This year, the official theme of the three-day celebration of the “Araw ng Biñan” in Biñan City, Laguna, from February 2 to 4, is "Tagumpay at Kagitingan: Isang Biñan 1580."
And a triumph it was for the city government, led by its “Big Three” leaders – Mayor Arman Dimaguila, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, and Representative Len Alonte.
For it was during the three-day festivities for the Araw ng Biñan that the three leaders finally unveiled its lasting legacy: a complete lineup of major infrastructure projects that will ensure a better quality of living for all Biñanenses in years to come.
Legacy of culture
The first highlight of the celebration of the Araw ng Biñan is the inauguration of the new Sentrong Patanghal na Sining ng Biñan on February 2.
National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab joined city officials led by BJ Borja of the Biñan City Culture, History, Arts and Tourism Office (BCHATO) in inaugurating the new theater, located next to the Sentrong Pangkultura ng Biñan.
According to Borja, the new Sentro ng Patanghal na Sining will not only host young Biñanenses who wanted to explore their talents but also help in the continuing efforts to preserve and develop the city’s rich culture and heritage.
"Art and culture are not mere luxuries; they are the foundation of our collective identity. It is through the arts that we tell our stories – mga kwento ng tagumpay, kagitingan at pagiging isang Biñan," was how the BCHATO head summed up the core idea of the city's "culture-based development" in his speech.
These sentiments were also echoed by Cayabyab, who stressed that preserving one's culture and history is key to preserving a town or city's identity - a principle the city of Biñan has followed faithfully in past years.
“Napakahalaga po ng pagtitingin at pagtitingala sa isang kultura, sa history, dahil kung wala pong history, wala pong importansya ang inyong lugar,” the National Artist emphasized.
Legacy of good governance
It could also be said that a “culture of good governance” is also what made Biñan City the socio-economic powerhouse it is today.
And it is with this mindset that Vice Mayor Gel Alonte led the inauguration of the new Biñan Legislative Building inside the City Hall Complex on February 3, during the celebration of the city’s Liberation Day.
The project, which was made possible through the support of Representative Len Alonte, had been included in the city’s Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA) for 2019, but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Nasisiguro ko po na mas sisipagan at mas gaganahan pa po ang ating mga konsehal na makagawa ng mga batas at ordinansa para sa ating lungsod," the vice mayor said in his speech. "Hinihiling ko lang po sa mga magmamana nito, hindi lamang ang pangalagaan ang gusaling ito, kundi pati magpatupad ng mga ordinansa at resolusyon na makabuluhan at mas mapapakinabangan pa ng ating mga kababayan."
A legacy of compassion
For Representative Len Alonte, on the other hand, good governance also meant compassion towards the “dregs” of society – those people who have run afoul of the law but are willing to reshape their lives and get back on their feet.
It was this legacy of compassion that marked the inauguration of the new Biñan City Jail in Barangay Dela Paz on February 5.
The new four-storey facility, which will not only house the city’s persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) but also provide them with opportunities for their rehabilitation, is also in line with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) strategy to help PDLs be reintegrated into society upon the completion of their sentences.
Representative Alonte herself said that the new Biñan City Jail, for her, can be counted as one of her "most enduring" legacies in her years as a public servant.
"Naniniwala po ako na lahat po tayo, kahit na ang ating mga PDL, ay may karapatang mamuhay nang may dignidad at hindi dapat pagdamutan ng pag-asa habang nabubuhay," she explained. "Ang gusaling ito ay magiging tahanan ng mga tao na sa hinaharap ay muling magiging kabahagi ng isang magandang lipunan."
Legacy of health
Speaking of compassion, no better expression of compassion can a city government give than providing quality healthcare for its citizens.
This, in turn, is the main drive behind the inauguration not only of the new Biñan City Hospital in Barangay Canlalay but also of the Biñan Super Health Center II in Barangay Langkiwa.
Aside from the construction of the new hospital itself, Dimaguila bared during a press conference on February 2 that the LGU will allot up to P1 billion to run the facility, with assistance from the national government.
"Mula sa 50 beds na current capacity ng Ospital ng Biñan, ngayon, 200 beds na po ang capacity ng bago nating Biñan City Hospital. Tapos mayroon na po itong ICU [intensive care unit], mayroon na po itong CT scan equipment, MRI, at iba pa pong mga specialized facilities," Dimaguila shared during the press conference.
Legacy for the future
But the biggest chunk of the major infrastructure projects unveiled and kickstarted during the three-day Araw ng Biñan highlights the biggest legacy of the “Big Three:” securing a brighter future for its future generations.
A long list of new schoolbuildings – from the elementary to the tertiary level – not only alleviates the pressing need for additional classrooms but, as city officials put it, sets the standards on how education should be the highest priority of local government units in the Philippines.
As Councilor Jonalina “Dada” Reyes herself put it during the February 2 press conference, what the city government wants is to ensure that all Biñanense children will have the right to improve their lives through education.
“Gusto po natin na mas maparami pa ang opportunity na makapag-aral ang mga kabataang Biñanense, makapagtapos ng pag-aaral, upang sa hinaharap ay hindi lamang po nila maitataguyod ang kanilang pamilya kundi mahuhubog rin po nila ang ating lungsod,” Reyes emphasized.
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