Ano nagawa mo? Simplifying Governance: Back To Basic W-L-R-L-P

In response to requests by followers of this page for more information on what I had done in the three years that I was Agriculture Secretary, I will post starting today a series on “Anong Nagawa Mo?”

To make the report more comprehensive, I will start with my accomplishments as Mayor of my hometown, Mlang, Cotabato from 1995 to 1998 which marked the start of my 21-years service as a public servant.

I became Mayor by accident. It was my father, the late Bernardo Magbanua Piñol, who was the original candidate but he had to withdraw after falling ill.

It was later discovered that he had brain tumor and I was called home from Metro Manila where I was working as a journalist to take over his candidacy.

He succumbed to cancer one month after I assumed the mayorship which I won by a very slim margin over our mayor for 27 years.

May be an image of 2 people and text that says "since THAS been ver wo the M'lang argest Cotabato populated 80,000 ters M'lang ing provide examples inspire Daugh- young rags-to- changes has occurred passed town during past two Marcelo was awarded the Dangal ng Bayan Award ers allı Miracle M'lang my mind Dr. Ray Catague Icall Pedro P. Marcelo sincere resolve part being town change for Dr. Ray Lingkod simply Roads, Livelihood people government given the themselv named which Green Award giving need tself Brdir grand people believe that there should roads, water, ight, livelihood peace work our people towards This hind standing the understanding. there under- efforts dreaming"

Since I had no experience in governance, I just used my newsman’s sense and asked my townmates what they needed and what they wanted.

From out of the consultations, I coined five letters which represented my priorities in governance: W-L-R-L-P for Water, Light, Roads, Livelihood and Peace.

Water Systems were built in the villages most of which are still operational until today, provided communities with electricity, built roads using the town’s old equipment, built small water impoundings to provide water for irrigation and livelihood and worked on a peaceful co-existence between Muslims and Christians in the town.

May be an image of 2 people and text that says "Light up my life... fervent nurtured people Barbaza, Fortuna, Magallon, Dunguan, equipment showed tap who vanted power (Compra etand power lines theend pected Eleven puroks were nergized Mavor requested impro- Piñol trification elec- barangaysi the energized dnot just four but No more dark nights followed single-phaselir Langkong, New Lawaan, Tawan-tawan, New Seeing light at sunset benefitted estimated S00 small businesser determina- Barbaza funds Barbaza, oday national"

I personally led the campaign against kidnappers and extortion groups, survived an ambush and joined policemen and soldiers in actual armed encounters.

I drove away a group of squatters on Bangsamoro ancestral lands in Barangay Dugong and started the titling of their properties to establish ownership.

May be an image of 3 people, outdoors and text that says "Ronds of Hope AINLY agricultural town, one.of the were nehabilitated. nconstructing absence total Small Vater mpounding Systems connect their tarms the nearest designed provide velihood far and market. backs cost karyador Perhaps, prohibitive arera the quisition address problem, oronly quipment opening roads in marshly areas fthe constructing Sangguniang Bayan, proposal acquired pesos floodings e- Road Komatsu Today, utilization Backhoe P5-M toyers opened 200 tojoke vhere dilapidated Ldizzying lead though, lead the progress Roads the midst of swamps"

Once known as a troubled town, Mlang became an example of how the police and law enforcers, provided with leadership and direction, additional vehicles and equipment, including the first desktop computer, could rise up to the challenge and perform.

In three years, Mlang became a first class municipality and was installed in the Hall of Fame as the Cleanest and Greenest Municipality in the Philippines.

May be an image of 1 person, standing and text that says "Livelihood town, M'lang's producing follows During aimed income owned Water Farmers the different barangays. The asked Woman groups were hicken hatched distributed re- chance Goats M'lang tiatedb ctober 1997, Mayor Octo sked Farmer and and Bernie named Outstanding Agriculture raises heads srael chicker known big sizes good taste armer convince chicken, nogs, goats and the can months."

Before I left the town to run for Governor in 1998, I started crafting a long-term development plan which included the construction of a domestic airport in the wide plains of the M’lang.

In spite of the delays, the airport has taken shape with the runway and terminal building completed and may soon be operational with the completion of other civil works.

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!

#KungGustoMaramingParaan!

#WalangKorupsyonMaramiProjects!