Si Mayor Bambol

I always love to go to Tagaytay City to freshen up, to have a deep look at the pristine beauty of the Taal Volcano and Lake and be amazed by the myriads of flowers that abound along the roads.

Today, I happen to be in Tagaytay again.

I just gave a talk to the Department of Health personnel on encouraging local government units to come together and jointly run networks of health facilities (Rural Health Units and hospitals) so as to better improve health outcomes, provide continuity of health services to their constituents and maximize their scarce resources.

Then suddenly, Dr. Rorie told me that I can meet the young mayor of the city, known also as the Garden City, the Character City and a Healthy City.

Dressed in simple polo shirt, fading maong and casual shoes, I call him among the new breed of “MAYORS IN BLUE JEANS”.

” Ang alam ng mga tao na mayor ng Tagaytay City ay si Francis Tolentino, “I blurted. “ ”Hindi ka ba pampalit lang dahil sa last term na ni Francis?”

"Hindi ah, I am my own man!” asserted Mayor “Bambol” Tolentino, the younger brother of Francis, and the son of former Mayor Tolentino. “Before I became a mayor, I was an SK President and a two-term councilor! While I continued my brother’s programs and projects, I have initiated my own programs.”

While Mayor Bambol is still maintaining the Galing Pook awarded programs (People’s Park and financial re-engineering) he is enthusiastic about his new innovations in expanding the financial base of his 3rd class component city. Among his pride are his funeral services of offering caskets/coffins at affordable 5K, 10K and 15K prices to the people. He boasts also of gaining about 30M a year from the new city administered Picnic Groove.

He wants to remove the structures blocking the view of the Taal volcano and the lake and likewise doesn’t want SM and Robinsons to put big malls in the city.

All he wants is just to preserve the pristine nature of the city where people come to view, breathe fresh air, pray, meditate, dine, and buy fresh fruits and flowers.

What the mayor wants is what people living in and visitors going to Tagaytay also want!



Dok Eddie
Galing Pook Foundation
August 30, 2007
Tagaytay City