that will regulate the activities and those prohibited
acts. The changing concept of urbanization must conform
with what is in the global cities.

PURSUING AGOO AS EDUCATION

CENTER OF SOUTHERN LA UNION
The town is now an educational center in this part of La Union province
but there should be further boost by establishing learning centers,
review centers, institutions to promote wellness and healthy lifestyle
that will cater the needs of the people and tourists e.g Wellness
Program(gymn, zumba), ballroom dancing and sumba.
The presence of DMMMSU-SLUC boosts the Agoos capacity to
provide accessible higher education in the municipality and nearby
towns.

IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

TO ACCESS THE TOURIST DESTINATIONS
Agoo is strategically located because it is the crossroads going to
different provinces. In the north, it is the gateway to Ilocos Sur and Ilocos
Norte; in the south, it is the road going to Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and
Tarlac; in the east, It is where Baguio, Benguet and Mountain Provice are
located.
Accessible local transportation utilities should be improved to bring the
tourists in their destinations.

DEVELOPING AGOO AS THE

PASALUBONG CENTER BECAUSE OF ITS
STRATEGIC LOCATION
Since it is strategically located, it must establish a
pasalubong center where the big buses may park
and serve as terminal station.
Products of Agoo such as bagoong, dried fish, fruits
like guava and santol, patupat, chicacorn and ricebased products can be displayed for sale. Agoo
should still consider a product that is exclusively of
their own.

CONCLUSIONS
The proposed merger of Agoo and Aringay,
La Union as a component city is compliant in
terms of land area, income and population
as mandated under the LGC.
The filing of HB 4644 creating the Charter
of City of Agoo-Aringay is in order since
creation of a component city is a principally
legislative act from Congress. The bill at
present has been referred to the Committee
on Local Government of the House of
Representative.
The resolutions passed by the SB of Agoo
and Aringay imply support and
reinforcement from both municipalities.

CONCLUSIONS
There are challenges and barriers towards
cityhood since effecting any change to the
system would dismantle their conventional
way.
Information dissemination through public
hearing and social media is effective means
to educate the pros and cons of the
cityhood. There is a provision in the HB that
would redound to the benefit of the two
municipalities for equal representation.
Capacitating the LGU requires concerted
efforts from all the stakeholders for their
growth and development.

Agyamanak!