I was recognized together with our City Vice Mayor by one of Iloilo City Schools most outstanding public elementary schools as a person who is helping in the improvement of education and who is also easy to talk to when it comes to assistance for school projects and programs

Keeping in touch with parents, children, barangay officials and the members of the academe

Assisting the principal of a public elementary school in giving out certificates of recognition to parents who are very supportive of school programs and projects

Talking to one of our volunteer doctors during the LEX Medical Mission as the patients who after going vital signs check up line up for a free medical check up and then will get their free medicines and would also be able to get their free ECG check up.

One of my special projects, Life Expectancy eXtension (LEX) Medical Mission. This has been an on-going project having visited various area districts, barangays and communities here in Iloilo City since year 2006 even if I wasn't yet a City Official when it started. It has already helped out thousands of children, women and elderly. This wouldn't have been possible without my partner institutions and individuals who find ways in extending excellent and free health services and programs.


A distinct rapport and style with the young Ilonggos. High fives, salutes and fist bumps with the kids and young adults. These have been my greeting and congratulation gestures even before I entered politics.


February 28, 2009

A risk, according to Dr. Bhatta, is about a sense of “uncertainty of outcome”. Dr. Bhatta added that “people prefer to take risks on the basis of a known rather unknown probability” which he calls as risk ambiguity.

Many of us apparently seem to be risk averse. We rather go for something certain, expected and sure. This might be true for some who would want a stable job rather than have a business, go into politics or try their luck in showbiz or other non stable professions. For others, it seems that being secure is more preferred than choosing the unknown even if it has potential of yielding more. Is it because of the fear of the unexpected and the dislike for change? Some people even don’t like their daily simple routine to be disturbed or altered.

I’d like to believe that each of us have our own level of risk aversion. This might be what Dr. Bhatta mentions as risk tolerance and risk appetite.

Some say that a risk is a gamble because the outcome is unsure.

I remember my former girlfriend and fiancée tell me before when we decided to go into a serious relationship, “I know you’re an economist and you take calculated risks but sometimes you should just grab a good opportunity when it passes by”. I was a 3rd year AB Economics College Student in Ateneo de Manila during that time. I honestly didn’t think of going into a relationship with her as a risk but what she said made me think about such. She was a model of various magazines as well as a shampoo commercial model, a theater actress, and a student council officer. We were in a relationship for four years. This was about the same situation with a once special girl in my life who I met in Indonesia who is nine years my junior. Even though both relationships didn’t last same as the other relationships I had, I believe that each relationship helped me grow and made me a better person.

On a different experience, when I ran to become officer of the Ateneo Student Council in Ateneo De Manila University, I was only one of the less than twenty Lasallians out of the thousands of new Ateneans. LaSalle Green Hills and Ateneo have this certain rivalry that started ages ago. One of my opponents was a well known international debater and the other was from Ateneo high school. Some ridiculed me and told me that I didn’t have a chance since I’m from a rival school and I was not yet accomplished during that time. I even had close friends who told me sarcastically, “good luck na lang”. I was the Honors’ Class President in LaSalle but Ateneo is definitely not my territory. I was blessed to have won resoundingly and was in the student council for two consecutive terms in various positions before I graduated. I also had similar experiences with Rotaract and Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas that despite being a relative newcomer in these organizations, I was chosen and voted unanimously to become President for the former and National Vice President for the latter. My most recent experience is here in Iloilo City when I ran as City Councilor in a highly urbanized city which isn’t my families’ political territory. I was a new resident of the City and a relative unknown personality. Some told me it was an uphill battle for me especially that some did everything to block my possible political entry. I never gave up and just worked hard to gain the trust and support of the Ilonggos. I am blessed, honored and privileged to have been given the chance to serve Iloilo City. These are just some of my experiences of overcoming obstacles, believing in one’s self, believing in one’s constituents, being persevering, asking for God’s guidance and knowing that anything is possible.

Risks happen when good opportunities are seen but the outcomes are uncertain. There are risks that are considered as high risks but would also produce high rewards if managed properly. There are risks worth taking and would yield what we want best. Thus, let us look around. Let us check out if there are good opportunities. After such, let us calculate and manage the risks we need to take so that whatever happens, you would tell yourself, it was good that I tried my best and grabbed the opportunity than say in the future, why did I let the opportunity pass me by.

Para sa kauswagan sang Syudad sang Iloilo, UGYON Kabataang Ilonggo, UGYON Iloilo. Ilonggos are worth working and fighting for.