THE PEOPLE’S MAYOR

Commonsense governance” is how Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro describes his leadership style. This may not sound good enough or even familiar to most, especially those who have been accustomed to the complicated yet ineffective style of other local leaders. Teodoro’s style, however, has proven effective in making Marikina a liveable city, maintaining its parochial vibe even as it embraces development. Among others, the City of Good Conduct stands out as a city where discipline and citizen
involvement play major parts in the success of local government programs.

STAYING GROUNDED
“You simply do what is required by common sense,” Teodoro states when asked to elaborate about his
leadership style.

“We’re grounded; we simply need to connect with people. We tend to consult experts in urban planning
and governance, but more importantly, we do genuine dialogue with the people. It is from them that we derive our programs; it is from their ideas and suggestions that we derive and establish our government policies.”

As for policies and programs, Teodoro knows fully well that these should not be static but rather dynamic. “They should be able to evolve with the needs and urgencies of the people,” he stresses. “Nakikinig lang kami sa mga tao. Ganon ang aming ginagawa. Ganon kasimple (We simply listen to the people. That’s how we do things. It’s that simple).”

With this, Teodoro underscores the need to keep in touch with the people: “Very clearly, there should be no cordon sanitaire (barrier). The connection should be there; it has to be personal.”

He reveals how, when he and other city officials are discussing a program, they don’t simply discuss such in the boardroom or in a conference area, or talk among themselves. He points to a “very simple exercise” that has become an integral part of their decision-making process. “We tend to go outside the city hall, talk to people in the streets, go to their .....