Leader Number One

To call Ilocos Sur’s chief executive the consummate leader would be an understatement. For 50 years now, this seasoned public servant has been quietly but efficiently serving his people. Meet Governor Jeremias “Jerry” C. Singson, the leader who has made his own mark in his beloved province.

START OF A LONG JOURNEY

Public service, no doubt, is part of Singson’s DNA. His father, Jose Sebastian Singson, served as vice mayor of the City of Vigan. His mother, Caridad Singson Crisologo, also came from a political family. “As early as my childhood, I witnessed how my parents dealt with so many people in our home. People flocked to our house each and every day to ask for assistance or seek advice from my parents,” Singson recalls “Then when my elder brothers entered politics also, it was also the same.” Singson’s elder brothers, Evaristo “Titong” Singson and Luis “Chavit” Singson, served in various positions in the province, including governor and mayor. At age 27, Singson had his first foray into politics. “My turn to run came. Barely a year after I got married, I ran for barangay captain in our barangay,” he recalls. “My mother asked me if I wanted to become a barangay captain. I said I will give it a tr y. And so I gave it a try. I only had basic knowledge of how to run a barangay then. But from my family, I knew that it entailed meeting people and solving their problems. As a barangay captain, I learned how to talk to people and empathize with them.” From being leader of Barangay Pagpandayan-Pagpartian in Vigan, Singson went on to become vice mayor of Vigan and a senior provincial board member of Ilocos Sur. With his exemplary performance, he was elected as vice governor in 2001. After another stint in the provincial board and three more terms as vice governor, he eventually became Ilocos Sur’s governor in 2022.

EVOLUTION OF A LEADER

Determined to make up for his lack of formal training as an elected official before becoming their barangay’s leader number one, Singson looked back at his experiences as a leader and organizer during his days as a student. His strong organization skills were evident even when he was still a high school student, when he organized a hunting team. “When I was in high school, I organized a hunting group, and then while in college, I organized a basketball team and a band,” he recalls. Singson’s time at the seminary also equipped him with the values necessary for a leader to succeed. “My parents sent me to the seminary for me to develop selfdiscipline,” he reveals. “The lessons I learned there, like setting aside time for various tasks such as studying, praying, eating, and fixing my belongings, stuck with me even after I left the institution.” The now-reelectionist governor points to his Manong Titong as the biggest influence in his formative years as a public servant. “When I was the barangay captain, I worked with my eldest brother Manong Titong, who was then the mayor of Vigan. So, we had a deeper relationship. Manong Chavit was then governor, and I did not have as many chances to directly work with him,” he recalls.

SERVICE BEYOND ILOCOS SUR

As Singson proved his capability as a local government leader, his fellow leaders from different parts of the country also took notice of him. This was most evident in his election into top posts in various leagues of local government officials. He was chosen as vice president for Luzon and eventually national executive vice president of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines between 1988 and 1992; and president of the Provincial Board Members’ League of Region 1 for 1995–1996. He also served as vice president for Luzon of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines from 2001–2004 and national president from 2007–2010.

Outside politics, Singson has also been active in various socio-civic organizations, serving as chairman of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and as president of both the Junior Chamber Incorporated and Rotary Club of the Philippines. Most notable among his positions, Singson rose to be leader number one of the Knights of Rizal (KOR). He was installed Knights of Rizal Supreme Commander for the Rizalian Year 2014–2016, leading the general membership worldwide. He was conferred the highest rank of Knight Grand Cross of Rizal.

As KOR’s highest leader, Singson led the legal action against the Torre de Manila, that desecrated the Rizal Monument in Rizal Park, Manila. He personally attended all six oral arguments in the Supreme Court—the longest in the history of the High Court.

ILOCOS SUR’S LEADER NUMBER ONE

In 2022, Singson assumed his new role as Ilocos Sur’s top elected official—leader number one—with renewed vigor and confidence. In his inaugural address, he underscored his province-wide development goal which was inspired by the Ubbog ti Biag (Spring of Life) Water Spring Development Projects which he launched as a provincial board member in 1995. Ubbog ti Biag provided water supply facilities to residents of the province, particularly those residing in upland communities. This time, however, his thrust as governor encompassed a wider field.

“I patterned our agenda from Ubbog ti Biag, thus the Springs of Sustainable Development. Number one, just economy; two, communal inclusivity; and three, smart regeneration,” he states. As a leader who values citizen participation, he also encouraged his constituents to directly tell him their concerns and actively participate in achieving their “most preferred futures— inclusive social welfare, complete agerange services from pre-natal to beyond elderly, and programs for marginalized sectors.”

The governor’s message was anchored on his call for unity within the province as embodied by his slogan One Vision, One Province, One Ilocos Sur. This slogan emphasizes unity—among all municipalities and cities of Ilocos Sur; all individuals in the province; and between the provincial government and national government— toward the continued development of Ilocos Sur.

As leader number one, Singson has continued to be the “father” of the province. This was evident in his State of the Heritage Province Address 2024 where he presented the provincial government’s achievements in his first 700 days in office.

One of the successful projects the governor mentioned is the provision of solar-powered irrigation with desalination systems to farmers across the province. The first of its kind in the Ilocos Region, the project addressed the farmers’ problem of insufficiency of water to irrigate their farmlands. The system’s desalination capacity enables farmers to make use of water sourced from the sea for irrigation and domestic purposes.

The governor also highlighted the distribution of motorized fishing boats to members of 60 fishermen’s associations from coastal communities. The new boats significantly increased the beneficiaries’ catch, as these helped them better navigate their fishing grounds. Children and mothers were also given attention through the provincial chief executive’s projects related to education and health. He distributed smart television units to schools so that schoolchildren could fully benefit from multimedia instruction. He also continued his support for the province’s daycare centers, making sure that all such facilities are well-equipped and childfriendly. With regard to health, he made sure that pregnant women were given proper prenatal care, even as he also continued advocating for better health for the elderly, PWDs, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

The governor’s achievements in the fields of agriculture, healthcare, and education did not come as a surprise to his constituents and those who are aware of his track record as a provincial leader. When he was still a barangay captain, he made sure that their barangay abided by an order from the national government for barangays to establish daycare centers. Even without a budget, he came up with a functioning daycare center and even helped other barangays have their own, too. For this, he earned the title Father of Daycare Centers. He also held regular medical missions with the help of private organizations and foundations. For this, he came to be known as the Father of Medical Missions. One of the first projects he undertook as provincial official was to provide upland communities access to spring water for their agricultural and home needs. For this, he came to be known as the Father of Water Spring Development.

With his singular desire to lead the province toward progress, Singson has succeeded in steering Ilocos Sur into becoming one of the country’s richest provinces. With total assets worth Php21.951 billion, it was the seventh wealthiest province in the country and the wealthiest in Northern Luzon in 2023.

IN FOCUS: TEN-POINT AGENDA

Singson’s vision for Ilocos Sur is embodied in his ONE ILocos Sur Ten-Point Agenda, which is meant to address various concerns in the province. This blueprint for holistic development consists of Local Economic Development; Tourism Blueprint; Agricultural Productivity; Participatory and Anticipatory; Inclusive Social Welfare; Education and Learning; Healthy, Safe, and Diverse Citizenry; Technological Innovations; Biodiversity and Environments; and Resiliency Amid Adversities.

The Ten-Point Agenda has received praise not only from local government leaders from different parts of the country, but even from foreign leaders. Just recently, Political Counsellor of the British Embassy Mr. Andrew Bowes heaped praise on the agenda, particularly with regard to resiliency. This thrust, the leader agreed, is an important component of the people’s strategy to easily cope with challenges.

Activities under the Resiliency Amid Adversities agendum are not limited to holding soup clinics and giving out aid when disasters strike. Over and above this, the provincial government also holds drills and information campaigns on how to deal with disasters; and closely coordinates with groups involved in disaster response, such as the League of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers of Ilocos Sur. Provincial leaders also regularly inspect hazards that may bring harm to residents, and take the necessary action regarding such.

The province’s capacity to deal with disasters is also continuously being upgraded. Last year, for instance, Singson signed a memorandum of agreement with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to strengthen the provincial government’s response operations during disasters and emergency situations. Part of the agreement was the OCD’s provision of an inflatable boat and two portable generator sets, which the governor described as equipment necessary for the safety of residents during calamities.

Under the Participatory and Anticipatory agendum, the provincial government conducts various activities meant to improve the capacity of local leaders. In November 2024, for instance, employees of the Ilocos Sur Provincial Jail underwent a 15-day training program for government security force officers. Participants were given training to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and ethical standards necessary to ensure the utmost levels of security and public safety.

A number of projects have also been undertaken under the prioritized Local Economic Development thrust. Still in November 2024, the provincial government staged the ONE (Oportunidad, Negosyo, at Empleyo) Kabuhayan through Bigasan Project. A total of 35 beneficiaries composed of persons with disability, family members of persons deprived of liberty, solo parents, senior citizens, and displaced overseas Filipino workers were given sacks of rice and equipment for them to start their own bigasan (rice retail store).

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

Under Singson’s leadership, Ilocos Sur has proven its ability to excel in different areas. One of the most recent recognitions the province received is being named a national awardee of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Seal of Good Local Governance, the seventh time in the last eight years. With the award, the provincial government was able to live up to expectations of continued provision of quality public service across several areas, guided by the principles of integrity and commitment to reforms toward true local autonomy and development.

Receiving the award, the governor deflected credit for the distinction. “I express my gratitude to all our provincial government workforce, all our partners in governance, and the people of Ilocos Sur—our very reason why we are trying our best to improve our services. This is for ONE Ilocos Sur,” he underscored. Another recognition was being named as first placer in the DILG–Region 1’s SubayBAYANI Awards 2024 Provincial LGU Category. With this, the province received the LGU Exemplar award in recognition of the provincial government’s commitment to promoting excellence in monitoring and implementing government infrastructure projects. Described as the DILG’s flagship recognition program for infrastructure governance initiatives, SubayBAYANI underscores the vital role of LGUs in advocating for community empowerment and transformational leadership marked by transparency, accountability, and effective delivery of services.

Meanwhile, Vigan City emerged as third placer in the City LGU Category, even as 10 municipal LGUs were also cited for their notable performance, namely Cervantes, Nagbukel, Santa Lucia, Galimuyod, San Ildefonso, Santiago, Santa Cruz, Cabugao, San Emilio, and Sinait.

Moreover, the provincial government of Ilocos Sur has been a Gawad Kalasag Beyond Compliant Awardee for the past two years. The award is given annually by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to LGUs with excellent contributions to disaster risk reduction and management and humanitarian assistance. Being Beyond Compliant means that the LGU has exceeded basic criteria and is implementing innovations.

With his commitment to service to his provincemates, Singson has also received numerous awards. One of the most recent is the Bigueño of the Year award given in 2024 by the city government of Vigan. The award is given to sons and daughters of Vigan who have excelled in their chosen field and rendered exceptional service to the city and beyond. Singson was cited for his thenalmost 50 years of uninterrupted public service to the province.

Prior to the above, Singson had received a number of awards for exemplary humanitarian and public service as well as outstanding contributions in various fields of endeavour. Among these are the President Elpidio Quirino Leadership and Humanitarian Award from the President Elpidio Quirino Asembly; Father Jose Burgos Award for Humanitarian and Public Service from the provincial government of Ilocos Sur; and Rizal Pro Patria Award from the KOR.

Even with various awards and commendations to his name, Singson refuses to slow down and take things easy. Driven by the people’s continued trust and confidence in him, Ilocos Sur’s leader number one is determined to guide to province to even greater heights.