Last January 10, Biñan City, Laguna Vice Mayor Gel Alonte decided to spend a meaningful 49th birthday with the one sector that has become endeared to him: the youth.
Alonte’s first stop on his birthday bash was at the Biñan City Senior High School West Campus in Barangay Langkiwa, where his office spearheaded a leadership training and career orientation seminar for senior high school students.
Aside from this, the vice mayor’s office also distributed free flu vaccines for students and faculty.
Alonte later spent the afternoon with children at the Barangay Canlalay Day Care Center.
There, 244 day care students were treated to a gift-giving and storytelling activity courtesy of his Munting AnGEL Foundation, along with Councilor Jonalina “Dada” Reyes, Miss Biñan 2024 Julianna Marie Quiambao, Miss Biñan 2024, and Mister Biñan 2024 Leanz Marron Cunanan.
There, 244 day care students were treated to a gift-giving and storytelling activity courtesy of his Munting AnGEL Foundation, along with Councilor Jonalina “Dada” Reyes, Miss Biñan 2024 Julianna Marie Quiambao, Miss Biñan 2024, and Mister Biñan 2024 Leanz Marron Cunanan.
Sharing simple joys
In an interview with OpinYon Laguna, Alonte said his main goal of being with Biñanense children during his birthday was to share with them the simple joys of life.
His own childhood experiences, he added, enabled him to empathize with the city's youth, especially those belonging to indigent families.
"Alam naman ng ating mga kababayan, lalo na ng mga nakalakihan ko, na isa akong 'batang gala,' na laging nasa labas, dahil nga sa hilig ko sa basketball. At lagi kong naoobserbahan yung mga batang galing sa mga mahihirap na pamilya, walang maayos na suot, walang maayos na makain. So pumasok sa isip ko: Ano kaya ang pwede kong maitulong, kahit na sa simpleng paraan, para sa kanila?” he related.
When Alonte was elected as city councilor in 2013, he found an opportunity to fulfill his goal of reaching out to Biñanense children, particularly during his birthday celebrations – a tradition that he started in 2015.
“Hindi kasi ako mahilig sa malalaking social events, and alam naman ng ating mga kababayan na simple lang talaga ako kung manamit, kung makipag-usap sa ating mga kababayan. So ito po ang naisip kong paraan para maging mas meaningful ang pagdiriwang ng aking kaarawan,” he said.
‘Nakakataba ng puso’
It was these moments of sharing his blessings with the city’s youth that gives Alonte even more impetus to continue serving his constituents, the vice mayor added.
Not only was he able to make his special day more meaningful---to himself but also for those who were able to share with him---but also, he finds joy in finding happiness he sees in the eyes of the children with whom he spends his birthday celebrations. Indeed, he is on the right track.
Alonte also shared his belief that the more one gives, the more blessings he gets, which in turn enables him to give more.
“Naniniwala po ako na kapag may maganda kang ginagawa, mas maraming ibibigay na blessings ang Diyos sa iyo, dahil alam Niya na hindi mo ipinagdadamot ang iyong blessings,” was how he put it.
Future plans
Meanwhile, Alonte shared his long-term vision (a distinctive characteristic of the city’s current leaders, by the way) to further improve the living conditions of the city’s youth.
While the current administration under Mayor Arman Dimaguila has made education one of its top priorities, having invested heavily on upgrading and constructing additional school facilities in Biñan City, Alonte believes that such improvements should go all the way to include the city’s day care centers.
“Naniniwala po ako na ang ating mga day care center ay maituturing na ring mga ‘pangalawang tahanan’ ng mga batang Biñanense. So naisip ko na dapat mas gawing ‘at home’ yung mga bata sa mga day care center para mas ma-motivate sila na matuto,” he explained.
Another project Alonte has in his line-up is the realization of the Biñan City College, a move that will not only complement the major investments of the city government to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ (PUP) local campus but also enable the LGU to give more opportunities for Biñanense students to pursue their studies.
"Iba pa rin po kasi na may sarili tayong college, kahit na sabihin po na mayroon na po tayong PUP rito, saka yung mga private colleges and universities dito sa ating lungsod," he explained. "Also, nais rin nating matulungan talaga yung mga estudyante na walang-wala, pero nais talagang matuto at mag-aral – alam rin naman kasi natin na may standards at limitations rin ang mga scholarship na ibinibigay ng ating pamahalaang lungsod.”
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