As she enters the first year of her third and final term of serving constituents in Biñan City, Congresswoman Len Alonte shows no signs of slowing down.
Having served Biñan for more than two decades – as municipal councilor from 1998 to 2004, as vice mayor from 2004 to 2007, as mayor from 2007 to 2016, and as representative to Congress of the city’s lone legislative district from 2016 – Alonte has seen (and fostered) the transformation of her home city from a sleepy market town to one of Laguna province’s economic and cultural powerhouses.
And these days, Rep. Alonte is as busy as ever delivering her own brand of public service – “Alagang Len” – and in championing legislation that will benefit not only her constituents but the country as well.
Landmark program
This year, it can be recalled, Rep. Alonte launched her landmark healthcare program for Biñan City, the “Alagang Len Card,” a healthcare assistance program that enables constituents to avail of basic healthcare services.
“Health has always been a priority sector in all my years in public service. And Alagang Len Card is testament of that commitment to ensure that our citizens are given enough support in their healthcare,” the solon told OpinYon Laguna in an interview.
The Alagang Len Card, which began last March 10, contains P5,000, refillable every year, can be used for outpatient medical services at the Ospital ng Biñan (OsBin).
And, according to the congresswoman, her office is working to expand the benefits of the Alagang Len Card beyond the healthcare center.
“This month, the Alagang Len Card will launch the Educational Assistance program to some academically qualified students from the vulnerable sector. This is in parallel to what the private tertiary institutions is giving our office in support of our call for accessible education,” she added.
Rep. Alonte’s office has already teamed up with three private educational institutions in the city for the scholarship program, she added.
These include the University of Perpetual Help–Biñan campus, which will provide free tuition for at least 20 students recommended by her office; Trimex Colleges, which will provide free tuition to 60 students under the Cong. Len Alonte and Trimex Colleges (CLATCO) Scholarship, and Saint Michael's College, which will provide financial subsidies of P8,000 each to 48 students.
Protecting the environment
In the national level, Rep. Alonte also gained prominence in her push for programs for environmental protection and climate resilience.
As chairperson of the House Committee on Ecology, the solon has forwarded several proposals that will enable the Philippines to adapt to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
Alonte gained national attention last May when she proposed that instead of installing air-conditioning units in schools to ease the burden of students and teachers, the government should instead adapt climate-resilient infrastructure for school buildings.
The solon also championed for the rehabilitation of Laguna de Bay, following the experiences of Biñan City’s coastal barangays which endured months of heavy flooding following typhoons Karding and Paeng last year.
“Our proposal on the rehabilitation of the Laguna Lake includes strategic dredging of the lake and its tributaries, watershed development, and socio-economic regulation on the use of the lake. Hopefully, with the many stakeholders resulting to benefit from this rehabilitation, we can get this started sooner,” Alonte reported in her message to OpinYon Laguna.
“Ultimately, my hope and aspiration for the Committee on Ecology is to institutionalize bills that will be beneficial on a national level, especially that issues and matters concerning ecology impact both the environment and us humans. Our goal is to leave behind a better world for our children and our children's children,” she added.
Public service is a commitment
In the long years of serving Biñanenses, Rep. Alonte said she has learned the hard way that “public service” is not all glitz and glamour as some politicians had envisioned it to be.
“Public service is not the most glamorous or easiest of calling. Through the years — I have been doing this for more than two decades — I have learned that public service requires utmost and unrelenting commitment, dedication, and passion to serve people,” she told OpinYon Laguna.
Rep. Alonte’s brand of public service has served as an inspiration to countless Biñanenses, and her brother, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, too.
“Si Ate Len at ang ating Lone District Representative Len Alonte-Naguiat ay hindi magkaiba. Higit sa lahat, [nakita ko] kung paano siya makisalamuha sa mga taong malapit sa kanya o sa kanyang mga nasasakupan, Isang babaeng sadyang masaya at nag-eenjoy sa pagiging malapit sa lahat, anuman ang antas sa buhay,” Vice Mayor Alonte related in his message to OpinYon Laguna.
“Siya ay isang public servant na gustong makasama at makasalamuha ang kanyang kapwa Biñanense. Isang kapatid na dala ang kanyang pagmamahal sa kanyang pamilya pati na rin sa kanyang mga nasasakupan. Kaya naman ipinagmamalaki kong sabihin na siya ay simbolo ng completeness. Isang lingkod-bayan, isang kapatid na babae, isang ina sa kanyang mga nasasakupan,” he added.
These expressions of gratitude from her constituents, Rep. Alonte told OpinYon Laguna, is what enables her to continue her “Alagang Len” brand of leadership.
“I'm truly blessed to have that overwhelming support from the people of Biñan and beyond,” she said. “Your love for me fuels me to always do better and aim for bigger things for this city and this congressional district. So thank you for always inspiring me to be the best public servant for you and for our beloved Biñan.”
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