< Back THE SHOW GOES ON BY LAKAMBINI BAUTISTA PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROMEO PERALTA JR. His dedication and love for the arts continues to shine through as he leads the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Art is indeed like love,” National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) President Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso waxes poetic, talking about the role of art in society. “Parang musika at balagtasan, kailangan marinig mo. Parang visual arts, kailangan makita mo. ‘Pag hindi mo naramdaman ang art, hindi ka pwedeng baguhin or bigyan ng pagbabago (Like music and a verbal joust, which you have to hear. Like the visual arts, which you have to see. If you couldn’t feel art, it couldn’t change you or bring about change in the things around you].” Lizaso, who also chairs the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), says art is not something that’s only taught verbally. “Kapag nakikita mo kasi ang sining, namumuo sa iyong kalooban ang kahulugan. Ang kahulugan ay uusbong, lalago at magiging pag-ibig (Because if you see art, its meaning will grow and flourish inside you, turning into love),” he tells LEAGUE. After working in theater, film, and television for over 60 years, the man’s fervor and passion for the arts has not diminished. He has been an actor, director, writer, producer, and cultural advocate. Now in his golden years, he continues to play a crucial role in the preservation, development, and promotion of arts and culture in the Philippines through the programs of NCCA and CCP. BRINGING ART TO THE PEOPLE Sining Sigla, CCP’s outreach program, is exactly what the name suggests, says Lizaso. Its goal is “to make the arts come alive, bring these outside the walls of the CCP and closer to the people.” The program started prior to the pandemic, as an effort of the CCP to bring the productions to different provinces all over the country. But when the pandemic restrictions were implemented, bringing live performances to a halt and closing down entertainment venues, CCP needed to pivot. It shifted gears and went on to digital platforms, it’s battlecry summed up in the line: “Sarado ang gusali, tuloy ang sining (The venue may be closed, but art goes on).” One of CCP’s online programs included a jazz festival aptly dubbed “Jazz Stay at Home,” featuring Filipino jazz talents. A series of puppet shows directed by Xian Lim also showcased an adaptation of literary classics Ibong Adarna and Florante at Laura. A special retrospective on the works of renowned Filipino poet Jose Corazon de Jesus, more fondly known as Huseng Batute, was also showcased in an online production Titled “Awit at Tula: Pagbabalik-Tanaw sa Unang Hari ng Balagtasan.” A brainchild of the CCP president, the show featured performances from some of the most respected artists in the industry such as film and TV actors John Arcilla, Michael V., and Epy Quizon. A Percussion Festival titled “Pintig” also took the virtual stage, gathering over 30 percussionists and drummers. Performances, talks, and workshops were conducted by CCP in partnership with the Percussive Arts Society Philippines. Meanwhile, bridging the generation gap through music was an online musical show titled “Kung Hindi Man.” The show had stars such as SB19, KZ Tandingan, Catriona Gray, Mark Bautista, Cesar Montano, and Orange & Lemons giving their interpretations of the songs under the genre. Some of the classics performed included “Nahan,” “Saan Ka Man Naroroon,” “Magbalik Ka Na, Mahal,” “Mutya ng Pasig,” “Bituing Marikit,” and “Panaginip.” MOVING FORWARD To ignite and instill in Filipinos an appreciation for and love of arts and culture, Lizaso through the NCCA produced a digital program called “Padayon: The NCCA Hour.” Padayon is a Visayan word which means “to move on or to continue doing something.” The show is composed of three main segments. Sining Aral discusses educational topics such as Epikong Bayan, Philippine history, Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, and Philippine languages, among others. Sining Saya features personalities from different fields, recorded dance performances, and cultural presentations. Samo’t Sining gives an update about the current projects and activities of the NCCA. The third main segment has four special segments namely Bukang Isip, a one-minute capsule interview of various personalities from the cultural sector; Laro Tayo, where hosts give out a question related to the day’s topic to be answered by online viewers/ audience; Sining Inspirasyon, which highlights inspiring stories of artists during the lockdown; and Sining Galaw, which features a compilation of performances, and artworks, among others. The show, which had its pilot episode in July 2020, airs every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; while Padayon Presents is every Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. over NCCA’s Facebook page. Select episodes are also being aired over PTV4. “NCCA would love to see more, if possible, all episodes of Padayon to be aired on national television,” he says. REOPENING OF THE MET One of the biggest milestones that happened under the leadership of Lizaso was the reopening of the Metropolitan Theater (Met). It has been 90 years since the theater, also referred to as the Grand Dame of Manila, was inaugurated on December 10, 1931. The man behind its art deco design was Filipino architect Juan Arellano, also known for works such as the Legislative Building (now the National Museum of Fine Arts) in Luneta, the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol, and the pre-war Jones Bridge. The theater was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1973 and a National Cultural Treasure in 2010. The Met survived World War II, but it was badly destroyed by the bombings. There were efforts to restore it in the late 70s, but it closed in the mid-90s due to conflicting claims of ownership between the City of Manila and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). The structure deteriorated due to years of unuse. Former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo and former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim likewise made an attempt to restore the theater in 2010, but this failed. The years that followed saw several smaller projects to maintain it. It was only in 2015 when the ownership issue was finally resolved and the NCCA finally bought the building from GSIS. A budget of Php525 million was allotted for the theater’s restoration through the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA). The goal was to restore and conserve existing elements according to the original design of Arellano. Actual construction began in February 2017. However, the discovery of original Arellano-period features in the Main Theater and in the courtyards made it necessary to revise the initial design. Work resumed in 2019 and work on the Main Theater Block was completed by March 2020. The second and third phases of the restoration, which included the building’s exterior and the Grand Ballroom, were finished during the latter part of 2020 until 2021. This was in time for the restaging of the “Lapulapu: Ang Datu ng Mactan” musical last October 2021. The theater’s official reopening was held last December 10, 2021, commemorated with a virtual and physical program graced by esteemed Filipino artists like pianist Raul Sunico, the Ryan Cayabyan singers, and the Manila Symphony Orchestra. “This is our cultural link to the glorious past,” says Lizaso of the Met. “And it should open the door to our people’s thriving cultural future.” BRIDGING CULTURES The indefatigable purveyor of art and culture says there’s more work to be done. The gameplan, Lizaso says, is to continue what has been started. He tells us about Sentro Rizal, which aims to promote Philippine arts, culture, and language around the world through the establishment of Philippine centers in various countries. He shares about the inauguration of the newly-constructed Culture and Arts Center building of Lipa City. In the March 18 event, the world-renowned Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) and some of the most respected artists in the country today, staged a night of musical spectacle. This was part of the PPO Outreach Program, one of the flagship programs spearheaded by Lizaso. Lizaso also takes pride in the inauguration of the Sentro Rizal in New York this year. “We have 35 Sentro Rizal centers all over the world, including Washington D.C., Los Angeles, London, and Berlin. But we don’t have one in Paris yet, so I’m now in talks with the French ambassador,” he says. As pandemic restrictions are slowly being lifted, Lizaso says there are prospects for Filipino talents performing in different venues around the country and internationally in different parts of the world. He’s thrilled as to what awaits the Philippine art and culture scene in the coming months and years. “I am deeply grateful to the supporters and enthusiasts of the Philippine culture and arts, in the country and all over the world,” he says. “Because culture is what defines, identifies, and unites us as Filipinos. It bridges the regions of the Philippines. You might say, even [countries] across the world. Only art can do that.”

< Back DISCOVER THE BEAUTY OF YOUR NEXT GETAWAY BY TREISHA C. ROVERO NESTLED IN THE SOUTHWESTERN PART OF CAVITE, THE TOWN OF MAGALLANES OFFERS SOME ATTRACTIONS WORTH EXPLORING. Ready for your next adventure? Let’s start planning today so you could soon create more memories with your family and friends. We give you a list of places you can visit in Magallanes, Cavite! UTOD RIVER AND FALLS Forget about the hustle and bustle of the metro as you journey to Utod River and Falls in Barangay Tua. While public transportation is available, having a private vehicle at your disposal ensures you enjoy the journey at your own pace and comfort. Upon arrival, a brief ten-minute trek leads you through a picturesque trail adorned with a comforting concrete staircase, perfect for all ages. Your efforts are rewarded as the serene riverfront unveils itself, and you are embraced by a welcoming local community ready to assist you with your needs. Relax on benches immersed in the water of Utod River while catching up with your favorite people. With free parking, entrance, and public amenities, staying overnight becomes an enticing option, inviting you to linger a little bit more. BUHAY FOREST For those captivated by Instagram-worthy landscapes, Buhay Forest welcomes you with its lush greenery and beginner trails. As one of Magallanes’ newest ecotourism spots, this forest offers more than just a hike—it’s a journey into the lively ecosystem of the town. Feel the cool breeze kiss your skin as you ascend to breathtaking viewpoints, each offering a spectacular view. Whether you choose to camp under the stars or simply wander the trails, Buhay Forest promises an escape into serenity, away from the ordinary. BALAI TIKME Taste the local flavor of Magallanes at Balai Tikme, a pasalubong center bursting with local pride and flavors. Named after the Tagalog word “tikman” (to taste), this hub showcases a rich array of culinary treasures sourced directly from Magallanes’ local farmers. From bignay juice to their famous kakanin called Tilibok, you will surely enjoy your visit here. As an enterprise that not only offers delectable food items but also supports local initiatives to reduce food waste and supports local farmers, you get value for every peso you spend at Balai Tikme.

BACK HATE is a Virus Anti-Asian hate crimes are on the rise in the United States of America BY HELEN HERNANE America —despite labelling itself as a land of the free and a cultural melting pot—has a racism problem. This is clearly evident during this pandemic as two movements emerge following the death of George Floyd and a string of Anti-Asian hate crimes—Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Stop Asian Hate. CRISIS-DRIVEN HATE Recently, a 1956 video of a high school exchange student’s debate on prejudice circulated on social media. The forum discussion started with a simple question: What is prejudice? “When a person loses track of the dignity of the human soul and begins to judge others not on the basis of their being persons, but on the basis of race, creed, economic status—that is prejudice,” said the Philippine representative Raul Contreras. More than 60 years after the debate, hate crimes are still prevalent, especially in the United States. According to the 2019 Hate Crime Statistics released by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 7,314 hate crimes were recorded in 2019—the highest recorded figure in more than a decade, nearing the 7,783 recorded in 2008. According to civil rights groups, former US President Barack Obama’s election in November of 2008 provoked a rise in hate crimes. This was compared to the rise of anti-Islamic hate crimes following the 9/11 terrorist attacks coordinated by al-Qaeda, which targeted the United States on the morning of September 11, 2001. Four passenger airplanes bound for California were hijacked by 19 terrorists. Two of which crashed into the north and south towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan—within two hours, both towers collapsed. The third airplane crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia, while the final airplane crashed into a field in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania. The final plane was headed for Washington, D.C., but the plan was foiled after the plane crew and passengers attempted to regain control. In total, the attacks resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths and over 25,000 injuries. In the eight to nine weeks following 9/11, increased attacks directed against Muslims or “those perceived to be Muslim” were reported. These were revealed in some studies such as “The Impact of the Terrorist Attacks of 9/11 on Anti Islamic Hate Crime” by Bryan Byers and James Jones and “Islamophobia in America?: September 11 and Islamophobic Hate Crime” by Jeffrey Kaplan. Kaplan’s study, in particular, which compared the post 9/11 hate crime spike to past incidents (treatment towards Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Red Scare of the ‘50s) seemed to affirm a trend—spikes in hate crimes often follow major crises whose alleged or perceived perpetrators belong to minority groups. In 1941, around 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry lived in the United States at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. Two-thirds of this demographic group are full American citizens, born and raised in the US. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, there was a rise in anti-Japanese fear, suspicion, and overall negative sentiment that led to the signing of Executive Order 9066 by then President Franklin Roosevelt. EO 9066 forced all Japanese Americans into internment camps, leaving behind their homes and properties. “National security” was cited as a justification for this controversial policy. Acute consequences of this policy include a total of US$400-million in property loss for camp residents. In 1948, the US Congress provided US$38 million in reparations. But until today, Japanese Americans still feel emotional repercussions especially every December 7—the day of the attack. While crises often motivate huge numbers of prejudice-driven crimes, another major factor is political influence. Former US President Donald Trump began his 2016 presidential campaign in June 2015. Between 2015 and 2016, Islamophobia and hate crimes targeting Muslims spiked according to a Pew Research Center study. The figure even surpassed post-September 11 records in 2001. Anti-Muslim hate crimes increased by 67% from 2014 (154 incidents) to 2015 (257 incidents). The following year, there were 307 reported incidents, an increase of 19%. Trump falsely alleged during his campaign rally in November 2015 that, as he watched the World Trade Center collapse in New Jersey, he saw thousands of people cheering. The following day, This Week host George Stephanopoulos asked if Trump misspoke during the rally, saying that while the rumors have circulated the internet, the police report that no such thing happened. “There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down,” Trump insisted. When Trump became President, one of his first acts was signing Executive Order 13769 or the “Muslim Ban.” EO 13769 was entitled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.” The 90-day visa ban targeted people coming from seven countries—Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Following the directive, experts claim that “the order’s unintended consequences will make the threat worse.” Terrorist attacks in the US following 9/11 were not carried out by anyone who emigrated from or whose parents emigrated from the seven target countries. ASIAN LIVES MATTER The COVID-19 pandemic once again pulls into focus the United States’ deep-seated racism issue. Data gathered by California State University’s Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, which was shared in a Voice of America (VOA) news article, shows an almost 150% increase in antiAsian American hate crimes in 2020. Data reported was pooled from 16 of America’s most populous cities. Much like the growing Islamophobia following the beginning of Trump’s presidential campaign in 2015, many Asian American rights advocates believe the spike in racially-charged attacks targeting Asians are largely due to Trump’s rhetoric. The former US President has, in numerous instances, blamed China for the pandemic, saying that the virus could have been stopped at the source, in Wuhan, China, where the COVID-19 virus was first reported as a small outbreak. On many occasions, Trump also called the disease the “kung flu” and the “China virus,” adding fuel to an already volatile flame. “I think the political leadership under Trump really put a target on the backs of people perceived to be Chinese,” said Chris Kwok, an Asian American Bar Association of New York board member. “It’s Sinophobia.” Trump left the White House on January 20, 2021, following Joseph Biden’s win in the recent elections to be the 46th President of the United States. On March 17, 2021, White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki said in a press briefing that there is “no question” that the Trump administration’s “damaging rhetoric” has contributed to “inaccurate and unfair perceptions” about the Asian American community, thus escalating threats against the community. But Chinese Americans are not the only ones affected by attacks and racist sentiments. Stop AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Hate, a reporting center dedicated to tracking and responding to hate incidents directed towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, revealed that out of the attacks that occurred between March to December 2020, 7% of the victims were Filipinos. Almost half or 41% are Chinese, 15% are Koreans, Vietnamese account for 8%, while the remaining 29% are other ethnicities. One of the most recent Filipino victims of a hate crime was a 65-year-old Filipino immigrant in New York. Vilma Kari was on her way to church in Manhattan when a man kicked her in the stomach, unprovoked. She fell and he repeatedly kicked her in the head, yelling obscenities. He was also reported to say, “You don’t belong here.” The violent scene happened in broad daylight, yet no one tried to stop the attacker. Three men were watching from the lobby of a nearby apartment building. But instead of helping, the security guard closed the front door. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. tweeted his response to the incident, saying the incident “will influence Philippine foreign policy.” In a separate tweet, Locsin reacted to the video of the hate crime, “That’s not heartbreaking, that’s enraging. And what goes around and kicks a lot will come around and get kicked back a lot.” In a radio interview, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said that the government is “very concerned” about the rise in anti-Asian hate attacks. “I sent a note verbale to the [US] State Department and I wrote letters to some senators. I wrote to them calling their attention. Medyo matindi na ‘yung mga ginagawa dito sa mga Asian Americans dito sa America (the attacks on Asian Americans in America is quite disturbing),” he said. “We told them that Asian Americans may be attacked because the former government used to refer to COVID-19 as the ‘China virus’,” Romualdez said, referring to Trump. Prior to this incident, the Philippine Embassy in Washington urged Filipinos to “use extreme caution in view of these incidents.” Should they experience attacks, they are advised to immediately call 911 and report the crime. The Embassy further called on US authorities to act to further ensure the protection of Asians, including Filipinos. Early in February, a 61-year-old Filipino man was also attacked in New York. Noel Quintana was slashed in the face with a box cutter by a fellow subway passenger. He was on his way to work, when during the commute, the suspect repeatedly kicked his backpack. Quintana asked the man to stop and that was when the assault occurred. Apart from the Foreign Secretary and Ambassador Romualdez, Sen. Manuel Pacquiao also released a statement early April via social media. The boxer-cum-politician issued a challenge to the attackers—“#Stop Asian Hate Stop attacking Asians who can’t defend themselves! Fight me instead.” The photo, which was posted in multiple languages, featured the victims of anti-Asian hate crimes in the background. Pacquiao’s post was captioned—“We have one color in our Blood! Stop discriminating. LOVE AND PEACE TO EVERYONE!! #StopAsianHate” Reacting to Pacquiao’s challenge, Sen. Win Gatchalian tweeted that “‘Yan ang dapat panglaban natin sa mga Asian haters sa Amerika. Mga demonyo na ‘yon, mga racist sa Amerika (That’s who we should choose to fight Asian haters in America. Those racists in America are demons).” In a tweet, Senator Risa Hontiveros also expressed her concern for the Filipino Americans who are experiencing racial discrimination. “My heart goes out to {Asian Americans, especially Filipino Americans] who experience this horrific level of cruelty,” Hontiveros said. “Ang sakit sa puso. Sa mga kababayan natin sa Amerika, ingat kayo at mag-reach out kung kailangan niyo ng anumang tulong mula sa amin. (This is heart-wrenching. To our fellow Filipinos in America, stay safe and reach out to us if you need any kind of help.)” WHAT DO WE DO NOW? This is the biggest question. Is the final solution, to hide and be constantly wary of everyone? What else can Asian Americans do? Following the 9/11 attacks, a city-by-city analysis using the data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program reported that anti-Muslim hate crime was virtually non-existent in New York City and Washington D.C. “It is suggested that public calls for calm and tolerance and in-group/out-group dynamics may have impacted anti Islamic hate crime frequency, thus accounting for rises and reductions in this form of bias crime over time,” Byers and Jones’ study says. The height of the anti-Muslim hate crimes following 9/11 lasted for nine weeks. Afterwards, the number fell drastically. Much like the study of Byers and Jones, Kaplan explains that the abrupt end to the hate crimes were due to the following factors: “Leadership (effective intervention by the US President), decisive law enforcement intervention (federal and local), grassroots outreach to Muslims (religious, educational, and civic groups), and lastly, moral ambiguity in the rapid dissolution of American consensus over the War on Terror following the invasion of Iraq.” There is a lot that people can do to deter the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes. Celebrities are being vocal and people are taking to the streets to protest and condemn the violence. As mentioned, the voice of the nation’s leader can tremendously affect the people’s views. And on March 30, 2021, Biden released a statement that the US government promises additional actions to respond to the anti-Asian violence, xenophobia, and bias. “Too many Asian Americans have been walking up and down the streets and worrying, waking up each morning the past year feeling that their safety and the safety of their loved ones are at stake. They’ve been attacked, blamed, scapegoated, and harassed. They’ve been verbally assaulted, physically assaulted, killed,” Biden lamented. “We’re hearing all across the country that hate and violence often hide in plain sight. And it’s often met with silence. That’s been true throughout history, but that has to change—because our silence is complicity. We cannot be complicit. We have to speak out. We have to act.” If you or your Asian relatives in the United States experience a hate crime, report the incident to respective local and federal law enforcement agencies. You may also report hate incidents online at stopaapihate.org.

< Back The New Generation of Leaders THE 2030 PROJECT The next generation who’s changing and shaping the future Youth Leaders from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao gathered for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.The 2030 Project is a non-profit, youth-led, and volunteer-based sustainable goals initiative in the Philippines, driven by youth leaders from all over the country. It aims to create a network of young leaders and organizations to further advocacies and projects aligned with the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda. Its mission is to train the underserved and unserved Filipino youth by encouraging the creation of sustainable solutions in their own communities. Recently, during the Global Goals month, hundreds of youth leaders from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao gathered for the Leaders Unite event, which was organized by The 2030 Project. The Leaders Unit Summit featured 17 exceptional leaders from each major island of the Philippines, who are known as the SDG Youth Champions. They aim to create an impact in their communities through their advocacies, which are aligned with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. Aside from recognizing the 2018 SDG Youth Champions, the leaders also shared their experience through a series of panel discussions focused on ending poverty, tackling climate change, and fighting inequalities. At the event, Leaders Unite 2018 and the 2018 SDG Youth Champions were also recognized by major government agencies, including the Office of the President and Office of the Vice President. “I am delighted that The 2030 Project has spearheaded this event to create more awareness among our youth about the UN SDGs and to build a stronger network of youth leaders who will champion the interest of their communities. May this gathering further inspire the participants to become a pillar of support in our region and to pursue their respective advocacies in their localities. To this year’s SDG Youth Champions, I trust that you will continue to be agents of hope as you carry out endeavors that will redound to the benefit of our nation,” shared President Rodrigo Roa Dueterte. “To the 2018 Sustainable Development Goals Youth Champions, congratulations! This event is a testament to your devotion in creating transformative change in your communities, sacrificing time and effort to stay to your advocacies. I am confident that you will further this culture of excellence as you continue to serve the country,” added Vice President Leni Robredo. The 2030 Project is a great example of a youth organization that can pull off such a huge event with only collaboration and volunteerism. With regard to the next steps of the organization, Miguel Lopez, founder and president of The 2030 Project, shared: “The third successful installment of Leaders Unite shows that the youth today is committed to creating programs that have greater social value. This is just the beginning as we have programs dedicated to scale up the leadership capacity of the recently elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). Through this program, we can ensure that the new generation of SK will be focused on ensuring transformative changes in their barangays.” The 2030 Project’s #OurGoals is a nationwide capacity training program, in partnership with local government units, which aim to train Filipino youth leaders, helping them to craft and execute sustainable programs for their communities. For more information, visit The 2030 Project on Facebook: @The2030Project. Click here to read full article for free

< Back "FILIPINOS WORLDWIDE MOURN FOR THE PASSING OF POPE FRANCIS" BY ATTY. PAULA ZAYCO ABERASTURI THE PASSING OF POPE FRANCIS ON APRIL 21, 2025, WAS MET WITH A DEEP SENSE OF GRIEF ACROSS THE GLOBE. AMONG THE MANY COMMUNITIES PROFOUNDLY AFFECTED WAS THE FILIPINO NATION, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD. For Filipinos, Pope Francis was more than a pontiff, he was a spiritual father, an advocate for the poor, and a symbol of mercy and humility. His connection with the Philippines was unique and heartfelt, leaving a spiritual imprint that will long endure. A NATION IN MOURNING In the Philippines, the government quickly declared a period of national mourning, lasting until Pope Francis’ burial on April 26. Philippine flags were flown at half-mast across public buildings, while cathedrals and parishes organized special requiem Masses to honor the late pontiff. In Manila, Cardinal Jose Advincula led hundreds of faithful in prayer at the Manila Cathedral, where he referred to Pope Francis as “a true father to us,” echoing the collective grief felt by millions. The outpouring of condolences extended far beyond religious circles. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the tributes, calling Pope Francis a “beacon of hope and compassion.” Vice President Sara Duterte, labor groups, and even the Bangsamoro regional parliament expressed their sorrow and respect. The breadth of these tributes underscored the Pope’s ability to unite people across ideologies, faiths, and geographical regions. Pope Francis’s 2015 visit to the Philippines, where he met with survivors of Typhoon Haiyan and addressed issues of corruption and poverty, solidified his deep bond with Filipinos. His message of solidarity with the poor and his calls for compassion and justice resonated strongly in a country grappling with inequality. A STRONG FILIPINO PRESENCE IN THE VATICAN Filipino representation was significant during the funeral ceremonies held at St. Peter’s Square. President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos attended the funeral, joining other global dignitaries in mourning the pontiff. It was a solemn but powerful display of the Philippines’ close ties to the Holy See. Cardinal Advincula, the Archbishop of Manila, participated in the subsequent papal conclave. Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, the Bishop of Kalookan and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, was likewise present at the funeral rites. Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, the Archbishop Emeritus of Cotabato, attended as well. Their presence at the Vatican highlighted the strong leadership of the Filipino clergy within the global Catholic Church. The contributions of these leaders go beyond ceremony. Filipino cardinals and bishops have long played vital roles in Vatican councils and dicasteries, helping shape the Church’s response to contemporary global issues. Their participation in the mourning and transition following Pope Francis’s death underscored the Philippines’ growing influence in Catholic affairs. GLOBAL FILIPINO TRIBUTES Outside the Vatican and the Philippines, Filipinos around the world held memorial services and prayer gatherings in local churches, homes, and community centers. In European cities like Rome, Madrid, London, and Paris, Filipino communities organized vigils to honor Pope Francis’s life and teachings. Candles, flowers, and personal notes filled altars, while priests and laypeople alike offered prayers of thanks for a pontiff who had touched their lives. Overseas Filipino workers, many of whom serve as caregivers, nurses, and domestic workers in Europe, spoke of how Pope Francis’ words often gave them strength. His emphasis on the dignity of labor, his concern for migrants, and his call to welcome the stranger were messages that deeply resonated with the Filipino diaspora. Social media platforms became virtual sanctuaries of mourning and memory. Filipinos shared clips of the Pope’s 2015 visit, personal encounters, and favorite quotes. Messages of gratitude, sorrow, and hope poured in, creating a global digital tapestry of collective mourning. A LASTING LEGACY Pope Francis’ death marks the end of an era in the Catholic Church, but his legacy lives on, particularly among the Filipino people. His papacy emphasized mercy, simplicity, and a radical call to care for the marginalized. These values are closely aligned with the deeply ingrained Filipino virtues of “pakikiramay” (sympathy), “bayanihan” (community spirit), and “malasakit” (compassion). As the Church moves forward, the memory of Pope Francis will continue to guide and inspire. Filipino Catholics, through their vibrant faith and strong communal ties, are well-positioned to carry forward his vision of a more inclusive, compassionate, and just world. In his own words during his 2015 Mass in Manila, Pope Francis urged Filipinos: “You are called to be outstanding missionaries of the faith.” With his passing, that call becomes even more poignant. In mourning him, the Filipino people renew their commitment to live out the values he championed, ensuring that his spirit endures not just in memory, but in action. HOPES FOR THE FUTURE AND A FILIPINO POPE With three Filipino cardinals actively engaged in Vatican affairs and global Catholic leadership, some Filipinos quietly nurtured hope that Pope Francis’ successor would come from the Philippines. Such a development would have represented a monumental moment not only for the nation but for the entire Asian Church. The idea of a Filipino pope resonates strongly with many, especially given the country’s standing as the third largest Catholic nation in the world, after Brazil and Mexico. Catholicism continues to thrive in the Philippines, with over 80 million adherents and a youthful, vibrant Church known for its festive religious traditions, grassroots devotion, and missionary zeal. Many see the Filipino Church as a model for evangelization in the 21st century—dynamic, people-oriented, and deeply rooted in community values. As the Vatican moves into the next chapter of its history under a new leadership, the strong presence of Filipino clergy and the steadfastness of Filipino Catholicism serves as an inspiration for the future of the global Church.

< Back THE SERVANT LEADER BY JOYCE REYES-AGUILA PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROMEO PERALTA, JR. What drove Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to public service was a burning aspiration to reform government and improve its performance. A progressive leader who chooses a path away from traditional politics—that’s how Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte wants to be known. She insists that she entered politics not for wealth, power, or prestige, and what drove her was a burning aspiration to reform government and improve its performance. “I have been described as forward-thinking,” she tells LEAGUE Magazine. “I am a crusader and a change-maker, and in this regard, I can say I am an idealist in a world of pragmatists. My vision is to strengthen institutions and standardize internal processes, protocols, and procedure for the purpose of maximizing the city’s resources in the delivery of basic services to our people, as well as to ease out corruption.” Belmonte has been serving Quezon City for 12 years now. She was previously the city’s vice mayor for three consecutive terms before vying for its highest office in 2019. On top of her agenda then were women’s rights, gender equality, enhancing social services particularly for the marginalized and migrating all government transactions online to eliminate face-to-face interaction that can lead to anomalous behavior. Belmonte says this ensures proper and honest collection of taxes. She also focused on decentralizing governance through the establishment of satellite action offices in all districts to enable her government to attend to the essential needs of their constituents efficiently, responsively and more conveniently. Belmonte also included the renovation and modernization of Quezon City’s health centers to ensure the digitalization of medical records, that medicine supply is immediately replenished and that each location will have one doctor. The city’s 11th mayor also imposed zero tolerance for corruption in the city by “ensuring that every peso is well-spent on projects that are meaningful, sustainable, and effective.” This resulted to the local government earning an “unqualified opinion” from the Commission on Audit (COA) for its annual audit report for 2020—a first in Quezon City’s history. It is the highest audit opinion that COA can render to a government agency, including a local government unit (LGU). Belmonte considers the audit opinion as a testament to the realization of her vision for good governance that has been internalized by the city’s leaders. “This is the most important recognition that a local government unit like us can get,” she avers. “This is the validation of our efforts for good governance in Quezon City, and this is also a welcome surprise since we received this in our first term.” Belmonte has been serving Quezon City for 12 years now. She was previously the city’s vice mayor for three consecutive terms before vying for its highest office in 2019. Introducing and sustaining reforms in government is one of the many challenges the mayor has had to hurdle. She continues to believe that many things detrimental to progress and development have been institutionalized, such as corruption and a culture of mediocrity. “There is a need to restore the people’s faith, trust, and confidence in government,” she maintains. “People are cynical and many view government very negatively, and there can be no real ‘good governance’ if the people and government do not enhance their working relationship through a more mature participatory environment, which promotes real transparency, and better accountability.” This is one reason Belmonte believes she was elected to office. “A wise man once told me that we all must strive to live a life of meaning, and I believe that a commitment to good governance as the means through which we can ensure better service delivery to our people is the reason. I have been entrusted this role,” she continues. FURTHERING PURPOSE Maria Josefina Tanya “Joy” Go Belmonte is the youngest child and only daughter of former Quezon City Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. and journalist Betty Go-Belmonte. Her father also served as the Speaker of the House under the Aquino presidency, while her late mother is one of the founders of The Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Philippine Star. She says her parents are two of the many people who inspired her to become a public servant. “My mother was especially influential to me because she embodied all the traits of a great woman leader,” Belmonte maintains. “She was fearless but compassionate. She was an activist until her last breath; she always wanted to make the world a better place for others and worked hard to do so even if the effort seemed futile, and she did so for the most part through the power of the pen. The status quo was never good enough. She was idealistic, God-fearing, engaged, extremely principled, selfless, and a moral compass to all who knew her.” After obtaining her social sciences degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, Belmonte joined the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines and became a high school teacher in Kadingilan, Bukidnon. “It was my experience as a volunteer teacher in a farflung and underdeveloped community that opened my eyes to the sad reality of life in the Philippines, most especially to the flawed socio-economic and political structures in our society that are designed to concentrate power, status, and wealth in the hands of a few, and make it almost impossible for those born in uncomfortable circumstances to rise above these conditions,” she recalls. She then worked at Caritas Manila’s Communications Department for six months and joined the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) after. “My stint here prepared me for eventual postgraduate studies abroad,” says the mayor. Belmonte then moved to the United Kingdom to train to become an archaeologist. She has two master’s degrees, one in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester and one in Archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. She specialized in Southeast Asian archaeology and travelled extensively in the region. Belmonte continued her humanitarian work and sat on the boards of several non-government and non-profit organizations, while lecturing at the University of the Philippines (UP) Archaeological Studies Program and joining expeditions to archaeological sites. “I believe our biggest concern is the imminent need to raise the standard of living of every QCitizen by providing them with a more dignified life. This means focusing our attention on providing our people with safety and security in terms of housing, improving the standard of education to include not just improvements in competencies, but also an emphasis on developing critical thinking.” “It was while I was working on an archaeological site in Manila that I first entertained the idea of running for public office,” she recalls. “I had an appointment at city hall to meet the mayor so I could explain our work to him, and how it could benefit his city in terms of tourism. After waiting for several hours, I found out he had already left. I then told myself, if I really wanted to draw attention to an advocacy I truly believed in, it would be best if I were to hold a decision-making position myself.” When her father’s third term as mayor ended, she decided to give politics a shot. She became vice mayor in 2010 and considers three projects as among her biggest achievements: the physical transfer of the Quezon Heritage House from Gilmore to the Quezon Memorial Circle (thus saving it from demolition); the establishment of the Quezon City Experience Museum (QCX), and the founding of QCinema or the Quezon City International Film Festival—which is already on its 10th year. It was during one of her terms as vice mayor when she “trended on social media as the most hated person in the Philippines.” As acting mayor, Belmonte “refused to suspend school over a forecast of ‘light to moderate rains with occasional thunderstorms.’” She and Makati Mayor Abby Binay were the only city heads who decided to do so. “I got bashed overwhelmingly. And I trended very negatively.” Belmonte issued an apology and took ownership. In a social media post, she said “I welcome all the hate and vileness of your messages. I truly deserve it.” She went on to explain that her team relied on the weather forecast, adding that “sometimes we in government depend too much on data and statistics and not enough on gut feel.” She acknowledged her shortcomings in the situation and added that it was “time to step up” for her constituents. FUTURE FORWARD Belmonte, who is running for reelection this year, says that she still has a lot to do in Quezon City. “I believe our biggest concern is the imminent need to raise the standard of living of every QCitizen by providing them with a more dignified life,” she explains. “This means focusing our attention on providing our people with safety and security in terms of housing, improving the standard of education to include not just improvements in competencies, but also an emphasis on developing critical thinking. “This is over and above the physical and infrastructural needs of our learners such as facilities, gadgets, and connectivity. We also need to provide more opportunities for employment and livelihood for all those who desire to earn an income, whatever their status and circumstances in life are. Finally, access to healthcare remains an area of concern, as well as improvements in health-seeking behavior. All these require additional infrastructure, manpower and improved operational systems.” She also includes climate change, environmental protection, public order and safety, as well as enhancing investor confidence in her priority list. “The people must be convinced that we are here to protect them and promote their welfare above all,” she stresses. “I believe that the foundation of effective, efficient and responsive service delivery still lies in the proper management of the city’s resources, shifting paradigms from whimsical decision-making to datadriven decision-making, motivating our personnel to adopt a framework of excellence and merit, and most of all, enhancing the trust and confidence of the people in government, so together we can actively participate in the work of city-building.” Belmonte considers some accomplishments as the closest to her heart. These include the Quezon City Protection Center for Victim-Survivors of Gender- Based Violence and Abuse and the Bahay Kanlungan temporary shelter—a one-stop-shop for women, children, and members of the LGCBTQIA+ who need medical, legal, protective, and social services. With Grow QC, Belmonte introduced urban farming to promote food security, encourage healthy diet, and enhance livelihood. “I am proud of this project because during the pandemic, our urban farms were instrumental in providing nutritious meals to thousands of our neediest constituents,” she says. With No Woman Left Behind, Belmonte provides holistic support to Women Deprived of Liberty (WDL) at the Camp Karingal correctional facility. They are given health services, livelihood opportunities, and a chance to finish secondary and tertiary education through partnerships with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Quezon City University. The Kabahagi Center for Children with Disabilities provides free services for indigent Children with Disabilities (CWD), including diagnostic services, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and physical therapy, among others, in partnership with specialists from various universities and organizations. It also provides training on how to care for these children and provides livelihood opportunities to the parents of CWDs. Belmonte also established the “Made in QC” program to assist and support micro and small business owners from Quezon City who make unique and high-quality artisanal products. These products are featured in a five-volume book collection that is given away to corporations, the diplomatic corps, and the political elite, among others, to provide them with options for gifts, especially during the holiday season. Other notable accomplishments for the mayor include the Cash to Trashback program that makes “caring for the environment economically rewarding” for people who trade in recyclable wastes for points that can be used to pay for groceries and pay their electric bills through a memorandum of agreement with Meralco; the Animal Welfare and Adoption Center that rehabilitates rescued dogs for adoption, and trains these to become emotional support companions for mental health patients or to assist in police work; and the QCity Bus, a free bus service modeled after those in the cities of Boston and Seattle in the United States. “While it started as part of our pandemic response to help frontliners get around, we have decided to retain it as a permanent feature of our city to help our workers and employees save on public transport fares. The route doesn’t overlap with any route of the LTFRB so as not to negatively affect the earnings of franchised transport. Belmonte says that the 14-point agenda she introduced in 2019 when she first ran for mayor will continue to guide her plans for Quezon City. The agenda focuses on human and social services, economic development, environment, and climate change, building a livable, green, and sustainable city, infrastructure, and institutional development. She has some big-ticket projects identified, including the rehabilitation of the Amoranto Sports Complex into an international standard sports facility, rehabilitation of the Quezon Memorial Circle after the MRT 7 construction, and establishment of three additional campuses of the Quezon City University, among others. “You will continue to feel your taxes working productively for you, this time in a non-pandemic situation,” Belmonte insists. “I ask our constituents to trust in their government, cooperate with us in exposing all irregularities and anomalies, and help us to build the epitome of clean and honest public service in our beloved Quezon City.” She has no plans to run for higher office and describes her role as “the kind of job that you either love or you hate,” adding, “I love the feeling I get when I’ve made a positive difference in the life of a person or a community. I hate the dirt that comes with politics. Fortunately, the psychological rewards of genuine public service far outweigh my disdain for the gutter politics I need to swallow when running for office. The most difficult aspect of being a public servant is having to put my family second or even third in the hierarchy of priorities.” “I also consider myself a servant leader,” she shares, and adds that author Simon Sinek describes her leadership style in these words from his book Leaders Eat Last: “The true price of leadership is the willingness to place the needs of others above your own. Great leaders truly care about those they are privileged to lead and understand that the true cost of the leadership privilege comes at the expense of selfinterest.” Belmonte is driven to be a leader whose actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, she says. “In other words, for me, leadership must be empowering and transformative.” DOWNLOAD FULL ISSUE HERE FOR FREE

< Back Transforming the Philippine Tourism Industry BY GODFREY T. DANCEL TOURISM SECRETARY CHRISTINA GARCIA-FRASCO CONTINUES TO LEAD SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO TRANSFORM THE PHILIPPINE TOURISM INDUSTRY, MAKING USE OF GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES SHE HAD MASTERED AS A LOCAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE. From top local chief executive in the Visayas to top member of the Cabinet. This, in a nutshel, succinctly summarizes Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Fraco's nine years as a public servant. After continuing the transformation of Liloan, Cebu into a model municipality in the Visayas in her two terms as mayor, Frasco has skilfully led the Department of Tourism into one more becoming one of the top performing executive agencies and second top driver of the country's economic growth and development. FROM LOCAL TO NATIONAL Frasco may be a relative newcomer to public service, but her direct exposure to public service as well as her educational background have served her well. She is a member of the Garcia clan of Cebu, which counts among its more prominent members her mother, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and her grandfather, former Governor Pablo Garcia. Her spouse, Cebu Fifth District Representative Vincent Franco Frasco, is one of the current deputy speakers in the House of Representatives. She holds a bachelor’s degree in legal management from the Ateneo de Manila University and earned her law degree from the Ateneo School of Law. Frasco’s first foray into public service came in 2016, when she was elected as mayor of Liloan. She was reelected for her second term in 2019. Under her leadership, Liloan continued to develop economically and socially. In 2019, it was named as the country’s Most Resilient Municipality by the Department of Trade and Industry as well as the Top Philippine Model Municipality by Manila Times. Among others, Liloan also received national recognition for its achievements in the fields of education, business friendliness, and infrastructure. In May 2022, the people of Liloan gave their then-reelectionist mayor an overwhelming mandate to lead them for another term. After all, she had served them meritoriously and had more plans for the first class municipality. Her third term, however, was nipped in the bud as she was tapped to lead a major department under the new administration. Thenincoming President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. had decided to appoint her as secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT). With her acceptance of the position, Frasco became the youngest member of the Marcos Cabinet. Frasco’s appointment came at a critical time. “At the time, not only were we dealing with the pandemic, but also recovering from the very devastating Typhoon Odette that ravaged much of Cebu,” she recalls. “The effort that I had made as mayor was really to ensure that quality of life in Liloan is high. And toward the future, with our intention of becoming a city, we designed our programs to make sure that not only did we invest in infrastructure, health, social welfare, and the education of our people, but also that we increase the capacity of the people of Liloan to obtain gainful livelihood. And so all of these were still in play at the time that I was reelected as mayor, and then I received the invitation from the president. My response to the president, initially, was to request that I be given the opportunity to consult with the people that elected me, our local leaders, our constituents, and of course, my family.” “In the conversations that I had, both with my family and my constituents—and I did make the effort to do my rounds in the barangays, even up to the mountainside—all were in agreement that an invitation from a president for me to be part of the team that will turn his vision of unity and unprecedented progress for our country should not to be turned down,” Frasco relates. “The opportunity to serve the Filipino people in a larger capacity is one that I'm very grateful for. So, with the blessing of my family and the people of Liloan, I accepted the invitation.” LISTENING TOUR… AND MORE When she assumed the post of tourism secretary, Frasco set out on a listening tour around the country to understand the situation on the ground and connect with tourism stakeholders. “My experience as mayor taught me the importance of listening to your people and of seeing the actual situation on the ground, rather than just simply crafting policy from the comfort of your office,” she shares. “And so the effort was to gain insight, both from our local stakeholders all over the Philippines, and our stakeholders from abroad.” Said activity involved property owners; travel and tour operators; transport operators; micro, small and medium-scale enterprise owners; and even tour guide. “The directive of the president was to increase the global competitiveness of the country. And we could not do that without understanding the lay of the land, as they say, and without also addressing the needs of those that depend on the tourism industry and have invested heavily in tourism. The listening tour which we did across very many sectors of the tourism value chain enabled us to obtain ideas as to how we can innovate within the tourism industry and also very honest feedback on how we can improve,” Frasco stresses. In addition to the listening tour, tourism officials led by their then-newly appointed chief conducted due diligence of the actual state of Philippine tourism, especially vis-á-vis our direct competitors in the Southeast Asian region. “There we found that the barriers to the full ascension of the Philippines in terms of its stature in the ASEAN tourism hemisphere lies in number one, infrastructure; second, connectivity; third, digitalization; and fourth, in the diversity of tourism offerings, as well as the equity of tourism development,” Frasco reveals. A CLEAR TOURISM ROADMAP “All of the insights that the DOT gathered, as well as data from all over the world, aided us in crafting the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) for 2023 to 2028, which the president approved,” Frasco shares. Less than a year after she assumed the DOT top post, Frasco launched the NTDP 2023–2028 during the Tourism Stakeholders’ National Summit in March 2023. The NTDP, she says, is the department’s blueprint for strategies on how to sustain and to grow the impact of tourism on our economy in the next few years. It will serve as the guidebook for mechanisms to ensure sustainability, innovation, inclusivity, and global competitiveness. The NTDP, the secretary also reveals, is the department’s response to the president’s call for tourism officials to transform the Philippine tourism industry into a tourism powerhouse in Asia in the next five years. The above mandate, together with the president’s statement that improving tourism is a priority for the government, Frasco says, gave them the confidence to meet challenges head on. “For one, the foundation of that vision lies in the intention to reintroduce the Philippines to the world from the lens of the Filipino story. It not only provides a purview of the fun and adventure that we're able to offer, and for which we have been known for very long, but also, more importantly, a view into the Filipino culture,” she elaborates. “We can all agree that the greatest strength of the Philippines is the Filipino people. And by allowing the world to get to know the heart and soul of the Filipino, then we have a very good foundation from which to start our ascension to become a tourism powerhouse. The strength of our heritage, the diversity of our culture, the vastness of our history that covers generations of influences as well as the intricacies of our regions that one can discover by tasting Filipino food across our destinations, partaking in our festivals, understanding the living cultural traditions of our indigenous peoples, will all work in our favor,” she adds. With the above, the DOT has come up with various efforts to strategically position the Philippines as a preferred and premier destination for certain tourism products and services, including health and wellness, gastronomy, cruise, and culture. One of these is the Philippine Experience Program which Frasco describes as “a culture, heritage, and arts caravan that focuses on providing opportunities for well known, emerging, and lesser known destinations to be introduced, not just to our tourists, but also, importantly, to our tourism stakeholders and our foreign diplomats stationed in the Philippines, especially those from countries with existing travel advisories against the country.” “We bring our tourism stakeholders and diplomats to various destinations, and we coordinate with our regional offices as well as our local government units to provide a two to three-day day itinerary that covers the heritage, history, and culture of the regions, provinces, cities, and municipalities,” Frasco explains. “It could also include, where applicable, visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We also highlight health and wellness sanctuaries and of course, provide a view into the local culture and traditions of the place. And especially, it has a buying component so that we are able to benefit the local communities and support local economies as the local stakeholders are able to sell their local goods and wares through this visit. It also includes a culinary component, where we feature the local delicacies of the destinations.” MY EXPERIENCE AS MAYOR TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING TO YOUR PEOPLE AND OF SEEING THE ACTUAL SITUATION ON THE GROUND, RATHER THAN JUST SIMPLY CRAFTING POLICY FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OFFICE. Meanwhile, the Bisita, Be My Guest program is the DOT’s way of providing incentives for overseas Filipinos that invite foreigners to come into the country. “We are very grateful to our kababayans, and the entire diaspora of Filipinos from all over the world, as we view them as our tourism ambassadors,” the secretary underscores. Incentives include the possibility of winning a house and lot, a condominium unit, free vacations to the country, free airline tickets, and free shopping sprees. ENGAGING LGUS Being a member of the Cabinet has given Frasco the chance to apply her learnings as a local official on a national scale. “Even if I am no longer mayor, I still very much have a local perspective in national governance,” she stresses. “I am still very much driven by the sense of urgency that all mayors have, knowing that if policy does not change, if programs are not implemented, and if people are not a priority, then nothing positive will happen. So coming into the national government, I have always been very conscious of never forgetting where I came from and understanding that the policies that are crafted on a national scale should take into consideration the needs of our local government units.” A tangible result of the above perspective is the Tourism Champions Challenge, which was launched by the secretary herself during the national assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines in 2023. It is a program where the national government, through the DOT and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, grants financial assistance to local government units that propose tourism infrastructure projects that are of their own idea and of their own creation under the auspices of inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability. “After we launched this program, we received around 98 proposals from all over the Philippines, which then went through a very rigorous process of mentoring and expert advice from national government agencies, private tourism stakeholders, and other relevant experts to make sure that the proposal is fashioned in a manner that would ensure its sustainability and maximum benefits to the community,” Frasco shares. “We also made sure that it is marketable in terms of its attractiveness to international and domestic tourists.” No less than the president himself led the awarding ceremonies where the DOT handed out around 250 awards, in addition to millions of pesos in financial assistance to the 15 LGUs that were shortlisted. With the program, Filipinos can expect tourism infrastructure projects to rise, thus helping ensure that the benefit of tourism are felt in all regions across the country. A SHOWCASE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE One of the hallmarks of Frasco’s leadership of the DOT is the department’s judicious use of its budget. “The Commission on Audit has given the DOT high audit ratings for a number of years. A priority of the department under this administration is really to ensure good governance, and we have managed to maintain the unmodified opinion of the COA since the onset of the Marcos administration,” she reveals. “Affirmations from both our government auditing body as well as from the private auditing sector give us the impetus to continue to make sure that public funds are used in a manner that maximizes the effectiveness of our programs.” The DOT has also managed to renew its quality management systems and ISO accreditations. As an added measure to ensure accountability, transparency, and excellence in government service, the department is also finalizing a balanced scorecard for each of its operating units to make sure that everyone is always accountable for all of their duties and responsibilities. With Frasco at the helm, the DOT has posted record figures in a number of indicators. For starters, the tourism industry posted 6.21 million in employment for 2023, a significant increase from 5.84 million in 2022. This figure also translates to 16 million in indirect employment, taking into account the indirect benefits of tourism. In all, the tourism industry accounted for almost 13 percent of total employment in the country in 2023. Moreover, tourism accounted for an 8.6 percent share of our gross domestic product for 2023, contributing almost Php2.1 trillion to the national coffers. This represents an almost 50 percent increase from Php1.41 trillion recorder in 2022. For 2024, Frasco reported a record-breaking Php760 billion in estimated receipts from international visitor arrivals, adding that foreign tourists stayed longer at an average of 11 days, compared to 9 in 2019. Frasco’s efforts to transform the DOT have not gone unnoticed. Just as she received accolades when she was mayor, including the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Regional Award in 2021, Frasco has also received national and international recognition for her achievements as DOT chief. One of these is the prestigious Tourism Good Governance Award from SKAL International. SKAL International is a network of travel and tourism professionals that promotes travel and tourism worldwide. Meanwhile, in the last quarter of 2024, she emerged as one of the top performing Cabinet members based on a nationwide survey. TRANSFORMATION WITHIN THE DOT Alongside judicious use of resources and effective implementation of the DOT’s various programs, Frasco has also given special attention to reforms within the department. “We have sought to make sure that we take care of our people,” the secretary stresses. “My experience as mayor has taught me that as a leader, you're only as good as your people. And you need to make sure that those from whom you require excellence, service, and sacrifice, have a leader to turn to, especially in the performance of their job, and during times of difficulty.” Frasco shares that within six months after she took over, the DOT managed to renew its collective negotiation agreement with the DOT Employees Union. They have also provided free personal insurance to job order personnel. More importantly, there are now more opportunities for regularization as well as for ascension into a higher position and higher salary grade. More consideration has also been given to employees with special circumstances. For instance, they have launched the Child Minding Center for employees who are mothers. With this, mothers could leave their children at the center, to be supervised by accredited teachers while they are at work. With the DOT performing exceptionally well in the past two and a half years, Frasco is optimistic that the government’s goal of making the Philippines a tourism powerhouse will soon be achieved. Even as she thanks national as well as local government officials for their support, she also highlights the important role of ordinary citizens in achieving the government’s tourism goals. “In our effort to transform Philippine tourism, we have also sought to reignite in our countrymen this burning pride of place and love of country. Knowing that tourism is a force for good, tourism is a source of unity no matter our differences in political opinions, state of life, and geographic location. One thing that we all hold in common is our love for the Philippines. And so I encourage you, our fellow Filipinos to continue to show that love by traveling across the Philippines and by carrying the banner of the Philippines wherever you may go,” she ends.

00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000003 < BACK SENATOR WIN GATCHALIAN Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian’s two-decade career as a public servant has been marked by his relentless pursuit of his vision for better governance. BY GODFREY T. DANCEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAR CONCENGCO The LEAGUE team arrives at the Senate building on a cloudy midmorning in October. The place is uncharacteristically quiet. Conspicuously absent are senators and their staff hustling from their offices to the session hall, officials from the executive branch attending hearings, foreign dignitaries paying courtesy visits, reporters trying to get a scoop, and ordinary Filipinos seeking an audience with particular senators. In a conference room at the second floor, however, a bicameral conference committee meeting is going on. It’s a hybrid meeting, with most participants—congressmen and senators, supported by their staff— participating online from their homes. Such has been the practice since COVID-19 radically changed the way we live, including the way Congress works. One senator, however, is physically present: Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy. Swiftly ironed out during the meeting were some inconsistencies in the House and Senate versions of the Microgrid Systems Act, the Upper Chamber version of which was primarily authored by Senator Win himself. The act is expected to fill the legal and policy gaps that have hampered the government’s total electrification program. “He’s the only senator who still physically reports to the Senate to hold hearings and meetings [despite Metro Manila being placed under Alert Level 4],” one of Senator Win’s staff members says. “He wants to have instant access to information during hearings.” Ever mindful of the value of time, the senator wants to be able to look at documents and confirm matters with the secretariat whenever the need arises—something he could not do if he were working from home. Clearly, it’s a win-win situation: all stakeholders remain safe from COVID-19 (strict health protocols are also being implemented at the Senate building), and legislative work goes on as it should. This comes as no surprise for those who know the senator well. Senator Win is a known workaholic, and also wants solutions implemented as soon as possible. Entering Public Service Senator Win’s two-decade career as public servant has been marked by his relentless pursuit of his vision for better governance. From his initial foray into politics at the age of 27, he has proven to be an effective public servant both at the local and national levels. “I went into public service because of many frustrations at that time in Valenzuela,” he says of his decision to run as Representative of the 1st District of Valenzuela in 2001. “I was then working in our family business, and I got to interact with the local government unit of Valenzuela. There were a lot of frustrations. It was a tedious task to secure a business permit, you had to talk to fixers, the process was confusing. Instead of just complaining, the young Win did what he thought was best. “Out of frustration, not only mine but that of everyone in Valenzuela, I presented myself as part of the solution. I was given the chance to serve one term as congressman and three terms as mayor, [and I used these opportunities] to provide solutions. Because I really believe that if you keep on complaining, nothing will happen. So you just have to do your share, do whatever you can to solve problems. Of course, you cannot solve everything all at once. But at least you’re there to lead the way.” He would later on return to the Lower House, serving for another three years. By then, he had become known for championing good governance and quality education, and fighting corruption. “After my stint in Valenzuela, I learned a lot… and I thought, maybe I can make a difference using that experience, this time on a nationwide scale. So I tried my luck. I ran as senator, despite the odds. Dahil yung surveys ko malayo. [Survey results had me trailing.] It was a blessing that I was given the opportunity to serve,” he recalls. Guiding Principles Senator Win describes his leadership style as “basic.” “I lead by example. I believe that every leader should be a good example. In the way you dress, the way you follow simple office rules, the way you come in early for work, that’s an important trait in a leader,” he shares. “At the same time, you have to shun corruption. If the leader is corrupt, everyone in the organization will be corrupt for sure. [Good governance] should start from the leader.” Senator Win also keeps in mind valuable pieces of advice from former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel. “Pag mapakinggan mo sya, marami kang matututunan,” he says. “I also watch a lot of videos of Barack Obama because everyone’s mesmerized with his eloquence. But at the same time, his policies as well as the way he handles crisis situations is admirable considering that the United States is a complex country. Then his way of analyzing and dissecting problems and executing solutions is also quite admirable.” The above, combined with his experience as top executive of a number of their familyowned businesses prior to 2001, have helped Senator Win remain true to his promise of being part of the solution to the nation’s problems. Prioritizing Education Education reforms have always been among Sen. Win’s advocacies. “In 2016, I campaigned under one advocacy: to remove tuition fees in state universities and colleges,” he recalls. “At that time, that was unheard of because people thought it’s financially and fiscally impossible.” Seven months into his term as member of the Upper House, Senator Win filed, together with Senators Ralph Recto, Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, Sonny Angara, and Loren Legarda, Senate Bill 1304, which sought to provide full tuition subsidy to students enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs). After another seven months, the bill was signed into law as Republic Act 10931. With the law, almost 1.7 million students in SUCs, local universities and colleges; and state-run technical-vocational schools now enjoy full tuition subsidy. “Malaking bagay yan (That is significant) because college was viewed as being for people who have the financial capacity. But now college is viewed as being for those who are qualified and should be supported [to have a better future] through a college diploma,” he explains. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, Senator Win is also well aware of the problems in the field of basic education. For one, he has a very firm stand when it comes to errors in basic education textbooks. “[Such errors are] definitely unacceptable,” he asserts. “We need to improve the quality of our textbooks and reading materials. I have flagged the Department of Education many, many times, to ensure quality and to ensure that the books are reviewed many times before these are released to our learners.” Highlighting the Need for Energy Transition Another of the senator’s advocacies is clean energy. While describing the move to clean energy as an imperative, he also cautions against haphazard steps that may prove costly in the long run. He has highlighted the need for a comprehensive transition plan that takes into account our bureaucratic structure, consumer welfare, and the fight against climate change. “Going renewable is inevitable. The whole world is moving toward that direction. It’s really just a matter of how fast we can do it. We cannot do it fast. That’s why the buzzword now is energy transition. We have to do it in a just and economical manner. In other words, we cannot rush into shifting to solar and wind. That will take time to build and the cost is substantially high,” he explains. All things considered, the senator is pushing for a well-studied transition plan that has to be implemented as soon as possible. “So it’s a transition, and we need to start that transition already. Unfortunately, our country has not yet started significantly, meaning we have the laws, some mechanisms in place, but a formal transition has not yet commenced. So that’s what I’m pushing for right now. To jumpstart the Philippine-style energy transition,” he stresses. Senator Win points to consumers’ price sensitivity, limited technology, and a complex bureaucracy as among the things that the legislature, the Department of Energy (DOE), and energy experts must take into account as we set out with the transition. Looking Ahead With a little over half a year left before the elections, Senator Win remains hopeful that key bills will still be approved by Congress. One such proposed law is Senate Bill 726, which seeks to penalize nuisance political candidates. The importance of tackling this bill, which he refiled back in July 2019, became more obvious recently, as almost a hundred personalities filed their certificates of candidacy for president. “Hopefully, that would get approved,”he says of the bill which he originally filed in 2016. “Parati kong pinupush yung nuisance candidate bill. Nakakainis na kasi yung mga taong pupunta tapos nakacosplay costume (I’ve always pushed for the approval of the nuisance candidate bill. It’s annoying to see people coming in as if they were going to a cosplay event),” he stresses. More than the physical appearance, however, it’s the intent that bothers him. “It’s really annoying to see people mocking the elections, mocking the system, and mocking our country, to be honest about it. It’s sad, but it’s the reality. Like this time, 97 persons filed their candidacy for president. Alam naman natin maraming matatanggal dyan. Ilan lang yung matitira. [We know that majority of them will eventually be disqualified.] People are just mocking our elections.” Still on political reforms, Senator Win co-authored a bill banning substitution of candidates due to withdrawal. With him as Senate Bill 2439 co-authors are Senators Migz Zubiri, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, and Joel Villanueva. “Recently, substitution became some sort of a political strategy,” he says. And it doesn’t only create instability in the process because obviously you cannot print the ballots right away. But again, in the same manner [as nuisance candidates do, substitution due to withdrawal also] creates a mockery of the elections.” The senator wants to avoid a situation where unscrupulous individuals would not only make a mockery of the system but actually benefit financially from it. “There could come a time when placeholders (those who file their candidacies but have no actual intention of running), would put their slots up for sale. So before it becomes that bad, we’ll remove that feature in the law,” he explains. Man on a Mission Senator Win has come a long way since entering the field of public service in 2001. One thing, however, has remained constant: his silent yet effective and dedicated style of public service has consistently borne practical solutions to the nation’s many problems. Buoyed by this, he has pledged to continue with his mission of helping bring about a worldclass yet affordable educational system, a competitive and investor-friendly energy sector, and electoral reforms. In the end, every piece of legislation Senator Win is able to steer to enactment into law, every improved government policy he is able to contribute to, every problem he is able to offer a solution to, is not only a personal victory for him. It is also a check mark in the win column for every Filipino.

< Back A Shared Vision in Service BY MARIANNE JANE S. ZARA AS PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF POLICE GENERAL ROMMEL MARBIL RETIRES FROM SERVICE, HE LEAVES A LEGACY OF A REFORMED INSTITUTION CENTERED ON THE CONTINUITY OF PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS INTENDED FOR A SMOOTH DELIVERY OF PNP SERVICE, INTEGRITY, AND BOOSTING THE POLICEMEN’S MORALE. The Philippine National Police (PNP), whose mission is to enforce laws, prevent and control crimes, maintain peace and order, and ensure public safety and internal security with the active support of the community, has often been in the spotlight of challenges and controversies. It thereby needs a leader whose dedication centers on service and integrity. As PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil approaches the close of his distinguished career, he leaves a legacy of a reformed institution now known for a smooth delivery of services, integrity, and having a force with high morale. As his personal goal alongside his wife is leaving the position unscathed with no corruption record, this value translates to the whole of the PNP—a true-to the-job, simplified police service of crime prevention and crime solution, as well as a trustworthy PNP. CHIEF MARBIL BELIEVES IN BUILDING ON EXISTING PROGRAMS RATHER THAN STARTING ANEW WITH EACH LEADERSHIP CHANGE, ENSURING A SMOOTH TRANSITION, SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS, AND CONTINUITY OF GREAT PROGRAMS IN PLACE. With a shared vision in service, his wife, Mary Rose Marbil, has supported the PNP chief unwaveringly and has shared the same vision, leading initiatives with heart, humility, and purpose. Her “LAB Virus” initiative has identified and assisted policemen across the country who are sick. The flagship project has certainly nurtured the humanity of each policeman under the project. Together, PNP Chief Marbil and Mrs. Marbil have redefined service, fostering trust, ensuring continuity, and boosting the PNP morale as a whole. A VISION ROOTED IN CONTINUITY For Police General Marbil, leadership was never about making a mark for himself. He dismissed the idea of leaving a legacy tied to him; instead, he emphasized the importance of building upon the foundations laid by his predecessors. He strongly believes in continuity, strengthening and improving existing systems and programs rather than replacing them for recognition. “I believe in continuity—that’s what I always do, continuation. What I did, as chief of the Philippine National Police, was just to fine tune or improve the programs of the previous PNP Chief. In fact, we retained the good programs and projects. We continued such as projects of the PNP itself. I don’t want to put names or labels and tie a project to a person. Because what’s happening here is that they claim that “this is my project,” so when the PNP chief is replaced, the new chief will discontinue the initiatives. He maintains that his role was to ensure good governance, value performance more than politics, simplify police service, and ensure effective crime prevention and crime solution. He resisted unnecessary personnel reshuffles of regional directors and prioritized consistency in leadership at the regional and provincial levels. He believes that personnel reshuffles will simply cause delay as there would be a learning curve and the new directors would need several months to adapt to the job therefore making him an ineffective leader. The new director would only have less than a year to execute the reforms, programs, and projects that he intends to do during his tenure. He also shares that the tenure of the PNP Chief spans about a year or two, and if they don’t focus on the continuity of programs in place, it would be harder to execute new policies. Marbil also adds that changes in programs and projects would change the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOEs) which could also delay the processing and execution of a program or project. He, however, believes in simplifying police work, investing in technology, and shifting the PNP’s strategy toward modern threats like cybercrime. He advocates for modernization, highlighting the need for AI-powered CCTV systems in combating modern crimes like cyber threats, as such can make crime predictable and preventable, shifting the focus to proactive policing. INTEGRITY AND PUBLIC TRUST The PNP Chief also emphasizes a police force that upholds dignity and earns public trust, recognizing that the reputation of the police hinges on internal discipline. He shares that the issue of public trust is because when policemen make mistakes, the other policemen use it as trophy points such that policemen highlight and boast that who they arrested are policemen. Therefore, it gets embedded in the public that policemen are kidnappers, or involved in robbery. “Because you make the policemen your trophy points when you make mistakes. ‘These are our policemen, they are involved in kidnapping. The policemen I caught are involved in robbery, kidnapping.' Just imagine, at the back of your mind, people will say police are kidnappers, or involved in robbery. I said, it shouldn’t be like that because it’s embedded in our people. It seems like you want to embarrass the organization so that you can say that you’re good. It shouldn’t be. Another example that the police general gave was the PNP having been blamed regarding drug problems or traffic in EDSA, which are both not under the PNP in nature but the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Metro Manila Development Authority, respectively. There is also a mix-up in the public’s perception of the assignment of the PNP. But under his watch, the PNP was reoriented toward internal discipline, and public trust, with a conscious decision to avoid political interference or superficial achievements. THE LAB VIRUS BY MRS. MARY ROSE MARBIL A former corporate professional, Mrs. Marbil transitioned into a public servant, a role supporting her husband’s mission and the welfare of police families through PNP OLC Foundation Inc. What was once a club transformed into a foundation that nurtures policemen, making them feel supported and valued. Her passion project, the “LAB Virus,” exemplifies her dedication to understanding and addressing the real challenges faced by police personnel nationwide. LAB Virus aims to identify policemen needing help and assistance due to sickness. WE MAKE SURE THAT [OUR POLICEMEN’S] MORALE IS HIGH. IT ADDS TO THEIR MORALE HAVING TO NOTICE THEM AND BUILD PROGRAMS FOR THEM. Her initiatives include extending financial and emotional support to families, especially those with critically ill members. She also emphasizes the importance of maintaining individual identity and supporting spouses in their pursuits, encouraging a balanced life amidst the demanding environment of public service. Through this project, Mrs. Marbil saw the bedridden officers, silent spouses, and responded to once-overlooked needs. Mrs. Marbil recounts a touching story as she implemented the LAB Virus project, a testament to how small acts of kindness ripple into greater trust and morale. “When the wife came, she didn’t say anything but ‘My husband is bedridden.’ She kept on repeating that until she started crying and hugged me. So, I ended up crying too. All she said was, my husband is bedridden. I just hugged her back. Then after that she said, maraming salamat maraming salamat kasi napapansin sila (thank you so much, thank you so much, you’ve given them the attention they need). Police General Marbil adds that there are programs being implemented by his predecessors such as a feeding program, and adopting a family under the Police Community Relations (PCR), which he strongly believes is already the mandate of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. “Our PCR has to be within the police community,” the police general says. He adds that initially, he didn’t like the Officers Ladies Club back when it was a club. That is why the organization’s leadership changed it to a foundation whose primary purpose is to look at the welfare of the police personnel: identify the policemen who are sick and extend help to these people. Mrs. Marbil brought professionalism, empathy, and structure to the foundation. Under her leadership, the OLCFI focused on meaningful service, offering moral and sometimes financial support to those in uniform. “We make sure that their morale is high. It adds to their morale having to notice them and build programs for them.” Mrs. Marbil adds. A SHARED VISION IN SERVICE What sets this couple apart is their deep alignment of values and objectives. Their conversations reveal a mutual understanding that leadership extends beyond policies—it’s about fostering trust, ensuring continuity, and nurturing the human element of policing. In fostering trust, they specifically chose people whose spouses will not meddle in the affairs of the PNP, especially when it comes to politicizing promotions. “Don’t meddle with your husband’s work.” Mrs. Marbil stresses. Police General Marbil proudly mentions that they already had plans to establish a system for promotions that would bring in the most competent candidates to lead the stations, at the municipality, city, or provincial level. In practice, the choosing of the provincial directors is up to the provincial governor, because that’s the law. But the general’s idea is to put the best candidates up for the choosing of the governor. To do away with politics, he led an initiative to make the system of promotion more performance based. “We improved the system of placements because before, the placements in PNP were controlled by the Central Office but now regional directors are given autonomy so they have accountability. For performance, we also improved a lot on the basis of individual and unit performance. We also improved the system to see the performance at their level. We want to see meritocracy that’s why we asked the help from the Ateneo School of Government to come up with better policy systems of placement and promotion. FOR PERFORMANCE, WE ALSO IMPROVED A LOT ON THE BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL AND UNIT PERFORMANCE. WE ALSO IMPROVED THE SYSTEM TO SEE THE PERFORMANCE AT THEIR LEVEL. WE WANT TO SEE MERITOCRACY THAT’S WHY WE ASKED THE HELP FROM ATENEO SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT TO COME UP WITH BETTER POLICY SYSTEMS OF PLACEMENT AND PROMOTION. Moreso, we can remember the legacy of the Marbil couple’s partnership on how they changed the focus of the OLC from being a ladies’ club more for social gatherings to OLCFI which has a mission to aid the police community. The purpose-driven couple has empowered and enabled a social club to have a deeper purpose. With her limited time, Mrs. Marbil left a legacy of using the OLCFI as a platform to shift the focus to the police community, to relate to them, to see them, and to help them. Indeed, boosting the morale of the PNP through this paradigm shift. GROUNDED IN FAITH, UNITED IN PURPOSE Despite their busy schedules, the Marbils prioritize faith and service. Embedded in their leadership is a strong sense of faith. “Kapag pinagdasal ko, natutupad. [When I pray for something, it comes true.] I have faith in my prayers,” says Police General Marbil, explaining his belief that prayer and intention are key drivers of their success. Mrs. Marbil agrees, adding that she relied on quiet strength and trust during high-stress moments of her husband’s career. Their teamwork throughout the general’s term as PNP chief was very evident, as both focused on continuity, effectiveness, and the quiet power of purpose-driven work. They associate this with having the same principles. While one reformed the nation’s police force, the other ensured that the people behind the badge were seen, heard, and helped. Police General Marbil’s emphasis on internal reforms, such as decentralizing appointments and promoting performance-based advancement, was complemented by Mrs. Marbil’s focus on the welfare and morale of police families. Asked about the legacy they are leaving, both emphasized continuity and sustainability. Mrs. Marbil says, “We have the same objectives in mind that everything should be continuous, all must proceed as planned. There’s no such thing as ‘This initiative is just mine.’ ” Police General Marbil adds, “Dapat yung ginawa ko na ganoong kahirap, dapat ang makinabang yung next sa akin. Lahat ng pagbabago, ginawa ko dahil kailangan ko ayusin lahat. Dapat ang makinabang yung next set of leaders, yung next generation of police officers. Yun ang legacy ko. [Whatever I worked hard for during my term should benefit those coming after me. I did what I had to do in order to fix things. The next set of leaders, the next generation of police officers should benefit from such. That is my legacy.]” To those who were surprised by the unwavering support of the PNP chief to his wife Rose, “It’s because we’re aligned in our objectives and our direction. It’s just that we have the same set of guiding principles,” the police officer says. To Mrs. Marbil, her legacy is the foundation itself and she hopes that it will continue to help the police community in the future. They designed it in a way that they can be part of the board of directors so it would be easy for them to be consulted, if the new members need help, as a measure for continuity. At the same time, she mentions that they have drafted a playbook so that the program would be easy to sustain. I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO IN ORDER TO FIX THINGS. THE NEXT SET OF LEADERS, THE NEXT GENERATION OF POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD BENEFIT FROM SUCH. THAT IS MY LEGACY. A MESSAGE TO THE POLICE FORCE “Let’s value our service. Let’s put dignity in our uniform. So let’s go with our mantra. Sa bagong Pilipinas ang gusto ng polis ligtas ka.” (In the new Philippines, the police want you to be safe.)” says Police General Marbil For Mrs. Marbil, it is support without overstepping, and “you always have to keep your identity within you.” To add to this, Police General Marbil says that it is also because of the identity of Mrs. Marbil who was part of the corporate world and is used to having all the systems in place that he tried to adapt. “I learned from her,” he says. FINAL THOUGHTS As their tenure ends, PNP Chief and Mrs. Marbil are looking forward to spending the days with family. To the PNP Chief, his parents who he didn’t get to be with due to far assignments. To both, it’s the board exams and the wedding of their daughter in the following year. Police General Marbil’s narrative reveals a leader who strives for an efficient and sustainable police service, that values performance over politics for a trustworthy police force. His emphasis on decentralization and internal discipline fosters accountability among police officers. Chief and wife Marbil’s story summarizes a vision of leadership rooted in service, integrity, and community. It highlights the importance of internal reform and genuine care for personnel. As they step back from their official roles, their hope is a PNP that continues to evolve toward an effective and trustworthy national police force. In an era where public trust is hard-earned and often short-lived, the Marbils offer a refreshing reminder that leadership, done quietly and sincerely, can leave a deep and lasting mark. LET’S VALUE OUR SERVICE. LET’S PUT DIGNITY IN OUR UNIFORM. SO LET’S GO WITH OUR MANTRA. SA BAGONG PILIPINAS, ANG GUSTO NG PULIS LIGTAS KA. (IN THE NEW PHILIPPINES, THE POLICE WANT YOU TO BE SAFE.

< Back LEADING THE BIR TOWARD THE RIGHT DIRECTION By Godfrey T. Dancel PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENJIE TOLENTINO Discover why BIR Commissioner Lilia Guillermo is considered a perfect example of the kind of personnel the BIR is looking for: competent and dedicated to public service. When you put one of the most powerful and dedicated women in the country in one of the most powerful government agencies, you get the perfect combination to come up with quality service that the people deserve. Such is the case with Commissioner Lilia C. Guillermo leading the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). Guillermo, an alumna of the University of the Philippines Diliman, knew early on that she wanted to go into public service. “I was a scholar in the University of the Philippines, so I told myself that I have to give back,” shares the Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering graduate. And after over four decades of public service, she definitely has given back to the nation she feels indebted to. LOOKING BACK The commissioner’s educational background and her experience in other government agencies, like the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), have served her well as she handles the challenges at the BIR, this time as head of the agency. “I was taken in from BIR [where I was already an undersecretary] to DBM because of my background, because they needed an undersecretary to handle the digital transformation at the DBM,” she shares about her stint as DBM undersecretary and chief information officer. “So I went to DBM and handled the modernization of the Public Finance Management Program, from revenue generation to expenditure.” Simply put, her efforts helped bring about the timely and effective monitoring, allocation, management, and spending of public funds. “You know, the application of information and communications technology is similar all throughout, regardless of function, because as long as you know how application systems are developed, how infrastructure supports all of these applications,” she explains, referring to her successful efforts in the three important government agencies. “I’m a systems person, so it’s easy for me, regardless of the function, to apply development strategies for use in a particular field.” Guillermo recalls how she turned things around at the BSP. “There was no chief information officer (CIO) at the Bangko Sentral, so I asked the governor to designate me,” she says, referring to then-BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno, with whom she also worked at the DBM. “I handled the modernization of the BSP internal systems, knowing that the BSP’s system should be better than that of the lower banks. So that was a big challenge. Another very important aspect which I introduced is data governance. This involved a whole of agency approach. It used to be that each of the different groups had their own system, so there was no single database. With several databases, management had a hard time accessing and making sense of the data.” As BSP’s CIO, Guillermo led the crafting and implementation of the BSP’s IT Modernization Roadmap of 2018-2023. Her success at both DBM and BSP came as no surprise, having previously spearheaded the BIR’s Tax Computerization Program, described as the biggest IT undertaking by any government agency to date. As challenging as the tasks she had to perform at the BIR, DBM, and DSB were, Guillermo took these on and passed with flying colors. “As I mentioned, if you have the support and the trust and confidence, the commitment of the management, that they will support digitalization of the systems and functions, things will go smoothly,” she says matter-of-factly. A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IS IN STORE Months into her term, Guillermo has proven once again that there is always room for improvement within the BIR. Just recently, the BIR was commended by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for being among the top 10 government agencies in complaint resolution from January to June 2022. “Actually, we follow the 3-7- 20 rule,” she reveals. If the complaint is simple, we see to it that it’s resolved in three days. If it’s of medium gravity, resolved in seven days, and if it’s quite a complex or technical complaint, 20 days. So these are the rules of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and its Action Center. We also have an office called the Public Information Education Division that actually handles the resolution of these cases. We see to it that valid cases are addressed at once.” With tax collection the major thrust of the BIR, Guillermo is bent on improving the agency’s tax collection performance. This, especially because of concerns raised in previous years about the BIR’s ability to live up to its mandate. “Actually, to improve tax collection performance needs action on both internal and external facets,” she states. “First, for the external, we see to it that we have enforcement programs like the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) program, [through which we identify and prosecute high-profile tax evaders]. We also have the Oplan Kandado through which we close businesses if they’re not paying taxes correctly. We have activities on broadening the tax base as well as intensified audit and investigation. As for the internal aspect, we see to it that we recruit the right people, that we have regular sessions on capability building. We strengthened budget management and our Integrity Management Program. And actually last but not the least, is our digital transformation program. And that’s [in line with] the call of the president, for the entire country to be digitally prepared, digitally transformed, so that we will be competitive.” HOLISTIC TRANSFORMATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY Guillermo puts emphasis on the role of taxpayers in the success of the BIR and all of its programs. At the same time, she notes that while there are challenges, there has been considerable success in reaching out and working together with taxpayers and taxpayer groups. “Well the biggest challenge is partnership with taxpayers. [But one thing we have done is to reach out to] associations like the associations of lawyers, certified public accountants, and businessmen, like the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. During my first 100 days, I talked with them and discussed the direction the BIR is heading,” she reveals. “We want digital transformation as well as moral transformation,” Guillermo continues. “So we said that if BIR transforms or goes digital but if the taxpayers will not use it, it will not be successful. For example, with regard to the use of electronic receipts and invoices, we looked at 100 large taxpayers who have not complied. We explained they have to be prepared to be digitally transformed. And that’s a very big challenge because they say that they will have to revise their systems. They will have to allot a budget for it, and do so many other things. That’s a very big challenge for us. But with the help of the associations, through their coordination with us, we have made considerable progress.” “Resistance to automation of our systems is another matter,” the commissioner laments. “So that’s a very big challenge because I need cooperation from all taxpayers, big and small. We have to see to it that they embrace technology. They have to realize that the only way for us to really meet our targets, despite the economic conditions now, is to use technology.” Despite the bumps that the BIR leader has met in her efforts to transform the agency, she looks forward to a brighter future. “I hope that our transformation efforts continue and that we will be able to serve our taxpayers effectively so that they will be happy. I mean, it’s hard for them to comply, but they have to see clearly how technology helps us on these things,” she says, pointing out how important it is for taxpayers to see that the BIR’s systems do work. This, to her, will help convince taxpayers to embrace the BIR’s new systems and processes powered by modern technology. READY FOR MORE CHALLENGES Guillermo is confident that in time, the many challenges at the BIR could be resolved given a committed leadership with the right approach. “For [the BIR] to be successful, it starts at the top [echelon of government], she says. “And I’m very happy that the president and the secretary of finance have made digitalization a priority. Because really, without the direction from the top, it will be very hard. So for me, it’s a matter of getting commitment from top [officials of the land] and I know I have that, their trust and confidence.” As for the notion that an effective BIR commissioner should be a lawyer, a certified public accountant (CPA), or a CPA-lawyer, Guillermo has a categorical answer. “I don’t need to be a lawyer. I don’t need to be a CPA, either. I have very good lawyers, very good CPAs, around me.” What is important, she stresses, is that she knows the direction the agency should be heading, and she is ready to lead it to such. “I’ve been with the bureau for the past four decades,” she reveals. It goes without saying that she knows the ins and outs of the agency. “I understand procedures, processes, pertinent laws—both old and new. If there are new laws, I discuss these with my lawyers [so we could understand their ramifications and how these impact the BIR].” For Guillermo, heading the BIR takes unparalleled commitment to undertake actions meant to achieve all the set goals. “It’s really political will. As the head of this agency, I should have the political will to reach our collection targets so that the Philippines will be able to fund priority projects, and at the same time, political will to change the image of the bureau.” Doing things right is a crucial factor Guillermo has identified in cleansing the image of the BIR. “I know I cannot really stamp out graft and corruption [right away] a hundred percent, but I am sure we can minimize it. And I believe that technology will help us fulfil this commitment. Internally, we also have image-building efforts. We tell our people to really see to it that they will be fair and just in the performance of their duties. As for our new recruits, we tell them, “Please do not come here to enrich yourselves but to serve the country.” Guillermo is herself a perfect example of the kind of personnel the BIR is looking for: competent and dedicated to public service. REWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Guillermo, throughout her decades of dedicated service to the nation, has received rewards and commendations as validation of her excellence. A few, however, stand out and have personal significance to her. “One is [the result of] the World Bank Tax Computerization program, which gave me a break. I am a statistician but when I went into systems, it gave me a break [to serve the BIR and the country in another way, this time] through the proper management of important data. So because of that, I was awarded as one of the most powerful women in IT in the Philippines [for 2003], no mean feat because usually it’s the males who dominate the IT industry,” she declares. “And then, another significant recognition I received was the Presidential Career Executive Service Award given to me by the Career Executive Service Board in 2019.” Her promotion as DBM undersecretary and later on as assistant governor of the BSP are of particular significance to Guillermo, as she had previously thought that she would retire at the BIR. Her meritorious service, however, led her to the two other agencies. Of the two aforementioned posts, she considers the latter as the “most important step” in her career. “Whenever I was walking down the halls of the BSP building, I would keep telling myself I did not dream of being with the BSP, but maybe [being able to continue serving the country] is my reward [for the service I had previously rendered].” One thing that has moved Guillermo to unselfishly share her talent and do her best in the various capacities she has occupied in different agencies is the prospect of receiving “retirement benefits that are out of this world.” She continues, “for 40 years, I have worked not only for the country or for the government, but for the Lord. The ‘out of this world’ retirement benefits I expect to receive refer not to the material benefits, but the benefits that I will receive when I face the Lord.” SETTING OUT TO FINISH WHAT SHE STARTED As her term as BSP assistant governor and CIO was about to come to an end earlier this year, Guillermo’s name was floated as a possible BIR head. After all, she had had a long and fruitful working relationship with Diokno, whose name was then being floated as a frontrunner for the position of finance secretary. As the BIR is under the Department of Finance (DOF), their possible appointment to the BIR and DOF, respectively, presented a perfect chance for them to further collaborate, albeit in another department. “It was really hard for me to accept it,” Guillermo says of the offer to head the BIR. “But I told myself, maybe it’s God’s plan that whatever I started at the BIR, I have to finish.” With the wealth of experience that Guillermo brought with her in her homecoming at the BIR, as well as the continued confidence in her capabilities, she is sure to make a major impact on ensuring that taxation, from which the nation’s lifeblood flows, will be carried out efficiently and with utmost integrity. Editor’s Note: Commissioner Lilia Guillermo was replaced by tax lawyer and erstwhile BIR Deputy Commissioner for Operations Romeo Lumagui Jr. as head of the BIR in mid-November 2022. Buy magazine here