Dagupan’s potentials as ‘city of the future’ bared
A professor of the University of the Philippines has expressed strong belief that Dagupan cannot be far behind in joining the “city of the future” league.
Dr. Perla Legaspi, professor of the National College of Public Administration and Governance at U.P, who spent half of her age in Dagupan, however, stressed that the journey towards becoming a city of the future is long and demands sacrifice from officials and citizenry.
She described a ‘city of the future’ as the city that provides environment that enables all playing fields, all the players to actively play their significant roles in development. Legaspi, a product of the West Central School and the Dagupan City High School, was guest of honor and speaker during a commemorative program for the 61st Dagupan City Charter Anniversary at the city plaza.
“A city of the future is both a provider and inculcator of values,” she said.
For Dagupan to be a “city of the future”, the people must be safe in their homes, can walk in the streets without being kidnapped, harmed or robbed; have livelihood that can provide them with all the basic necessities, have access to health, social and recreational facilities, take part in planning and implementation of projects, do their part in making the environment clean and green and teach their children the value of citizenship and community involvement.
She emphasized that there are distinct roles that the city government and the citizenry can play in making a “city of the future”.
Legaspi, a 2007 Diamond Anniversary awardee of Dagupan and adjudged as Most Outstanding Dagupeño in the field of education, said the city government has to put all the systems and mechanisms in place for the various roles Dagupan will have to perform on its way to the future city.
She underscored the significance of the roles and performance of the city’s political leadership even as she warned that all efforts would be in vain without the share of responsibility of the citizenry.
“With a strong partnership between the city government and the citizenry, I strongly believe that Dagupan City can not be far behind in becoming a city of the future,” she said. LM
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