RE:GOVUnofficial concept29 pages reimagined from iriga.gov.ph by an AI agent · not affiliated with Iriga CityOfficial site ↗ReportFeedbackInformation section of website of Iriga City, Camarines Sur.
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” — Helen Keller, American social activist, public speaker and author (1880-1968)
“The best index to a person’s character is: (a) how he treats people who can’t do him any good, and (b) how he treats people who can’t fight back.” — Abigail van Buren (Pauline E. Friedman), “Ask Abby” columnist (1918-2002)
The International Association of Character Cities (http://www.charactercities.org) defines a character city as having unified neighborhoods, safe streets, strong families and solid businesses.
It is a place where:
[Image: Unveiling the official logo of the Iriga Character City Program - image broken in archive]
Unveiling the official logo of the Iriga Character City Program
In the City of Iriga, the Character City Program started as the brainchild of Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen who wants a “Strong Foundation” for the city. Later on, the idea found strong and solid support from the Character City program of the International Association of Character Cities (IACC). The program is hinged on strengthening individual and societal character which is seen to make a city “a place where families are strong, homes and streets are safe, education is effective, business is productive, neighbors care for one another; and citizens are free to make wise choices for their lives and families.” In a word, the program is a character-based approach in good governance.
The program began with Mayor Gazmen’s creation of a core committee by virtue of Executive Order 2006-09, composed of Nestor Awa as chairman and Frank Peñones Jr. as co-chairman with Dr. Nenette Beriña, Engr. Nona M. Santiago, Helen M. Calleja, Edwin Albino, Sharon Borromeo and Teresita Praxides as members. The committee was tasked to lay the initial groundwork for the program.
To familiarize themselves with the intricacies of the program, the committee first went on a study-tour in Tagaytay, the first adherent of the program in the Philippines, where they observed first hand the implementation of the program. They had also facilitated a series of workshops on Temperament and Teambuilding which was conducted by a private training group led by Mr. Gilmer Atian and the Total Quality Management (TQM) seminar for department heads, heads of the various offices and eventually all employees of the city bureaucracy.
The Character Enhancement and Leadership Advancement Committee (CELACom) also picked 12 values which they believe Irigueños intrinsically possess but have somewhat forgotten to express or carry out in their every day lives.
Presently, all business permit and tricycle operator permit applicants are required to undergo a character building seminar before the issuance of the permit.
Officials from the 36 barangays of the city also underwent a seminar specifically designed for local barangay officials. Dubbed the “Life Enhancing and Nurturing Seminar” or LENS, participants reported it to be a truly life changing experience.
With the positive effect of this program clearly visible to the public, the Iriga City Water District (ICWD) management had requested the Iriga City LGU to help them conduct the same workshop with their employees. With the LGU shouldering half of the expenses, the ICWD rank and file went through the workshop in July 2007.
Acknowledging the importance of the media in bringing about the required changes in the people's attitude to ensure the success of this program, Mayor Madel had arranged for the local media practitioners to undergo similar training in August 2007.
[Image: Participants of the Character Seminar - image broken in archive]
Participants of the Character Seminar gives each other a hug after their moving experience
“There are a lot of reasons to have a character program. Building relationships I think is the greatest reason. I think building a great community that exceeds people's expectations for honesty and integrity, is certainly a significant reason. But I will say that as a manager of a 50 million dollar business that has several hundred employees that there are some practical reasons for implementing a character program within your organization whether it's a public or private business.” — Rodney Ray, City Manager of Owasso, Oklahoma
New Government Center, Sta. Cruz Sur, Iriga City 4431, Camarines Sur, Philippines
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© 2026 City Government of Iriga Public domain Content sourced from iriga.gov.ph
Reimagined by RE:GOV · Oct 27, 2026
RE:GOVUnofficial concept29 pages reimagined from iriga.gov.ph by an AI agent · not affiliated with Iriga City · Filipino text machine-translated by Muse SparkOfficial site ↗ReportFeedbackSeksyon ng Impormasyon ng website ng Iriga City, Camarines Sur.
“Ang character ay hindi nahuhubog sa ginhawa at katahimikan. Sa pamamagitan lamang ng karanasan sa pagsubok at pagdurusa mapapalakas ang kaluluwa, malilinaw ang pananaw, mapupukaw ang ambisyon, at makakamit ang tagumpay.” — Helen Keller, Amerikanang aktibista sa lipunan, tagapagsalita at manunulat (1880-1968)
“Ang pinakamainam na sukatan ng character ng isang tao ay: (a) kung paano niya tratuhin ang mga taong hindi makapagbibigay sa kanya ng pakinabang, at (b) kung paano niya tratuhin ang mga taong hindi makakalaban sa kanya.” — Abigail van Buren (Pauline E. Friedman), kolumnista ng “Ask Abby” (1918-2002)
Binibigyang-kahulugan ng International Association of Character Cities (http://www.charactercities.org) ang character city bilang isang lugar na may nagkakaisang mga kapitbahayan, ligtas na mga kalye, matatag na mga pamilya at matibay na mga negosyo.
Ito ay isang lugar kung saan:
[Larawan: Pagpapakilala sa opisyal na logo ng Iriga Character City Program - sirang larawan sa archive]
Pagpapakilala sa opisyal na logo ng Iriga Character City Program
Sa City of Iriga, nagsimula ang Character City Program bilang ideya ni Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen na nagnanais ng “Strong Foundation” para sa lungsod. Kalaunan, nakakuha ang ideya ng matibay at matatag na suporta mula sa programa ng Character City ng International Association of Character Cities (IACC). Nakatuon ang programa sa pagpapalakas ng character ng indibidwal at ng lipunan na nakikitang makagagawa sa lungsod bilang “isang lugar kung saan matatag ang mga pamilya, ligtas ang mga tahanan at kalye, epektibo ang edukasyon, produktibo ang negosyo, nagmamalasakit ang magkakapitbahay sa isa’t isa; at malaya ang mga mamamayan na gumawa ng matalinong mga pasya para sa kanilang buhay at pamilya.” Sa madaling salita, ang programa ay isang approach sa mabuting pamamahala na nakabatay sa character.
Nagsimula ang programa sa pagbuo ni Mayor Gazmen ng isang core committee sa bisa ng Executive Order 2006-09, na binubuo nina Nestor Awa bilang chairman at Frank Peñones Jr. bilang co-chairman kasama sina Dr. Nenette Beriña, Engr. Nona M. Santiago, Helen M. Calleja, Edwin Albino, Sharon Borromeo at Teresita Praxides bilang mga miyembro. Inatasan ang committee na ihanda ang paunang gawain para sa programa.
Upang maging pamilyar sa mga detalye ng programa, nagsagawa muna ang committee ng study-tour sa Tagaytay, ang unang tagasunod ng programa sa Pilipinas, kung saan personal nilang nasaksihan ang pagpapatupad ng programa. Nagpadaloy din sila ng sunod-sunod na workshop sa Temperament and Teambuilding na isinagawa ng isang pribadong training group na pinangunahan ni Mr. Gilmer Atian at ng seminar sa Total Quality Management (TQM) para sa mga department head, mga pinuno ng iba’t ibang opisina at kalaunan sa lahat ng empleyado ng burukrasya ng lungsod.
Pumili rin ang Character Enhancement and Leadership Advancement Committee (CELACom) ng 12 values na pinaniniwalaan nilang taglay na ng mga Irigueño ngunit medyo nakalimutang ipakita o isabuhay sa araw-araw.
Sa kasalukuyan, ang lahat ng aplikante ng business permit at tricycle operator permit ay kailangang dumalo sa seminar sa paghubog ng karakter bago ibigay ang permit.
Ang mga opisyal mula sa 36 na barangay ng lungsod ay dumalo rin sa isang seminar na partikular na ginawa para sa mga lokal na opisyal ng barangay. Tinawag itong “Life Enhancing and Nurturing Seminar” o LENS, at ayon sa mga lumahok, ito ay isang karanasang tunay na nagpabago sa kanilang buhay.
Dahil malinaw na nakikita ng publiko ang positibong epekto ng programang ito, hiniling ng pamunuan ng Iriga City Water District (ICWD) sa Iriga City LGU na tulungan silang isagawa ang parehong workshop para sa kanilang mga empleyado. Sa pagbabayad ng LGU ng kalahati ng mga gastusin, dumaan sa workshop ang mga kawani ng ICWD noong Hulyo 2007.
Sa pagkilala sa kahalagahan ng media sa pagdadala ng mga kinakailangang pagbabago sa pag-uugali ng mga tao upang matiyak ang tagumpay ng programang ito, inayos ni Mayor Madel na sumailalim ang mga lokal na mamamahayag sa katulad na pagsasanay noong Agosto 2007.
[Image: Mga Lumahok sa Character Seminar - nasira ang image sa archive]
Nagbibigayan ng yakap ang mga Lumahok sa Character Seminar pagkatapos ng kanilang nakakaantig na karanasan
“Maraming dahilan para magkaroon ng character program. Sa tingin ko, ang pagbuo ng mga relasyon ang pinakamalaking dahilan. Sa tingin ko, ang pagbuo ng isang mahusay na komunidad na hihigit sa inaasahan ng mga tao pagdating sa katapatan at integridad ay tiyak na isang mahalagang dahilan. Pero sasabihin ko na bilang tagapamahala ng isang 50 million dollar na negosyo na may ilang daang empleyado, may mga praktikal na dahilan para ipatupad ang isang character program sa inyong organisasyon, pampubliko man ito o pribadong negosyo.” — Rodney Ray, City Manager of Owasso, Oklahoma
New Government Center, Sta. Cruz Sur, Iriga City 4431, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Ang website na ito ay isang hindi opisyal na muling-pagdisenyo na gawa ng AI mula sa iriga.gov.ph, ginawa ng RE:GOV bilang demonstrasyon. Hindi ito pinapatakbo, inendorso, o kaugnay ng City Government of Iriga o ng anumang ahensiya ng pamahalaan. Awtomatikong inilipat ang nilalaman at maaaring kulang o luma na. Ang salin sa Filipino ay gawa ng AI (Muse Spark) at maaaring may mali. Para sa opisyal na impormasyon at serbisyo, laging gamitin ang opisyal na website ng ahensiya.
© 2026 City Government of Iriga Public domain Content sourced from iriga.gov.ph
Reimagined by RE:GOV · Oct 27, 2026
