In the previous three years, Isabela City has experienced remarkable changes and developments despite the risks and challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which started here early on March 2020.

The improvements in Isabela City were anchored on the Nine (9) Point Agenda of Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman that were strategically implemented by the city government. Programs, projects and activities for progressive city were centered on these 9 point agenda namely (1) transparent, participatory, effective and efficient governance, (2) safe, secure and resilient community, (3) clean and environment-friendly, (4) economically progressive, (5) culturally-diverse and proud, (6) sustainable tourism, (7) care for the vulnerable members of the society, (8) health, education and well-being and (9) synergy.

Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, during her inaugural address, described the previous years as period of sowing, which was the preparation for a better Isabela City.

“We planted the seeds of the future of Isabela City that we all aspire. An investment to help us thrive in the ever-challenging landscape of a 21st Century Philippines, and of a 21st century world. The next phase then shall be the nurturing and nourishing,” Mayor Hataman said.

Continuing Journey

As a re-elected local chief executive, Mayor Hataman wish to continue the journey towards a more progressive Isabela City through transformation as she unveiled her three-year plan dubbed VIDA Isabela, which envisions a better Isabela City for all.

VIDA Isabela, she said is a paradigm that recognizes quality of life, living, and livelihood as pillars of the continuing journey toward an Isabela City that rewards its residents with dignity and sufficiency.

VIDA stands for Vibrant, Innovative, Dynamic and Actualized.

Vibrant Isabela City

As part of its continuing journey, in her second term as elected mayor, Hataman aspires for a vibrant Isabela City that renders its residents with peace and security and continuous delivery of basic services to the 45 barangays.  

“Let us strive, to make all corners of the 86.38 square miles of our city within the reach of a city government that listens, that cares, that empowers,” Hataman said.

Innovative Isabela City

Mayor Hataman further aims to bring changes and development in Isabela City through introducing new ideas. She said that an Innovative Isabela City incubates ingenuity and creativity and subscribes to data-driven policy-making.

“Through sustained synergy, Isabela City shall map out opportunities to celebrate the best of the Isabeleño intellect, skills and talent, expressing faith and confidence that can compete in the national and even global stage,” Mayor Hataman stressed.

She added that being an innovative city, it embraces digitalization for speedy government transactions and achieving quality standard in terms of governance.

Dynamic Isabela City

A Dynamic Isabela City, Mayor Hataman said, champions sustainable development that emanates from empowered micro, small and medium enterprises. Thus, she aims to strengthen and widen the scope of microfinance scheme and public employment services to raise more families into the middle class, and to create more spending consumers.

This also includes, the rehabilitation of fishport with a cold storage facility that will help fisherfolks.

“Connectivity too, requires energy. The city government will continue to find solutions to the power woes and ensure that energy demand does not compromise the progress,” she said.

She added that the city government, also shall continue to dialogue with service-providers and relevant offices to improve the signal, including mobile internet, across the barangays and most especially in the face of continued preference for remote learning and work-from-home arrangements.