Valenzuela mayoral race: Gatchalian vs. Gunigundo part 2

Although he has been in politics for more than a decade, Valenzuela City 2nd District Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo I knows the journey to the city hall would be tough, especially since he is running against the popular incumbent mayor with deep pockets.

Gunigundo admitted that he had thought about taking a break from politics until 2019 and hope that his wife, Adelma, would take over his seat at the House of Representatives since he had already served there for nine consecutive years, the limit allowed by law.

Eventually, however, the 51-year-old lawyer decided to challenge Mayor Rex Gatchalian for a fresh term because he believes the city residents deserve better than what the current local administration gives.

“We feel that the city, despite its infrastructure projects and many awards that the city has been reaping through various award-giving bodies, we feel that not much has been added to the opportunities in life that citizens of Valenzuela can grab and take advantage of,” he said.

This year's mayoral race is a rematch somehow of the local elections three years ago.

During the 2013 polls, it was Gunigundo's wife who challenged Gatchalian in the mayoral race. At the time, Gatchalian was district representative and vying to replace brother Sherwin for the post.

Gatchalian won handily against Adelma.

Competitiveness index

For this year's polls, the accolades that Gunigundo claim to have little effect on residents’ lives are the very accomplishments Gatchalian uses to gauge his effectivity as chief executive.

For 2014 and 2015, the city has been named among the top 10 most competitive highly urbanized cities nationwide by the National Competitiveness Council. 

The competitiveness index in which Valenzuela was included ranked the overall competitiveness of the cities by assessing their economic dynamism, governance efficiency and infrastructure.

Citing the awards that the city government has received, Gatchalian said: “Other organizations have taken notice of the changes happening here. When Sherwin [Gatchalian, his brother] took over the reins of the government, Valenzuela City isn’t what it is now. My brother put the basics in first. Under my watch, I’m trying to upgrade the services for my constituents.”

Gunigundo, however, claims the foundation on which Valenzuela’s progress has been built is shaky because the city’s infrastructure program is being funded by debts.

“[T]he infrastructure development [in the city] is debt-driven. When you have a debt-driven infrastructure development program that is non-income generating, then it will not be sustainable,” the lawmaker said.

By Gunigundo’s estimates, Valenzuela City’s debt has ballooned to over P2 billion while local revenue streams could only generate P1.2 billion in income and its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) stands at around P700 million.

The huge debt incurred by the city government is the reason why it raised real property and business taxes, as well as fees for obtaining licenses and permits, the lawmaker claimed.

“Since the revenue streams and IRA is not enough to cover the payment of the principal and interest of the loans, the next best thing the government would do is to increase the revenue streams by jacking up taxes. And it’s breaking the backs of most of our constituents,” he said.

Gatchalian, however, said the raise in real property tax had long been overdue.

“In fact, the Department of Finance had called our attention because we’re one of the cities which had been delinquent in adjusting valuations for the past 25 years. The law gives local governments the power to do this every three years,” he said.

Contrary to reports, Gatchalian said the real property tax was only increased for industrial lots, and excluded residential properties. He added that the hike was implemented only after public hearings have been conducted and businessmen were consulted.

From P321.4 million in 2013, Valenzuela City’ income from real property taxes jumped to P583.5 million in 2015 because of the hike.

The mayor said the city’s total revenue, which stood at P3.1 billion would be used to fund programs for the residents’ benefit.

“We had to do adjust [taxes] in compliance with the law and to be able to keep on providing services to the people,” he said.

Running on the platform “Gobyernong Maasikaso para sa Kapwa Pilipino,” Gunigundo promises to improve the services available to Valenzuelanos without putting the city deeper into debt by “removing the fat” from its budget.

He said the city’s budget could be trimmed down without scrimping on the funds for public projects by removing consultants who reportedly receive fat allowances “just by doing nothing except be loyal to the city mayor.”

Gunigundo said he has more comprehensive ideas to streamline the city’s budget but he will expound on them should he win as mayor and after a thorough audit of Valenzuela’s funds has been conducted.

After years of being ruled by members of the Gatchalian family, Gunigundo said his mayoralty bid is being seen by the voters as a refreshing change. 

“People approach me to thank me for running because now, they have a choice… They welcome the idea of changing the people who run the city hall,” he said.

More than a familiar surname

Gatchalian, for his part, knows it takes more than a familiar surname to win the elections. The value of pressing flesh is the reason why he makes it a point to campaign in barangays daily despite the rigors of juggling a presidential campaign as Senator Grace Poe’s spokesperson and work at the city hall.

He said the visits also allow him to correct the misconception that he’s no longer the mayor because the Office of the Ombudsman ordered his dismissal in connection with his supposed administrative liability in the 2015 Kentex factory fire that killed 74 workers.

Gatchalian was able to seek immediate relief from the Court of Appeals, which issued a temporary restraining order stopping the dismissal order handed down by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.

“My political opponents have been going around saying I’m no longer the mayor, that I’m also no longer a candidate because I’ve already been supposedly dismissed from government service. But that’s not true. So during the 45-day [campaign period for local elections], physical presence counts because voters see you’re still the mayor and you’re still running— although nothing could stop my opponents from saying otherwise,” he said.

Should he win a second term, Gatchalian plans to infuse more funds into improving public education, particularly at the tertiary level. He wants the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela to be able to offer more courses and take in a greater number of students.

With regard to healthcare services, the mayor eyes building a second emergency hospital for residents living in Valenzuela’s east side and expanding barangay health centers. He also wants to complete the development of Disiplina Village-Bignay, touted as Metro Manila's largest in-city relocation project for riverbank dwellers.

Coalition vs. ruling party

Joining Gatchalian on the campaign trail is the Tayo Na, Valenzuela! coalition composed of local candidates from his party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), as well as two aspirants from PDP-Laban and one from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

He said he respects the decision of the PDP-Laban members in his slate to support Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for president even if he’s campaigning for Poe.

“We just have to respect each other’s decision,” he said of his colleagues who are supporting a different presidential candidate.

In contrast to Gatchalian, Gunigundo is running with a slate composed of Liberal Party members and one independent bet. He frowns upon forming a coalition made up of politicians from various political parties, saying it reeks of opportunism.

“It’s not nice when you have a coalition at the local level and you’re supporting different candidates at the national level. Parang ang gulo noon. Ang dating doon eh parang oportunista [ka]. You want to have the best of both worlds,” he said.

Being a member of the ruling party, Gunigundo is upbeat about his chances of winning the mayoralty race and reclaiming Valenzuela City as an LP bailiwick on the strength of voters’ belief in the party’s “philosophy of good governance.”

“Valenzuela City has always been a stronghold of the LP since the party started in 1946… Most of the past city mayors were from the ruling party. We firmly believe that on May 9, we’ll show the numbers in the polls,” he said. 

For his part, Gatchalian believes that more than his public presence, his track record speaks volumes about the kind of governance he has been able to give his constituents.

“Elections are not won or lost in 45 days. Elections are won in the three years you stay on as an incumbent, making sure that the promises you made turn into reality, and making sure you don’t relent in going around the city,” he said.

And although his family has been in politics for quite some time, Gatchalian is not discounting the possibility that he would one day go back to being a businessman.

“I like helping people. I like public service, but when the day comes that I know I’ve already given my contribution to the public, there’s the private sector for me… We’re a family of businessmen. Politics is not the end of it all for me. Voters will always have the power in their hands to elect or not elect their leaders,” he said. — RSJ/KBK, GMA News