By JACKY LYNNE A. OIGA
August 8, 2009

What they had was the classic blind date success story. She was a young and lovely consultant while he was a dashing mechanical engineer. Their “fixer” (a common friend who fixed their date) was skeptical but hopeful. Little did she know that the blind date would lead to marriage and recognition of Marikina’s most renowned political couple.

Unlike other guys that she had met, Marikina Mayor Ma. Lourdes Fernando found MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando to be very mature, sincere and wise beyond his years.

“I was 25 years old and he was 33 but even at that age I was struck by Bayani’s noticeable maturity. He was nothing like the other guys I was meeting at that time, he already had a straight outlook in life,” shared Mayor Fernando.

On the other hand, Chairman Bayani Fernando was easily smitten by Mayor Marides’ (as Marikeños fondly call her) charm and beauty. After their introductory date, he immediately asked her, if he could see her again.

“After we first met, I invited her out several times. I often took her to the theater and we would sometimes drive to Infanta, Quezon for a picnic,” Chairman Fernando mused.

But what actually sealed the fate of the couple was Chairman Fernando’s incessant phone calls and frequent visits to Mayor Fernando’s home.

“Noong nililigawan pa niya ko, lagi siyang tumatawag sa bahay. He would also visit me at home, tapos everyday niya akong hinahatid-sundo, So I said yes to him na,” said Mayor Fernando.

They dated for more than 10 months and then, much to Mayor Fernando’s surprise, Chairman Fernando asked her to marry him.

“I was surprised, really. I felt that I still had a lot to know about him and he didn’t know me that well either. So I didn’t say yes at that  very moment. I thought about it muna. I told him we should get to know each other better first,” Mayor Fernando explained.

“Well, I was dead sure I wanted to marry her and I was actually ready to settle down at that time. So I asked her to… or did you ask me? Chairman Fernando laughingly said.

Although Chairman Fernando playfully avers that it was really his wife who proposed; he quickly made up for it by saying that his fondest memory of their marriage was that of their wedding day as he stood in front of the altar waiting and there she was, his bride, so beautiful, walking down the aisle towards him.

Shortly after their marriage, the couple went on to put up a construction empire that has built the county’s tallest buildings, malls, and residential subdivisions. It goes without saying that even before their consequent terms as mayor of Marikina, Chairman and Mayor Fernando were already working hard to establish a prolific life with each other and for their only daughter Tala.

“If there’s one strength that me and Bayani proudly share, it’s definitely our passion – the passion to work, to get things done and the vision of a better life for our family and for others. It drives us to work harder,” explained Mayor Fernando.

As for Chairman Fernando, in order to get things done, they face each day with determination and dedication.

“You just have to keep on going. Sometimes, we don’t even ask ourselves if we’re happy or not and I think that could be the secret to happiness. Just do it. No questions asked,” Chairman Fernando firmly said.

“We encourage each other by supporting our individual programs. Whatever he wants to do, I support it or I do some of the work for him and he does the same for me,” Mayor Fernando said.

They have been happily married for 27 years and according to them, the secret to their strong and lasting relationship is that they defy all the rules of marriage.

“Bayani and I don’t follow any rules. That is something he established early on in our marriage. There will be no “should” in our marriage, walang “I should do this” or “you should do that. We discuss every decision. If he wants to do something, he does it. If he doesn’t want to do it, or I don’t want him to do it, I will tell it to him. Same is true with me,” Mayor Fernando enlightened.

When asked what’s the best thing about each other,  the couple only has this to say:

“Every morning I always ask her, ‘okay ba ko?’ Because I have to be reassured that I look okay and I did okay with my job. That’s the one thing you can always expect your wife to do for you, to be honest, to tell you exactly what she sees,” Chairman Fernando said with a smile.

“What I love about Bayani is that he allows me to do my own thing, to shine in my own right. He lets me do what I want to do and backs me up for it,” Mayor Fernando quips.

On having a happy and stable marriage

He said: Wag kayong pumayag na maging burden kayo for each other. When you’re too caring you become a burden, especially when you expect something in return. Eh di wala na kayong ginawa kundi caring for each other, without any need for most of it.

She said: Talk to each other. If you have a something to say, talk. It is important to communicate. If you have a problem, say it, don’t expect him to just feel it.

On being a good parent

He said: For me a good parent is someone who exercises political will. If you know it will not be good for her, you say no. We don’t spoil our child. We tell her straight if it’s right or wrong.

She said: Well, you need to be there for your child all the time. Dapat alam niya na priority mo siya and even if you’re busy, any time she needs you, you’ll be there. And make sure that the values you instilled in your child are intact so she will turn out to be a good person.

On finding time to travel together

He said: Simple lang kami when we travel. We just walk around, observe what common folks do. To me it’s an opportunity to know different people and culture and most of all spend time with my family while doing it. That’s actually the best.

She said: We used to take annual vacations when we weren’t so busy. We try to make it different every year, like sometimes it’s in America, sometimes in Asia. Sometimes we travel with Tala, sometimes it’s just us.

On dining

He said: She does the cooking. I love her sinigang.

She said: I love to cook, but lately I don’t have the time. Sinigang is not really my specialty, paborito lang talaga ni Bayani 'yun.

On staying hale and hearty

He said: I make it a point to stationary jog everyday.

She said: I don’t have a diet. I eat anything. But I play badminton to burn the calories.

On what makes a house a real home

He said: It has to be spacious. It has to be functional and practical.

She said: Mine’s more simple. It just has to be clean.

On shopping for clothes

He said: I rarely shop for ready-to-wear clothes, my wife usually asks our tailor to make the clothes for me.

She said: I love buying classic outfits, something that I can wear for a long time without being outdated.

Manila Bulletin

Two words are synonymous with Corazon C. Aquino: democracy and prayer. She assumed power almost reluctantly because she never sought it. But when events pushed her to stage-center, she became the incandescent symbol of freedom and democracy.

At a time when her country needed her most, she became the catalyst for change against a well-entrenched dictatorship. She provided the centripetal force that brought us closer together, and inspired every man, woman and child to defy the bayonet in the name of freedom and national concord.

In power, she did all she could to give Filipinos a second vital act in their lives—the attainment of justice, peace and prosperity after the tribulations of martial law. She strove to fulfill the dreams of her husband—Sen. Benigno Aquino—who died for the Filipino in pursuit of liberty. Cory and Ninoy: what started as a love story in Tarlac and Manila became a struggle for the masa on the national stage.

A series of rightist attempts to seize power troubled her government. Her administration limped under the inherited mistakes of the previous regime. She rallied the people once more, using political will and prayer. Her faith was always strong: there is a higher God Who will guide a leader and Who will listen to a people in their hour of need. Prayers sustained Cory all her life. And Filipinos prayed with her.

In our hour of grief, we pray for President Aquino and her family. We pray for the nation. May the youth be forever inspired by her life—born to privilege but devoted to the people; educated in private schools but exulted in public life. She was more than a political force; she was a moral force. And by living a life of simplicity and uprightness, she became a Teacher in Chief, showing us that every person could make a difference with personal courage, conviction and character.

Our family grieves with her loved ones and the nation.

Panayam kay BF

Tinig ng mga Bayani: Mr. Chairman, madalas madinig ng mga taga-Metro Manila mula sa inyo ang salitang “urbanidad.” Ano po ang ibig sabihin ng katagang ito?

BF: Ang urbanidad ay ang tamang pag-uugali, ang tamang asal sa lipunan, lalo na sa mataong lugar.

TNB: Halimbawa po?

BF: Halimbawa ay ang pagsunod sa batas. Ang pagsunod sa kautusan ng komunidad. Ang pagbibigay ng konsiderasyon sa kapwa.

TNB: Bakit mo mahalaga ang urbanidad?

BF: Kung wala nito, hindi tayo handang manirahan sa siyudad, kung saan masalimuot ang pamumuhay, kung saan natitipon ang maraming uri ng tao, Pilipino at dayuhan.

TNB: Ano po ang hinihingi ng urbanidad?

BF: Ito ay paalala na kailangan ng ibayong pag-iingat para hindi tayo makasama o makapinsala kaninuman anuman ang ating gawin. Ang hinihingi ng urbanidad ay paggalang sa damdamin at karapatan ng ibang tao.

TNB: Ano po ang resulta kung wala o kulang ang urbanidad?

BF: Kung walang urbanidad, magulo ang bayan. Walang disiplina. Marami ang aksidente. Magkakasakitan ang mga tao. Madalas ang away. Kung may patayan, sa kulungan ang bagsak.

TNB: Ano po, Mr. Chairman, ang iba pang example ng kakulangan sa urbanidad?

BF: Madalas nating makita ang pagtatapon ng basura sa bangketa at lansangan. Ang mga tsuper hindi nagbibigayan. Unahan at tulakan sa abangan ng mga sasakyan. Maski saan tumatawid ang mga tao.

TNB: Bakit po tayo kulang sa urbanidad?

BF: Nakalimot na sa turo ng mga guro at magulang. Maraming walang pakialam sa kapwa. Ayaw sumunod sa mga kautusan. Nilulusutan ang batas. Sariling kabutihan lang ang inaatupag. Kulang din kung minsan ng mga walang kortesiya at respeto sa mga estranghero.

TNB:  Ano po ang epekto ng kawalan ng urbanidad sa isang tao?

BF: Nawawala ang hiya sa sasabihin ng kapwa sa maling gawa. Nawawala din ang respeto sa sarili. Lumalala ang kanyang pagkatao hanggang gumawa siya ng masmalaking kamalian, kasama ang paglabag sa batas at pagkakasangkot sa krimen.

TNB: At sa lipunan?

BF: Anarchy and chaos. Breakdown ng overall discipline. Paghahari ng kamalian. Masamang ehemplo sa kabataan. Negative image sa Pilipinas sa mata ng mga dayuhan.

 For inquiries please call Ms. Deanna Racquel De Jesus at 430-9747. 

Laws are solutions.

Our laws are the collective wisdom of the Filipinos and the mandate of every working man for a productive nation.

There are laws for almost all our needs and problems that if enforced and followed will lead to peace and prosperity.

This is POLITICAL WILL.

If elected President, I will reform our electoral system.

Philippine politics has historically been based on personalities. Celebrity, name-recall and wealth—not issues—have dictated the outcomes of political contests.

This has got to stop. We have to reform our politics, do away with personality politics that only serves the interests of the rich and the powerful.

One way is to reform campaign spending. The government should bear the costs of the campaign of the two presidential candidates of the two major political parties.

I want to see a return to the two-party system from the current coalition-building “anarchy” that encourages any number of disparate political blocs to compete in national polls and politician, to fly like butterflies from one bloc to the other.

Public financing of the two major presidential candidates will strengthen the two-party system and compel the parties to campaign on issues through distinct political platforms.

These reforms will encourage smaller parties to coalesce with the major political organizations. For the first time in years, Filipinos could have a majority president.

Candidate Fidel V. Ramos won the presidency with just 25 percent of the popular vote in 1992. Candidates Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo were the plurality presidents in the 1998 and 2004 elections.

A two-party system whose campaigns are funded by public money will moderate poll spending and minimize vote buying and other forms of electoral fraud.

A campaign based on issues and on distinct political and economic philosophies will offer voters a genuine choice on election day.

A responsible campaign financing law will penalize and prohibit unconscionable campaign contributions and influence buying by big political patrons. This practice corrupts the electoral process by making politicians beholden to vested interests.

Furthermore, no reform is complete if we allow politicians to make a mockery of the electoral system. Election protests pending before the Electoral Tribunals sleep the sleep of the dead. Cases are decided years after the elections are over. The wheels of justice grind exceedingly slow. The will of the people is frustrated. If blessed in 2010, I will look into how we can abbreviate the electoral protests so that the will of the people can prevail. Only then can we serve justice and observe the true meaning of democracy.

On a personal note. Yesterday, Mr. Zubiri came out guns blazing and called me a “dictator and a traitor.”

I have an advice for him. I suggest he attends to his personal problems. He is the subject of a protest pending before the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Maybe he should make sure he wins it. Before then, he should shut up. “Wala siyang “K.”

On his threat he will campaign against me, I am relieved. I need not ask him not to campaign for me. I’ll seek the presidency on a moral high ground. His presence in my campaign might pollute and infect the morality of my campaign. To Mr. Zubiri, thanks but no thanks.

Sinusog ni Chairman Bayani Fernando ang pagpapalakas ng basic education upang lalong maging epektibo ang educational system ng bansa at maging makahulugan ang pagaaral ng kabataan.

“Ang basic education ang weakest link sa ating educational system,” pahayad ni Fernando. “Dapat natin repormahin ito.”

Sakop ng basic education ang elementary education mula Grade 1 hanggang Grade 6 at secondary education from first year to fourth years sa public school. Kung mahina ang basic education ay marupok din ang pagaaral ng kabataan, sabi ng MMDA chairman.

Hiningi ni Bayani na una ay baguhin ang curriculum upang lumakas ang kaalaman ng mga estudyante sa English, science at mathematics. Sa maraming pananaliksik, mahuhuli sa Asia at sa munda ang mga batang Pilipino sa mga nasabing subject.

Kasabay nito ay sinusog ni Fernando ang training at upgrading ng mga guro na nagtuturo ng mga nasabing subject.  Dapat ding paramihin ng Department of Education ang dami ng mga teacher na ang major ay English, science and math, dagdag ni BF.

Mahalaga din na sapat ang aklat at teaching materials para sa tatlong subject. Bukod sa computer ay dapat may science laboratory ang mga eskuwela, ayon sa dating three-term mayor ng Marikina.

Sangayon sa isang recent study ng National Statistical Coordination Board, kaunti ang fourth year student at sixth grader na may 75 percent “mastery benchmark” sa English, Filipino, math at schience.

Ang NCSB study ay katulad daw sa resulta ng 2003 Trends in International Math and Science Study which showed that Filipino fourth-graders ranked third in English and last in science and math among 26 countries surveyed, while second-year Filipino high schools students ranked 41^st in math and 42^nd in science among 45 countries tested.  

...UNDER my stewardship as mayor, Marikina progressed from a second-class, sleepy municipality to a city that became the destination of choice for foreign investors. Its annual tax collection rose from a mere P77 million in 1992 when I took over to P l billion when I left office.

I achieved that goal by making Marikina City an investor-friendly city. But what did it take to attract investors? It took quite a lot of work, but the common thread that holds the tapestry together was the discipline and civic spirit that I espoused that city residents willingly and enthusiastically embraced.

I widened city streets, installed streetlights to guide motorists and commuters at night, and constructed U-turn slots in the right places. I modernized the public market in such a way that it is now being favorably compared to high-end shopping malls.

Like most of the people here. I, too, am an engineer, and take pride in my accomplishments as a builder. I think my most important achievement, however, was my success in instilling discipline among the city residents.

It wasn't easy at first. There was resistance to change, especially on the part of the recidivists, but I persisted. I knew that if I failed to exert leadership, the city would be overwhelmed by problems of poor sanitation and criminality.

I got local government employees and barangay officials to work with city residents to clean up canals and waterways and to arrest and penalize those who throw their garbage every which way they please. I adopted zero-tolerance for littering. And I have succeeded, against the odds, to get the people to see things the right way.

Fortunately, those who resisted constituted only a small portion of the populace. I knew that if the government was serious about enforcing the law and the rules were consistently implemented, the great majority would go along.

As with irresponsible garbage disposal, I did not tolerate crime and other anti-social behavior.

I am sure you've heard of Mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York City. Still, let me refresh your memory. In the early 1990’s after he was sworn into office, Guiliani ordered the police to adopt "the broken window" policing concept. The police, he made it clear, should not in any way tolerate vandalism or disorderly conduct or littering.

The mayor was operating on the premise that these infractions of the law, minor though they may be, would lead to more serious crimes, if allowed to go unpunished.

He was right about the premise. But he was wrong, if he thought he had hit upon an original idea. Hindi sa pagyayabang, nauna tayo kay Giuliani.

In Marikina City, we enlisted barangay officials and the tanod, who worked directly under them, to help the police keep order in the community. Drunks were promptiy thrown in jail until they sobered up; minors were detained and turned over to their parents if they stayed out late in violation of curfew.

I didn't call it so, but in all humility, I pioneered "the broken window" policy with predictable results: a clean, peaceful, and orderly Marikina City.

I HAVE applied the same principle at MMDA.

I enforce the law to the letter without fear or favor. I order the demolition of squatter shanties for a valid reason: for their own good and to give way to government projects that would benefit the millions of residents of 16 cities and one municipality.

But what happens to the affected families? Before you get carried away, allow me to explain that the MMDA, as an arm of the national government's urban renewal program, relocates the squatter families to communities where they can live in peace, safety and prosperity, where they can get a job or start a business and begin life anew.

If they resist the government effort to resettle them, we try to change their mind by gentle persuasion. To their credit, many of them moved on to better, more healthful surroundings. As regards the professional squatters among them, we apply the law.

Now, let us turn to illegal vendors. As MMDA chairman, it is my task to keep the city streets and sidewalks free of any obstruction. If I cannot do my job, I have no business staying on as MMDA chairman.

If the government allows anarchy, illegal vendors would occupy not only the sidewalks but also the entire street-and bring vehicle traffic to a standstill.

In the process of clearing the sidewalks do we deprive the poor of their right to earn a living? No, not on your life. We offer them a chance to do business legally, in especially designated places, in a market nearby or we construct makeshift structures to accommodate them, but not on the sidewalks.

It is inevitable that some of the illegal vendors and professional squatters would resist effort to resettle them. To these habitual lawbreakers, we have no other choice but apply the law to the letter. It would be tragic, indeed, if we sacrifice the common good to accommodate the few who won't play according to the rules. So you see the cat-and-mouse game replayed daily between MMDA operatives and street hawkers.

Not least of all, I am pleased to tell you that we at MMDA provide the study that guides the national leadership in the choice of projects to implement in Metro Manila.

As engineers and builders, you can appreciate the fact that the elevated U-turn slot on C-5 Road and Kalayaan Avenue in Makati City eases traffic for hundreds of thousands of motorists every day. What you did not know is that until I broached the idea, the Department of Public Works and Highways was set to build a P600 million underpass to address the gridlock.

The U-turn projects, I must tell you, cost only a little more than P300 million.

I AM PROUD of what I did, despite the criticism hurled my way.

Now I have set my eye on the presidency, and I hope you will rally behind my cause.

I will govern with transparency and hold myself accountable to the people at all times. To our people out there, whose dreams and aspirations have always been thwarted by bad governance, I promise to adopt a different approach to leadership, one that takes into account the longings of the people for a better life.

I stand by my record. I don’t split hair as lawyers do, but I will stand my ground and defend my position against any attempt to confuse truth with falsity.

I don't talk much. I would rather solve a problem than talk about it. I am a builder, not a talker.

If you tell me that the country is much larger than Marikina City or Metro Manila, I will respond that the principle of governance is the same, whether you run a city, a metropolis, or an entire country.

The same problems bedevil our towns and cities: crime, corruption in government, degradation of the environment, unemployment and underemployment, access to education and health care and lack of economic opportunity.

As president of the country, I will address these problems decisively wherever they occur, in the countryside or in the urban centers.

I will govern by example, because only by example can a leader inspire people to make the necessary sacrifice to attain the prosperity that has so far eluded us.  As president, I will lead a moral revolution so that the people can make their dreams come true and realize a secure and productive future for their families and children.

I will extend a hand of reconciliation to the enemies of the state so that a lasting and meaningful peace will reign in the land. The political opposition will have a place in my administration.

Not least of all, what counts most is the passion to serve and the resolve to do what is right.

It is that passion and that resolve that I will bring to bear on the presidency, so that we can, with the help of the Almighty, expand the economy and create jobs, build homes and bring food to the table, ensure education for our children, and dispense justice for all.

I MUST NOW bring this brief address to a close. Whatever fate has in store for me, whether I fail or succeed in my bid to lead the nation, I wish only to be remembered for one thing: as a builder of the landscape and a builder of character.

And for a builder, there is nothing more glorious than to be known. Like Sir Christopher Wren, for the memorials he has left behind.

If you will recall, the knighted architect, following the Great Fire of London in 1666, came up with a plan to rebuild the medieval city from the ashes. Although the property owners resisted what they thought was an imposition, he did get to design and build 51 city churches, including St. Paul's Cathedral.

A tourist blurb describes the place of worship, and here I quote, "a lasting monument to the glory of God and a symbol of the hope, resilience and strength of the city of London and the United Kingdom." Unquote.

Wren died on 25 February 1723. But he lives for all time. His gravestone in St Paul's bears the Latin inscription, which translates, and again I quote, "If you seek his memorial, look around."...                                                                                                                                                      

Maraming paglilingkod-bayan ang ginagampanan ng Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. Ang mga tampok ay ang mga sumusunod:

 

STREET NOMADS CARE PROGRAM

Pagkalinga sa mga batang lansangan, kasama ang mga palaboy at walang tahanan, sa pakikipagtulungan sa local government at ibang tanggapan ng pamahalaan..

SIDEWALK DWELLERS INVENTORY AND RELOCATION

Pagbabalik ng disiplina sa mga bangketa sa pamamagitan ng paglilipat sa mga illegal sidewalk vendor sa mga tamang lugar, tulad ng mga palengke.

WATERWAYS DWELLERS RELOCATION

Programa ng paglilinis sa Manila Bay, Pasig River at mga estero sa pamamagitan ng resettlement ng mga informal settler sa bago at maayos na kapaligiran.

POOK NA BULOK, NEGOSYO DI PAPASOK

Pangunahing responsibilidad ng MMDA ang pagkolekta ng basura at nagkalat ng dumi para sa kalusugan ng mamamayan at kaayusan ng Metro Manila.

WORKER’S INN

Nagtayo ang MMDA ng dalawang Gwapotel building sa Intramuros at Sta. Cruz para sa ginhawa at kaligtasan ng mga naninirahan sa labas ng NCR at inabutan ng gabi sa Maynila. Ang ikatlong Gwapotel ay sisimulan na.

METRO PADYAKAN

Tulong sa mga residente at biyahero sa pamamagitan ng pagpapairal ng disiplina sa mga driver ng tricycle, motorsiklo at bisikleta sa 16 na lungsod at isang munisipyo.

EDSA ORGANIZED BUS ROUTE

Programa upang bumilis ang daloy ng trapiko sa kahabaan ng EDSA upang makapagtipid sa gasolina, igalang ang disiplina sa langsangan at guminhawa ang biyahe ng publiko.

SEVEN MAJOR ROADS

Pagpapaayos, pagpapalapad at pagpapaganda sa pitong pinakamalaking lansangan sa Metro Manila: Mc Arthur Highway, R-10, Quezon Avenue, EDSA, Commonwealth Avenue, C-5 at Marcos Highway.

METRO SAFE PROGRAM

Inaalagata ng MMDA ang kaligtasan ng mga residente mula sa karamdaman, sakuna, krimen, bisyo at karahasan sa tulong ng mga local government sa Metro Manila.

C-5 /  KALAYAAN ELEVATED U-TURN

Traffic flows faster on two of Metro Manila’s major overpasses, the C-5 and Kalayaan, with this novel service to motorists and car owners, with utmost safety and convenience.

FLOOD MITIGATION IN METRO MANILA

Metro Manilans are entitled to safe roads and comfortable travel and to be an assurance they will be spared from floods during typhoons or rainy days. MMDA’s year-long program on the major waterways and roads help moderate flooding.

Ano nga ba ang political will?

Is it kamay na bakal?

Hindi.

It is simply doing the right thing without fear of losing votes.