The Pangasinan Star ONLINE

THE city of San Carlos, some 200 kilometers north of Manila, continues to bloom and boom commercially despite the political turmoil in the nation’s capital.

To date, a commercial mall owned by the Dagupan-based City Supermarket Inc. is now fast-rising beside the city hall while a few more investors, including some from Manila, are just waiting for the perfect timing to come in.

Vice Mayor Julier Resuello said there is no doubt that the much improved peace and order situation of the city is what attracts investors to the city, now fast emerging as another melting pot of business in central Pangasinan other than Dagupan.

San Carlos City used to be known for its “wild, wild west” image where killings happened quite frequently thus driving away traders.

Even cattle rustling, which used to be rampant, with a barangay of the city - Balite Sur - notorious for harboring cattle thieves, has been tamed. Mayor Julian Resuello had called known suspects in this illegal activity to a “summit” and told them straight to stop their trade.

City Information Officer Guido Tiong however said good governance, more than just improved peace and order, is what’s doing wonders in investments in the city. Tiong said the progressive actions of the Resuellos, father and son, have built strong confidence among the business people that their projects will succeed because they have a transparent city government to deal with.

The mayor and vice mayor’s tandem, Tiong added, has put all the necessary ingredients to make San Carlos go on a roll, to the envy of other cities.

“I believe infrastructure-wise, we have more than adequate of these to date. All roads leading towards San Carlos City are now well paved, although we are putting in some more projects,” said Resuello who may likely succeed his father when the latter completes his last term of office in 2007.