People who know Biñan City, Laguna Vice Mayor Gel Alonte can say that one trait that has endeared him to ordinary residents is his willingness to lend a hand to help those in need.
“Alam po nila na ako po yung tipo ng tao na hindi ‘humihindi’ sa mga nangangailangan ng tulong. Iyon na ang naging personality ko,” Alonte himself pointed out in an interview with OpinYon Laguna.
The recent devastation brought by severe tropical storm “Kristine” last October, however, opened Alonte’s eyes to yet another way he could directly help ordinary Biñanenses.
As he personally supervised (along with Mayor Arman Dimaguila) rescue and relief operations during and after “Kristine” struck Laguna province, he realized that there is yet another way he could help to bring the services of the national and local government directly to his constituents.
With this mindset, the “Tatak GEL Hotline” was launched last November 2 – a new direct hotline number in which Biñanenses can reach out to Vice Mayor Alonte to seek assistance.
Bringing services closer to people
According to the vice-mayor, the “Tatak GEL Hotline” is another way of bringing public services closer to Biñanenses, through a hotline in which ordinary people can directly access the local government through Vice Mayor Alonte’s office.
“Support na rin po ito sa ating mga constituents, at siyempre pinararamdaman po natin ang pagseserbisyo na bukal sa puso, yung sincere na paglilingkod sa ating mga kababayan,” he said during the interview with OpinYon Laguna.
“Ang hotline po na ito ay inilagay natin para sa kung may pangangailangan ang ating mga kababayan na pwede nating tugunan agad, lalo na sa ating city government,” he added.
The vice-mayor, however, was quick to clarify that he won’t be personally answering the calls made to the #TatakGEL hotline.
“Actually, mayroon po tayong mga focal person na siyang magha-handle ng mga tawag at magka-categorize kung saang tanggapan o sektor ang magbibigay ng tulong na kailangang ibigay,” he explained.
“Also, 24/7 po ang hotline na ito, so lagi po tayong may nakaabang na pwede pong sumagot sa ating mga kababayan at maaksyunan ang kung anumang kailangan nila mula sa atin.”
Culture of discipline
At the same time, Alonte expressed his desire to instill a culture of discipline and cooperation among Biñanenses.
"Nais din namin na ipatanto sa ating mga kababayan na maging maayos, disiplinado at responsableng Biñanense – na hindi lagi iaasa sa mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ang pag-angat natin," he noted.
His own experience during severe tropical storm “Kristine,” when he and Mayor Arman Dimaguila witnessed firsthand the strength of the storm and its impacts on Biñan City’s low-lying barangays of Dela Paz and Malaban, convinced him that what is needed is to urge residents to cooperate with the city government.
“Nakita po namin iyon ni Mayor noong nag-iikot na kami sa mga bahay-bahay sa Barangay Dela Paz at Malaban. Mataas na po ang baha, pero marami pa rin po ang ayaw lumikas – tapos kapag hindi na po talaga maabutan ng mga rescue, saka po sila nagagalit, bakit hindi raw po natin sila mailigtas,” he recounted.
Recently, Alonte, in his capacity as presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panglungsod, is preparing an ordinance mandating preemptive evacuations in times of natural calamities such as severe storms that inevitably cause flooding in certain parts of Biñan City.
“Siyempre, gusto man nating tulungan yung mga kababayan nating na-trap sa baha, pero kahit na marurunong ang ating mga rescuer, may training ang mga iyan, pero we cannot risk their lives as well,” he explained. “Mas maganda po na beforehand ay napapakiusapan natin na umalis na bago ang kalamidad.”
‘Galing at Epektibong Lingkod’
The “Tatak GEL Hotline” is just another way of the hand-on style of public service that Alonte has been demonstrating for the past months.
From his “Kapihan sa Barangay” in the city’s various barangays, to his personal distribution of relief packs to residents who were affected by “Kristine,” Alonte aims to show the same brand of governance his family and Mayor Dimaguila has shown: a governance that is willing to go above and beyond to reach out to the people who need it the most.
"Sa personal nating pakikipag-usap sa ating mga kababayan, sa pagpunta natin sa mga bara-barangay upang kumustahin sila - doon nila nakikita na inaabot natin sila. At yun namang mga tumutulong sa atin, lalo na noong panahon ng kalamidad na ang daming nag-donate sa ating tanggapan, nakikita rin nila na naihahatid natin ang tulong na ibinibigay nila sa ating mga naapektuhang kababayan."
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