Mayor Mark Alcala of Lucena City, Quezon | The Political Conversations with The Mayors • Part 1

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Hi people of the Philippines and people of the world!

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Let's keep talking!

Kaibigan, tuloy ang usap!

Mark, maraming salamat.

Thank you po, Tito.

Welcome to The Political Conversations.

Napapag-usapan natin yung nakaraang eleksyon.

Kumusta?

How was that?

It was smooth po sa Lucena.

Wala naman, hindi naman po masyado magulo.

Tahimik naman po natapos yung eleksyon.

That's why I'm thankful po na first laban ko, tahimik po yung laban.

Ano yung baon mo nung pumasok ka doon sa eleksyon?

Ang baon ko lang po noon was hard work and new ideas.

Pero paano ko nagpakilala?

I started as an executive assistant po.

Nang dad?

Yes po.

Who was your dad?

Yes po.

And noong ikai-EA ng daddy, nakakaikot ka?

Yes po.

But what was your concept of governance?

What was your concept of being a mayor?

Noong time po na yun, I was so enticed by the idea of changing the image of the government.

Kasi parang lagi kong naririnig pag sinabing sa gobyerno,

ay masasungit yung mga tao dyan.

Feeling nila hindi sila welcome sa gobyerno, parang ganun.

So yun po agad yung pumasok sa isip ko.

Sabi ko, pag nabigan ako ng chance ng mga tao,

I will make sure that I will do my best na babago yung image ng government.

Babalik lamang ako sa eleksyon.

Tahimik.

So, pag pinag-uusapan ng eleksyon,

mayroon din mga pag-uusapan namin itong mga misconception.

Ang image, pag sinabing eleksyon, magulo.

Hindi naman magulo.

Pag sinabing eleksyon, kailangan mo na maraming pera.

Yes po.

Did you need a lot of money to win those elections?

Hindi naman po.

Kasi noong time na yun, tito, nagsipag lang talaga ako.

Sipag meaning, anong ginawa mo?

Pupunta po talaga ako sa tao.

House to house?

House to house, tito.

Ganun po talaga sa amin.

House to house, kailangan makilala ka ng tao, with or without money.

Pagka hindi ka marunong makisama sa kanila, negative factor na po.

Gaano kalaking bagay yung alkala ka?

It was a big part, tito. I'm not gonna deny it.

It was a big part kasi known na po yung apelido.

Going back pa po noong time, noong great-grandfather po,

na naging governor po for 21 years, kasi was martial law.

So, kilala po yung apelido sa larangan ng politika.

Pag lumalakad ka, paikot ng iyong lugar sa Lucena City,

napapagkamalang kang artista?

How do I put it?

Not necessarily artista, but they treat me like one.

They do?

Yes po.

Explain that. Paano?

Siguro, partly good genes from my mother and father.

I'm thankful and blessed for that.

But then, I had to show them that it's not only the good genes,

but also the good heart for public service.

Pero sa eleksyo na yun, ano yung pinaka-importanting mensahe

na ipinarating mo sa mga Tagalog Sena?

Kaya pala ng isang kabataan na kagaya ko,

na tindigan ang mga tao especially noong time ng pandemic.

Especially in those tough times,

meron pala silang mga kasama.

Not because of the age, but because of puso na paglingkuran sila.

Mark, is Lucena City a better place because of your leadership?

I can say, Tito, Lucena City is a better place

because of the friendship between the government and the public.

Kasi sabi ko sa kanila, open naman po ko, Tito, sa mga criticisms.

At saka, if may suggestions sila, please let me know.

Kasi hindi ko naman po alam lahat ng bagay.

So, I think Lucena is a better place because we are united.

Okay. How do you make sure that the feedback mechanism

between you and your constituents happens?

Meron ka bang mga...

Meron po ako, Tito, yung tinatawag na VIP program.

Lahat po ng offices ko is ginegredan ng HR namin.

So, lahat silang may feedback forms and lahat feedback may comment section.

So, every week, nag-a-award po ako ng best offices.

Paano mo na-conceptualize ito?

Actually, pasasalamat po ako, I have a mentor.

Si Tito Archie Inlong po, who I started with dun sa VIP ka program

na gusto namin ma-feel ng mga tao na pag pumunta sila sa City Hall,

sa Lucena government, they are treated like a VIP.

Hindi ba mahirap pag naging introduce ka ng mga konseptong ganito

sa isang organisasyon na doon na nagkaanak, tumanda, nasanay na sa mga kaugalian?

Mahirap, Tito. Mahirap.

Paano ang ginawa mo para mas maunawaan nila?

Hindi nila nakasanayan.

Hindi talaga?

Tinis ko sila, Tito, kahit sinasabi nila.

Akala nila kasi nung, syempre, nung di pa po ako mayor,

yung lagi lang ako nakangiti.

Akala nila ng ngiting ngiti lang.

Tapos nung upo ko po doon, magigpit pala ako.

How long did it take you to make people understand?

Months din siguro, Tito.

Months din. Ito yung gusto ko.

Ganoon naman talaga if you're setting a program to your mind.

Sa utak ng mga tao, it takes time.

Tapos may resistance.

Syempre ano ba naman yan? Ba't biglang may ganyan?

Tapos nung nakita nila, Tito, na natutuwa ang mga tao,

na-appreciate na rin nila.

Na yung mga tao, thank you po kasi welcome kami dito.

Yung mga simple gestures na ganun.

Do you have a political hero?

My political hero, except my father.

Except your father.

The standard of our generation now is Mayor Vico.

We haven't met.

Pero kasi based dun sa mga nakikita ko,

sa mga ginagawa niya,

siya talaga yung standard ng generation namin.

Pagdating kasi sa kanya,

medyo binabago niya na yung style ng pagiging politician.

And consistency.

Kasi lahat naman yung batang politiko, yan ang sinasabi.

Many decades ago,

every time a young politician would come into the scene,

they would talk about changing the political landscape.

Everybody would talk about the ideal.

Everybody would talk about the people.

Yung ganun.

So, importante sa atin yung consistency.

And I think that's what you're seeing in Vico.

So, I know you're very young,

and you may be in a work in progress

in terms of ideology,

in terms of philosophy.

Pero habang ikaw ngayon,

kasalukuyan mayor,

do you also feel that sometimes

it is important to be feared?

Yes, Tito.

Can you explain that based on your experience?

I don't want to say feared, Tito, but respected.

Yes, I understand that.

Kasi pag kinakatakutan ka,

feeling ko malilimit yung potential ng mga kasama mo.

But I feel like it's important to be respected

so that they follow you.

Impact, making a difference.

Right now, one year into the office,

aside from trying to change attitudes,

aside from what we talked about,

VIP ka,

anong mga programa

ang ginagawa mo at gagawin mo

para matupad mo

yung desire mo

to make an impact and to make a difference.

Una siguro after po nung VIP,

kasama na kasi sa VIP is

welcome yung lahat.

I mean, no gender, no religions,

but I will work with you

because of what you can do.

Not because of what your religion is

or kung babae ka, lalaki ka,

trans ka,

but kung ano yung kaya mong ibigay.

From there, mabibreak yung barriers dito.

After na mabreak yung barriers,

mas lalong magkakaroon ng limitless potential

yung pwede nating magawa.

Tapos doon ko na po sinama dito.

Kasi ang tagline ko was Boom Lucena.

I'm sorry?

Boom Lucena dito.

Boom?

Boom Lucena.

For Lucena to boom.

Kasi parang huli na sa development sa south

ang Quezon province.

Pero maraming naman kaming natural resources.

Gusto ko po na ma-develop si Lucena

para maraming lucenahins

will not go far away

and just stay there to work.

So how much development,

how much infra projects are you doing now?

And if you can be more specific

in terms of the programs that you're doing.

Right now dito, we are inviting investors.

Kasi hindi po kaya ng budget ng Lucena

na kami na kami yung magpagawa.

We can only do so much

because our budget is focused on social services.

So ngayon po is

ang currently na patapos na was SNR.

It's not a big deal in Manila.

No, it's an indicator.

It's a big deal for us province

na may gano'na.

We have SM, Pacific Mall

and then may mga car companies,

Toyota, Mitsubishi.

So nagsisimula na po sila pumunta sa amin.

So nagkakaroon na po ng tiwala

ang mga investors.

So let's go to the other side of the spectrum.

Kumusta yung,

I mean in terms of incidents,

hunger, poverty?

Hunger po dito,

nagkaroon po kami ng programa recently.

I think 80% na po yung

nawala, maraming malnourished

na bata sa amin before.

Nagkaroon po kami ng MAMA,

Movement Against Malnutrition.

Tinulungan naman po kami ng DOH.

Tapos may cycle po siya

if I'm not mistaken,

until stage 5 nakamonitor sila.

So from there, nag-increase gradually.

Kasi sa tingin ko po,

malaking tulong yun

to lessen also the burden of the parents.

In terms of education,

ano mga programa mo?

When it comes to education,

we have a school dito.

May school naman kami

that we constantly support.

Also the national supports,

nagbibigay sila ng funding.

Each year,

ang ginagawa namin is,

we're just maintaining

the quality of education there.

Kasi yung DLL po namin

is our school sa Lucena.

College po siya.

Before you go there,

meron ka dapat 85

and above na grade.

Tapos may entrance exam pa.

Kasi limited po yung fund.

We want our students

to work hard for it.

So ang ganda naman po

ng kinalabasan.

Lalo na yung Lucena

because it's getting to be

an educational hub.

Ang dami po pupunta dun

para mag-aral?

Mag-aral.

What is your political ambition?

Gusto mong maging gobernador?

Gusto mong mag-congressman?

Gusto mong maging senador?

Presidente?

You have a long way to go.

You're very young.

Hindi ko po iniisip dito

kasi I'm gonna do my best

with what the people gave me.

And then from there,

whatever opportunities

that will come,

siguro I will take advantage.

You will move from there?

Yes po.

Pero yung now and the present

are the most important to you?

Kasi bago pa po ako dito.

Okay.

Let's talk about certain issues.

Anong partido mo?

Right now po,

PDP Laban.

Gaano kahalaga

ang national organization

sa mga Tagalogal?

Do you really need

the national party

for you to win?

Noong time ko po,

in a way,

nakatulong po siya

kasi that time,

partido po siya

ng presidente.

So, of course,

mataas yung rating

ng president.

At at the end of the day,

it comes down po sa

kung paano ka talaga.

Okay.

Mark, sabi mo would say,

Alcalayani,

he's part of a dynasty.

Yes po.

Anong yung reaksyon?

When it comes to

political dynasty,

naniniwala po ko na

it all comes down

to intention.

Intention po noong maupo.

Whether you're from

a political dynasty,

a political family or not,

whether you serve one,

two, three,

or even twenty years,

if you intend to cheat

on the people

that trusted you,

kahit saan ka galing,

yun yung mangyayari.

But,

if it's the other way around,

if your intention,

especially ako tito,

bata kasi ako,

so iba talaga yung

pananaw ko siguro.

Siguro,

then if that's your intention,

I think,

no matter where you come from,

you will be loved

by the people.

Simply said,

may nagmamasid

at nakikinig

sa ating pag-uusap.

Mayor Mark,

ano ba talagang ginagawa mo

para sa Lucena?

Ano ba talagang trabaho mo

para sa Lucena?

Anong sagot mo doon?

I'm just a representation

of the people's dreams

na pinagkatiwala nila sa akin

yung mga pangarap nila.

How do you relax?

Yun yung tinatanong ko

sa kapatid ko dito.

Ang hirap pala mag-relax

pag nandito.

Kasi pag sinusubukan mo tito,

syempre,

ang style po kasi sa amin,

lahat dumadaan sa akin.

Especially sa assistants.

Whether it's a small amount

or a big amount,

dumadaan sa akin.

So, pagpapahinga po ako,

pinagpapaalam pa rin po nila sa akin.

Kahit siguro 10 pesos,

ganun.

So, di ko pa po.

Yan yung di ko pa

nasusold dito.

Hindi ko alam paano

ako magrelax.

Kasi yung basketball,

competitive din siya.

Hindi ko rin makarelax talaga.

Professional basketball player ka.

So, it's not,

it's not to relax,

but it's to compete

and to win.

Pinagsama ko kasi sila.

Yes, tito.

Diba?

Pagdating mo kasi sa court

at the end of the day,

competitor ka eh.

So, kung hindi ka nakakapagrelax

sa basketball,

do you find time for love?

Private, tito.

As much as possible,

I try to make it private.

Kasi,

yung buhay ko

nasa publiko na yan.

Let's talk about it.

How much privacy

do you expect

from a public job

like yours?

Para hindi ako ma-disappoint,

not much.

Para hindi ako ma-disappoint,

not much.

I don't expect it too much.

Kasi kahit saan ako pumunta

anywhere in Lucena,

andyan yung tao.

Ikilala tayo ng tao.

So,

kahit saan ako pumunta,

may lalapit.

So,

not much.

Basta pag nasa bahay ako,

nasa kuwarto ko na,

I try to

separate myself from my work.

Mark, huling katanungan.

Fifty,

thirty years from now,

people will watch this conversation.

And,

I would like to ask you,

how do you want to be remembered?

Dito, actually,

naisip ko yan din.

Sabi ko,

minsan,

how do I want to be remembered?

Ang sinabi ko lang

sa sarili ko,

after this interview,

thirty, fifty years from now,

nabag,

did the system change me

or did I change the system?

So,

yun lang.

Baka kasi mamaya.

Anong sagot nun?

That's interesting.

Dito, I wouldn't know.

Did the system change me?

Did I change the system?

And your answer is,

I don't know.

I don't know.

But you're going towards what?

Right now, dito,

I'm trying.

To change.

I'm trying to change the system

in a way that I think it's right.

That's simple lang, dito.

Don't lose that.

When you say naman,

what I think is right,

pwede mo pa rin namang dagdagan yun

based on the opinion of others.

Tama.

Kasi willing naman ako to listen.

Collaborative ka naman.

Yes, dito.

Nakikinig ka naman.

So, that is for us to find out

thirty years from now.

I like the humility.

I like the practicality of your ideas.

And I also like the fact

that you're saying

I'd like to see.

Itong pinanghahawakan ko ngayon.

Pero,

to the best I can,

I will not lose my sense

of what is right

and what is wrong.

Mark, salamat.

Dito, thank you so much.

Thank you for your time.

Salamat.

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