- Improve productivity. Naga embarked on a program that aimed to bring out the full potential of various departments and offices of the entire city government. The program focused on four main thrusts of providing sufficient services; getting optimum outputs with minimum expenditure; producing quality results as desired and planned; and making services accessible and acceptable.
- Computerize. The city created an effective and efficient management system that streamlined business transaction processes, provided a dependable database for more effective decision-making, and made the city administration more responsive to its citizens’ needs.
- Empower the people. The city government laid down a clear and comprehensive framework that allows its constituents to take active part in governance. Nagueños are able to voice their concerns and suggestions to City Hall and act on various issues—from procurement to budgeting, to scuttling an initial plan of the local government to set up a golf course. As a result, 193 nongovernment and people’s organizations now work with the local government through the Naga City People’s Council.
- i-Govern. The city tapped the “power of information” and its value as a truly empowering tool when made accessible to the people. Nagueños need only to go online for their business license, birth certificate, or even when they want to bid for government procurements.
- Reinvent institutions. In the reinvented school board of Naga, the structure is able to ensure transparency, accountability, participation, and predictability. The membership has been expanded and has made education officials accountable to the public.
- Train the youth. The City Youth Month Program of Naga engaged the city’s top youth leaders to compete for any one of the 45 slots that would put them in executive and legislative positions, as well as in the nongovernment sector. The project enhanced greater involvement of the youth in government affairs.
- Be prepared always. Started in May 1991, Emergency Rescue Naga addresses the urgent need for fast and reliable service in times of emergency. ERN provides 24-hour quick response medical and protective services to all Naga residents in crisis situations.
- Prioritize the marginalized. Naga faced the challenges posed by informal settlers by launching the Kaantabay sa Kauswagan or Partners in Development Program in 1989 guided by two key principles. First, the government will not help the urban poor unless they actively participate in solving their own problems. Second is the tripartite effort among the urban poor organizations, national and local government agencies, and landowners in which the interests and abilities of each party are taken into account.
- Invest in children. The comprehensive and innovative pre-school program addresses the need for improved access and equity in quality education for the young. The program has also facilitated the integration of differently abled children in the mainstream of society.
- Together, we can do better. The Metro Naga Development Council pools together the efforts and resources of 13 local government units, the private sector and the national government agencies in Camarines Sur focusing on projects addressing the immediate needs of the community and lay the groundwork for long-term growth in the area.