Journal Staff
After she took office in January, Mayor Francis S. Lizama of Yigo got to work.
And there are already some positive developments for the village.
Yigo will get its own precinct, following a bill by Sen. Eulogio Shawn Gamataotao to transfer the ownership of Lot No. 7054-1 in Yigo, from the Chamorro Land Trust Commission to the Guam Police Department.
The lot is behind the Yigo Gymnasium.
“The Yigo Precinct won’t be completed for four years,” Lizama said. “In the meantime, there’s a Koban. GPD, she said, “would like to open up a Koban in the absence of a precinct.”
A Guam Police Department koban would be appreciated in Yigo, Lizama said. “We have space here within the building. I did meet with GPD last month (in March),” she said. “However, I always stress we need to ensure its manned.”
Lizama said, “We’ve gotten calls — especially on the back road where the area is jungle and you don’t see the homes. That’s one of the reasons why I street if there’s a Koban it has to be manned.”
Yigo has a popular WhatsApp group with more than 600 residents, launched by Larry Taitano. “It’s very informative,” Lizama said. “He’s started another chat to report any crime and suspicious people and individuals.”
There are some additions to Yigo Lizama would like to see.
“Considering the growth of Yigo, Yigo does not have a community center,” she said. The village does have a senior center, which can be used for meetings, but not for parties.” The senior center is too small for large events, she said. “Our community is growing and we need to think about activities for the youth and our residents. I remember growing up, that was the place to be.”
Lizama sees a need for a new mayor’s office.” This office has been here since 1960. You can improve it, but you can’t expand, so we’re very limited space-wise.”
Lizama would also like to see more sports facilities in Yigo and make better use of those that exist.
A softball field is on West Gayinero Drive, across from the mayor’s office. “I’ve got some quotes for lighting,” Lizama said. Those are badly needed she said. No funding is available she said. “I’m going to go and beg for money.”
The village has a gym which hosts a basketball league with Simon Sanchez High School and F.B Leon Guerrero Middle School. “I’d like to do a sports complex like Dededo,” Lizama said. “The Raceway — that was a place to go if you want to race … I hope soon they will open it up. It’s such a waste. It’s a place for the teens and young adults to be at.”
The village is building its relationship with Andersen Air Force Base.
Cam Orejlia with the 36th Munitions Squadron at Andersen; met with Lizama to offer the squadron’s help. “They can gather about 20 to 30 personnel for projects within the community,” she said.
Yigo’s population dropped from 20,539 in 2010 to 19,339 in 2020.
“There was a drop, but not a drastic one,” Lizama said. Despite that, people are still moving to the village. We see the migration coming up this way,” she said. The mayor attribute s that to people moving back to Yigo and their families, and sometimes due to their inheritance of land. “There are homes that have been built,” she said.
Consultant Daniel D. Swavely told the Journal he is not only working on developments but projects that will bring services to the area.
VGG Apartments 1 and 2 will be located in Machananao and once rezoned to R-2 each of the two lots will accommodate one apartment building: one two story with 20 apartments and the other two story with 12 apartments. Both lots will be developed by VG Gozum Construction LLC, with 50% Of the units occupied by H2-B workers until the end of the Guam construction boom.
Legacy Subdivision will have 28 lots, fully improved with paved streets, sidewalks, water and sewer systems, underground power, stormwater collection and drainage and a large neighborhood park. The subdivision is on Chalan Lajuna, the road that runs from Marine Corps Drive past Perez Acres to Route 15 and is approved to rezone for R-1. The owners/developers are Conrad and Kathy Alegria.
Ian Corp.’s Tre Vista Subdivision will offer 36 lots with an average size of roughly 6,000 square feet, with 29 lots reserved for 3-bedroom houses and 7 lots reserved for 4-bedroom houses. The development will include underground power, water and wastewater service, telecommunications, paved streets, curbs, sidewalks, a school bus shelter, and stormwater collection and disposal. Tre Vista will not be a gated subdivision but will have a security fence around.
Lizama would be happy to have more companies in Yigo.
“We welcome any businesses because that will get our locals out for jobs,” she said. Businesses in Yigo have another benefit, she said. “That keeps us in the village; we’re here to support the village.”Yigo, Guam's northernmost village, had a population of approximately 19,339 in the 2020 census, bested only by Dededo with 44,908 residents.
Yigo has the largest land area of all the villages at 35.61 square miles. According to the University of Guam’s 2017 Production Agriculture Review, 22% of all farms on Guam were in Yigo, but since then the number of farmers has risen islandwide. The University of Guam’s Yigo Research & Education Center also houses the Triton Farm.
Schools in Yigo include Daniel L. Perez Elementary School, Machananao Elementary School, Upi Elementary School, F.B. Leon Guerrero Middle School – currently undergoing refurbishment, and Simon Sanchez High School, currently operating at John F. Kennedy High School in Tamuning, while the school is rebuilt.
The village has four gas stations – two Mobil stations and one Shell station on Marine Corps Drive, a Shell station on Rte. 15, and a fire station.
Yigo is home to the 36th Wing at Andersen Air Force Base, which an August 2023 Congressional report said supported 2,250 active-duty personnel. According to the base’s website, “More than 8,000 joint service members, civilians, and contractors work and live on Andersen, including 2,500 dependents and 22 tenant units.”
The village has laundromats, restaurants – including Subway, McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Domino’s Pizza bakeries, barbers and beauty salons, auto repair and safety testing businesses, furniture stores and more. Yigo also offers a Pay-Less Supermarket with a Superdrug Pharmacy, Hafa Adai Market and an American Grocery and a number of mom-and-pop stores. Bars – also serving food – include the VFW (now under new management) and the Uptown Pub & Grill and Lucky Too.
Finest Guam Golf Resort (formerly Starts Guam) is in Yigo and Bank of Guam has a branch in the village. Also in Yigo are Smithbridge Guam’s quarry and offices, Rocky Mountain Precast, Northern Construction, and J.A.M. Construction. mbj