The People's Mayor

They call him fondly by his nickname En-goy. They will go as far formally as Mayor En-goy, most telling of his leadership style and the close relationship he has with his constituents. If you hear someone address him as Mayor Avestruz, that someone is more likely not a constituent. Because Barugo’s popular, relatively young mayor is almost never referred to by his constituents as Mayor Avestruz.

Most of them don’t even know his real given name, Alden. But it matters not. They know En-goy, their Mayor En-goy, is there for them, always. As they say, “madali duokon, andam pagbulig, andam pagserbisyo.”

He is an accomplished lawyer by profession, dedicated public servant by vocation. Public service has always been in his heart. He first emerged in the political limelight back in 1998 when at the young age of 28 he was elected number one councilor of Barugo. In 2001 he was elected vice mayor and re-elected to a second term in 2004.

Running as an underdog in the 2007 local elections, he was elected mayor of Barugo. Noteworthy is the fact that his opponent was the candidate of the financially formidable Apostol political empire. It was therefore as much a victory for the people of Barugo as it was for En-goy. He was the people’s candidate, not someone else’s.

Like most Barugon-ons, En-goy is a product of the public elementary school system. He is the youngest child of a dedicated public school teacher and a highly esteemed judge, both now retired. But if I were to venture a guess they will probably prefer to be described as successful parents, having raised their children as upright citizens and successful professionals. Their eldest, Alvin, died of a brain tumor while in college. Closer in age to me than En-goy is, he was a dear friend.

En-goy spent four years at Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo, Leyte, graduating from high school in 1985. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in customs administration in 1989 from University of Cebu, and placed number 15 in the 1990 customs brokerage licensure exam. Four years later he obtained the degree of Bachelor of Laws from Divine Word University. In 1995, he passed the bar, finally achieving his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer, the better to serve the public.

As a young practicing attorney he realized that serving the people gave him great personal satisfaction. Most of his clients couldn’t afford to pay his fees but he still provided them the legal services they needed. Pro bono publico, as it is referred to in the legal profession. For the public good, translated from Latin, is what it means. Proof positive you see that En-goy has been a public servant in the truest sense of the word even before he entered politics.

In Barugo, legend has it that as a practicing lawyer, En-goy considered any street in Barugo as his office and would sign legal documents literally using the client’s back as his desk.

Pro bono publico - madali duokon, andam pagbulig, andam pagserbisyo. En-goy is the very definition of what servant leadership is – a leader who is primarily a servant.

Among his collateral duties since becoming an elected local official include: 1998 to 2001 - General Legal Counsel of the Philippine Councilors’ League; 2001 to 2004 – Provincial Auditor, Vice Mayors’ League; 2004 to 2007 – Vice President for Admin, Vice Mayors’ League; 2007 to present – Chairman, Electoral Tribunal, Mayors’ League.

Prior to his election as mayor he was a partner of Libanan Tansingco Uy Adolfo and Avestruz Law Firm. One of his partners is former Eastern Samar Congressman and current Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) Commissioner Marcelino Libanan.

Since becoming mayor in 2007, En-goy has ensured the provision of basic services to all barangays, including nutrition, child development, health and protective services. He has instituted several programs and initiated important projects among which include the following: continuing skills development of municipal employees, numerous infrastructure projects for various barangays, improvement of drainage system and roads, youth sports development, cultural activities, potable drinking water for various barangays, and medical missions.

He started the EN-GOY Program, or Enhancement of Skills for Gainful Employment Opportunities for the Youth, aimed at developing the skills of the youth of Barugo to help improve their chances for gainful employment.

He has also led the successful implementation of the farm-to-market roads rehabilitation project under the Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector (inFRES) program of the Department of Agriculture, sourcing counterpart funding from the Office of the Governor of Leyte. This project covers 14 barangays and is aimed at increasing farm productivity and rural income.

There is talk widely spread in Barugo that the town could have received more infrastructure projects through the pork barrel of the second district representative, had En-goy toed the line and switched to the congresswoman’s political party.

If such story is true, what a sad state of affairs it is. For herein lies the acid test of leadership and character. In effect, for the last three years the people of Barugo have been held political hostage and victimized by vindictiveness.

Vindictiveness is never an attribute of a good leader.

En-goy has exhibited good leadership traits since becoming mayor. He put to stop what has been the usual, accepted albeit vindictive practices of replacing temporary municipal employees hired by the previous administration and of requesting the transfer of policemen perceived to have supported the opposing candidate.

That is good leadership. Magnanimity. Tolerance. People first. Character traits rarely seen in politics these days.

Twelve years in public office as councilor, vice mayor and mayor, En-goy has never been a subject of a graft complaint. If it were only money he was after, he could have continued to build a lucrative legal practice. Or he could have been by now a customs official with unexplained wealth. But serving the public is what gives him self-actualization.

Growing up as a young boy in the ‘60s I saw in the flesh most of Barugo’s mayors who served right after World War II through the late 1960s. Laureano Claros. Lorenzo Afable. Mariano Delgado. Marciano Cańeda. Julian Cańeda. They came from different political parties. To this day I do not know if they can be considered among Barugo’s most effective mayors. But, more importantly, they had one thing in common that even my very young mind then could discern. They were of modest means.

This is not in any way to disparage any of Barugo’s former chief executives, living or dead. But in my mind these five aforementioned mayors were highly dedicated public servants whose only motive was to serve the people that elected them to office. As men of unquestionable integrity, they left public office with the same modest means they had prior to being elected. Indubitably true public servants that should be resolutely emulated and gratefully admired!

I am sure that in years to come, when our grandchildren be the judge, they will speak of the name Alden “En-goy” Avestruz in the same exalted mold as Laureano Claros, Lorenzo Afable, Mariano Delgado, Marciano Cańeda and Julian Cańeda.