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Friday, March 29, 2024

Mayor Edwin Olivarez: Living up to his pedigree

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A man who is committed to his people, and a man who delivers on his word — that is Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez. Since taking office in 2013, Olivarez has proven that he can live up to the name and pedigree of his father, former City Mayor Dr. Pablo Olivarez.

Mayor “Elo” is a successful businessman and was a licensed real estate broker before he decided to enter government service. He was elected as the Number 1 board member of Laguna, became Vice Governor of that province, and served as Congressman of the first district of Parañaque before being elected mayor.

He is seen as the man who will embody the upsurge of new politics in the City of Parañaque. This is without a question, as Mayor Olivarez has dedicated his term to improving the city. In return, he has received awards on behalf of the city for programs implemented during his tenure.

His first 100 days in office was highlighted by the completion of several socialized housing projects for hundreds of beneficiary families in the city. He had instructed the Local Housing Development Office to determine a relocation site in-city to make sure  no informal settler families would be displaced, to avoid disrupting their livelihood, and to keep their children in school.

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Mayor Olivarez said most of these properties are under the Community Mortgage Program. Its beneficiaries must be willing to pay the cost of the housing projects in budget-friendly installments to the Social Housing Finance Corporation. The payments will refund the lot purchase amount to the city government, allowing the city to use the money for future housing projects.

The mayor was also a recipient of the 2013 National Maagap Awards by the Organized Response for the Advancement of Society or ORAS Movement, which is dedicated to the promotion of punctuality and civility in society. ORAS also commended the mayor’s achievements in governing the city.

In the same year, he was chosen as the Most Outstanding Business Executive and a recipient of the Gawad Sikap Award, both given by the Child Assistance and Rehabilitation Inc. or CARE. The mayor has also received the Anvil Award—an annual public relations award given to select public relations nominees of exemplary performance in the field—for “Best in Science, Technology & Agriculture.” 

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Ronald de la Rosa, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez and NCRPO Director Chief Supt. Oscar Albayalde (from right) served as godfathers to 150 couples during a mass wedding held in SM Bicutan. The new couples are bona fide residents of the first and second district of the city, and have been living together for years before formalizing their union.

He also initiated the OSCA Cares Program by the city’s Office of Senior Citizen Affairs upon his assumption. The program provides benefits such as free laboratory examinations and medical check-ups during the birth months of senior citizens of Parañaque, aside from those provided by Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

Senior citizens in the city are also entitled to P500 birthday cash gift and another P500 as a Christmas gift every year, as well as free movies within the city, among other benefits.

In 2015, he decided to open “friendship routes” to ease the traffic in Parañaque and neighboring cities such as Las Piñas, Pasig, Muntinlupa and Taguig. 

Opening some of Parañaque’s private villages as alternate routes became an immediate solution to the worsening traffic situation in southern Metro Manila. He also directed that P30 million be set aside for the maintenance of the private roads included in the friendship route.

Mayor Olivarez’s second term proves how much the people of Parañaque trust this man. The plans he has lined up and will continue will build on the citizens’ hopes and aspirations, which are his hopes and aspirations as well. Fulfilling this great responsibility will push Parañaque to a prosperous and bright future.

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