Makati Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña on Monday said that the 30th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution held “greater significance” for the city and its people, as it “served to underscore the possibility of change despite all odds.”
“The recent change in leadership in the country’s financial center echoes the triumph of the Edsa Revolution which ended 20 years of the Marcos regime,” Peña said.
“For us in the New Makati, the 30th anniversary of the People Power at Edsa inspires renewed hope in our hearts as we strive to bring about positive changes in the way the local government is run, so that we can serve our city residents and stakeholders better,” Peña said.
He recalled how, as a 17-year-old teenager, he joined the multitude of civilians who went to Edsa to show their support for the rebel forces who dared to defy the dictatorship. “Back then I was already politically aware and keenly interested in what was happening in our country. The human rights violations, crony capitalism and other abuses of the Marcos regime were etched in my young mind,” he said.
“Kid,” as he is more popularly known, said he has been guided by lessons learned from the past.
In the wake of issues and massive charges against the previous administration, Peña vowed to prioritize the implementation of much-needed reforms aimed to curb corruption and protect the city’s resources from abuse and misuse.
The mayor said among the first things they did was to conduct an audit of the free cakes and BLU card programs for senior citizens, whereby they discovered irregularities in the selection of suppliers and even in the registry of beneficiaries. “Today, our elderly residents enjoy branded and delicious cakes at a more reasonable cost to the city,” he said.
Subsequently, a transparent bidding process has been established for other projects of the city, with the help of modern technology. The public as well as members of the media can view ongoing biddings via live mainstreaming on TV monitors around city hall.
With enhanced social services in place, senior citizens of Makati can now enjoy personalized medical care through house-to-house visits being conducted by doctors from the Makati Health Department and delivery of free vitamins and medicines directly to their homes.