Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called on the citizens of Taguig to honor God this Holy Week by building a sense of community throughout the city.
“Ito po y’ung tinuturo po natin sa isa’t isa, and I think this Holy Week, we should all meditate how we can honor God by being one community in the city of Taguig,” Cayetano said in his remarks at the opening of a community center in Bagumbayan, Taguig on April 13, 2022.
Cayetano stressed the importance of maintaining a “social architecture” in the city based on values. “Sabi ko po, ang aming contribution ay y’ung social architecture. Saan galing y’ung social architecture? Sabi ko unang una, y’ung values,” he said.
He noted that the city took a stand against the establishment of casino developments in 2001, and that this decision enabled Taguig to focus its attention on making its citizens’ lives better.
Cayetano also pointed out that during the early 2000s, when Bonifacio Global City (BGC) was starting to gain investments and attract employers to the city, the vast majority of white-collar workers in Taguig’s own business district were non-residents.
To remedy this, the local government embarked on an ambitious set of programs to ensure equal opportunities for all Taguig residents to get ahead in life, resulting in a robust social safety net for Taguigeños.
“So sabi ko, y’ung ibang mga empleyado na taga-ibang lugar, kung ang sweldo sa call center bente mil, ang taga-Taguig bente mil din,” Cayetano said.
“Sa taga-Taguig, ang nanay at tatay nila, o lolo’t lola nila, dinideliveran sila ng gamot. Ang taga-Taguig, y’ung anak nila meron pong tseke o meron po ng cash para sa college nila,” he added.
Cayetano also noted that in Taguig, everyone can seek medical attention in health centers that are PhilHealth-accredited and have complete laboratory facilities. There are also daycare and community centers where the people can bond together.
“So y’un po y’ung sinasabi kong social architecture. Kaya nga ito y’ung Probinsiyudad,” Cayetano added, using one of the city’s nicknames which evokes a balance between a provincial sense of community and urban living.
Aside from a solid safety net, Cayetano emphasized the impact of well-maintained public spaces in strengthening a sense of community among citizens and making Taguig a livable city.
“Sa mga community center at parks, y’un po ay mga lugar where we can congregate and really experience not only family life but the life that god intended for us anuman ang ating maging religion,” he said.
