“Mas makikilala pa ang Biñan sa buong Pilipinas!"
That was the pledge of Biñan City Mayor Walfredo "Arman" Dimaguila, Jr. as he began an uphill climb for his third and final chance to serve Biñanenses.
With the official start of the campaign season for local positions in the run-up to the May 9 polls, Dimaguila, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, Rep. Len Alonte – all vying for their last terms in their respective posts – kicked off their campaign with a proclamation rally at the Alonte Sports Arena last Friday, March 25.
The "Big Three" was accompanied by the full line-up of the "LABarkada Team" — Jedi Alatiit, Christopher Alba, "Doc Elvis" Bedia, Raffy Cardenio, Bing Carino, Rommel Dicdican, Elmer Dimaranan, Alvin "Mangkok" Garcia, Ramon "RBM" Morales, Jigcy Pecana, Dada Reyes, and Jay Souza. They also include three “powerhouses” in the national and provincial scene: House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez and Vice Gov. Karen Agapay.
Banking on the programs and services that have placed Biñan City in the national limelight especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, the LABarkada Team promised to continue to uphold the welfare of Biñanenses as the country begins to recover from a two-year pandemic that has posed challenges on the city's thriving economy.
Humble Beginnings
Dimaguila started his speech by marveling at his humble beginnings as a son of laborers in Barangay Malaban who worked his way up in life until he reached the highest point as the leader of the city which had given him an opportunity to grow.
“Sinong mag-aakala na ang anak ng isang electrician at isang obrera — darating ang panahon na ang kanyang pangalan ay isisigaw na sa buong mundo!” the mayor declared in front of a crowd of enthusiastic supporters.
This, obviously, was no empty brag. In the six years of Dimaguila’s leadership, the city government of Biñan has been held aloft not just in Laguna province but also in the entire country as one of the badly-needed examples of good governance and transparency.
Surviving Challenges
The mayor also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the supporters who had stood by him even amid the challenges, starting with the eruption of Taal Volcano in 2020 which was immediately followed by the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic impacts to the city.
“Hindi ko akalain na pagkatapos ng halos dalawang taon na tayo ay nasa bahay lamang [dahil sa pandemya]…lumabas po kayong lahat para makasama ang LABarkada,” he declared.
That the people were able to come out to the Alonte Sports Arena last Friday could also be credited to Dimaguila’s decisive leadership and relentless push to protect the people from the coronavirus during the past two years.
Thanks to the city government’s drive to bring the national government’s Covid-19 vaccination program closer to the people, Covid-19 cases in the city are now down to single digits.
“Sinubok ang ating bayan ng Bulkang Taal, pero nagsama-sama tayo,” the mayor reminisced.
“Binuo ng lungsod ang isang malaking tulong para sa mga kababayan natin sa Batangas na naapektuhan ng pagsabog ng Taal. Lahat ng kinita natin sa paggamit natin ng ashfall [referring to the city government’s decision to use the ashfall from the volcano as construction materials], ibinalik po natin sa kanila.”
Then came the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, which Dimaguila said proved to be the biggest test of his leadership in Biñan City.
“Noong lahat ay hindi makalabas ng bahay, ako, sina Vice Mayor Gel, sina Cong. Len, ang buong LABarkarda – lumabas at tumulong,” he recalled.
Towards A Common Goal
For the first time, Dimaguila challenged his rivals to prove to the voters that they can be effective leaders not only during times of prosperity but moreso in times of distress.
"Ito po ang sasabihin ko sa inyo: kung ang isang tao ay hindi mapagkakatiwalaan sa panahon ng krisis, maniwala kayo: ang taong iyon ay walang karapatan upang pamunuan ang lungsod ng Biñan."
Dimaguila also pledged to show to voters not only in Biñan City but to Filipinos as well the true essence of “unity”: of a leader who is willing and able to call on people from all walks of life, whatever their political differences are, and march together towards a common goal.
“Pagkatapos po ng eleksyon, mas pagbubutihin pa po namin ang aming paglilingkod, magsasakripisyo pa po kami para sa inyo,” he stressed. “Pero isa lang po ang hiling ko sa inyo: samahan po ninyo ako. Dahil kahit anong araw na pinagsasamahan natin, kahit tayo ay nahihirapan, pero kapag alam natin na ito ay para sa bayan, magiging maganda po ito.”
For their part, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte and his sister, Rep. Len Alonte, also pledged to become active supporters in the LABarkada Team’s united goal for progress in Biñan City.
"Ang piliin po natin ay yung totoong may puso at malasakit sa lungsod ng Biñan," Gel Alonte urged voters in his own speech during the event.
"Sabi nga nila, hangga't may Mayor Arman Dimaguila, may Congresswoman Len Alonte, at may Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, ang lungsod ng Biñan ay patuloy na mag-aalaga at magseserbisyo – at tatatak sa bawat Biñanense na ang lungsod na ito ay hindi maiiwan," he declared.
Empowered Woman
Meanwhile, Len Alonte who as former mayor of Biñan City oversaw the transformation of the city from a backwoods market town into one of Laguna province’s most progressive cities, also expressed her gratitude to the supporters who took the time and effort to listen to their plans for the city.
“Kami rito sa LABarkada, hindi kami magdadalawang-isip na tumindig sa harapan ninyo at magbigay ng panahon at magsakripisyo ng kaunti – dahil alam namin na wala naman kami rito kung hindi kami nagsakripisyo," she said in her speech.
“Kaya kahit na ilang tao man iyan o isandaan o kahit sampung libo, ako ay titindig para sa inyo dahil wala po si Len Alonte kung wala po ang pagmamahal ninyo," she added.
“Dahil po sa inyo, taas-noo po kaming bababa na may isang magandang Biñan na patuloy na umuunlad at patuloy na ipagmamalaki.”
City officials in particular see Len Alonte as a prime example of women empowerment in government.
“The best man for the job is a woman – our pride, House Deputy Speaker Marlyn ‘Len’ Alonte. Wala nang iba pa!” Biñan City Information Office Roman E. Carencia said in a message to OpinYon Laguna.