Makati Mayor Abby Binay. INQUIRER file photo
MANILA, Philippines — Former Vice President and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay beamed with pride as he introduced his daughter during the recent proclamation rally of their ticket, Team Performance.
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party chair said it was a blessing that Abby won the 2016 elections, otherwise his decades of hard work for the city would have all been for naught.
Taking over from Acting Mayor Kid Peña, Abby Binay found the city in shambles, noting the apparent deterioration in governance and basic services.
She vowed to continue her father’s work by introducing innovations that will bring the city and its people to the digital age.
“I value performance because it is the pillar of a good administration. I believe in performance because it is the key to a Makati we can all be proud of,” Binay said.
The UNA mayoral bet summed up the main thrusts of Team Performance as follows: malinis na pamamalakad (clean governance), marangal na pamumuno (leadership with integrity) and maipagmamalaking siyudad (a highly esteemed city).
Digital initiatives
During her first term as mayor, Binay launched digital initiatives through public-private partnerships (PPP).
These include the Makatizen Card, a unified, multipurpose ID providing over 53,000 residents and city hall workers with access to the cashless, digital economy.
Makati’s free Wi-Fi project that now covers 13 barangays, where residents, students and transients enjoy online connection on designated periods daily.
Through the Makatizen App, available in both Play Store and App Store, thousands of users can get updates on city events, report crime or seek emergency assistance.
1st intracity subway
Another PPP initiative is the Makati Subway, the country’s first intracity subway system that Binay regards as her legacy to the people of Makati.
The creation of over 6,000 jobs, significant traffic decongestion and enhanced quality of life are among the many benefits of the project that is expected to be completed in 2025.
The mayoral candidate unveiled new initiatives that her team will undertake to build on these initial achievements.
First is the provision of hospice care for the elderly, wherein health experts will do home visits to provide residents with proper intervention and palliative care.
The mayor will also prioritize the setup of the urgent care program in the city’s barangay health centers, in addition to primary health care services they provide.
The modernization of Ospital ng Makati will also continue with the addition of equipment and facilities, and the hiring of more doctors and nurses.
For the youth, Binay said her administration would establish a school equipped with reliable Wi-fi connection and modern computers in its classrooms.
Free nutritious meals
She also plans to include free baon (provisions) — not monetary but in the form of nutritious meals — in the growing list of benefits enjoyed by 90,000 public schoolchildren in Makati under Project FREE (Free Relevant Excellent Education).
During her first term, the mayor added a pair of rubber shoes, rain coats and rain gear, as well as field trips, to free school supplies and uniforms already provided to the pupils.