Naga City as a Highly Urbanized City.

Privilege Speech of the Hon. Ghiel G. Rosales delivered on January 13, 2026 during the 26^th Regular Session of the 15^th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Naga City.

Honorable Presiding Officer, distinguished members of the City Council, ladies and gentlemen. Good day!

I rise today to respectfully advocate that Naga City take the next logical step in its urban journey by seeking declaration as a Highly Urbanized City, rather than remaining an Independent Component City. This is not a rejection of our present status. Rather, it is a recognition that Naga City has already outgrown it. 

Naga City is already highly urban in fact. 

By every substantive measure – economic activity, institutional presence, service delivery, and population concentration – Naga City already functions as a regional urban center.

We are the educational, commercial, medical, financial, and cultural hub of Bicol. Our City hosts major universities, regional hospitals, courts, government offices, and business districts that serve not only Nagueños but millions across the region. Every day, people come to Naga to study, work, trade, seek healthcare, and access public services.

Yet, despite carrying regional-level responsibilities, we are still governed by a legal status designed for smaller, less complex cities. Becoming a Highly Urbanized City is not about changing who we are – it is about aligning our legal status with the reality on the ground.

HUC status strengthens governance clarity and autonomy.

While Naga City is already independent of provincial administrative supervision, HUC status provides a clearer and more stable framework of urban self-governance under national law. It removes any lingering ambiguity in intergovernmental relations and firmly positions the city as a direct partner of the national government in various areas of governance. HUC status is not about receiving automatic increases in national funding but about having the legal standing and institutional recognition that matches the scale of our responsibilities.

HUC status elevates credibility and competitiveness

Investors, development partners, and international institutions look not only at data, but also at institutional signals. Being a Highly Urbanized City sends a clear message:

That Naga City is open for larger-scale investments, That it has mature governance systems, and that it is prepared to operate at a metropolitan level positioning Naga City as the undisputed regional hub of Bicol.

This matters in attracting: infrastructure partnerships, sustainable urban development programs, innovation, technology, and green financing initiatives. HUC status does not replace good governance – but reinforces the credibility of a City that already practices it. 

This is about aligning status with reality.

Honorable members of the Council, this proposal is not about prestige. It is about truth in governance.

Naga City already stands on its own. Naga City already leads beyond its borders. Naga City already bears responsibilities comparable to Highly Urbanized Cities. Seeking Highly Urbanized status simply aligns our legal classification with our lived reality, strengthens our institutional footing, and prepares us for the demands of the next decades.

Let us not wait for our structures to lag behind our progress. Let us affirm, with confidence and foresight, that Naga City is ready – not someday, but now – to stand among the Country’s Highly Urbanized Cities. Thank you and good day!