Since the success of Quezon City, Metro Manila’s largest local government unit, relies on strong barangays, its officials should keep strengthening their communities through ‘honest, responsive, and compassionate leadership.’
House Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ stressed that message in his address on Monday evening during the 31st Quezon City Barangay Day Celebration at the Grand Ballroom of Novotel Manila in Quezon City.
Dy, who once served as barangay chair in Cauayan, Isabela, highlighted the unique place that barangay officials have in government, being the closest and first authorities people approach whenever they have problems in their community – whatever the time of day.
His own barangay service experience, Dy pointed out, was among the best preparations for tackling higher government posts, as being a leader at that level calls for doing executive, legislative, and even quasi-judicial functions.
‘I think that if you’ve worked as a barangay chairman, you can fill any other position in the Republic of the Philippines,’ Dy said in Filipino.
The true measure of barangay leadership is the trust of the people, Dy said, recalling how residents would regularly come to his home for help with their everyday concerns.
According to him, his father, the late Isabela Gov. Faustino Dy Sr., reminded him that their willingness to seek him out was itself a sign of confidence in his leadership.
The speaker urged barangay officials to protect that trust by ensuring that public funds are used properly and that government services would be felt by the people they serve.
Recalling the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, Dy reminded local officials that good governance requires both competence and integrity.
‘Not all who are competent have integrity. Not all who have integrity are competent. What we need are those who have both integrity and competence to take care of public funds,’ Dy said.
He congratulated Quezon City for recognizing outstanding barangays and barangay officials for the work they perform every day, including their crucial role as frontliners during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also noted the celebration’s theme highlighting strong, adaptive, future-ready, environment-friendly, and resilient barangays, saying these qualities reflect the expanding responsibilities of local communities.