Former Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo is New DILG Head

For weeks, anxious Nagueños waited for their multi-awarded former city mayor to get appointed as the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Finally, nine days after the inauguration of  Noynoy Aquino as new Philippine President, spokesman Edwin Lacierda announced today that, indeed, Jesse M. Robredo is the new DILG secretary. President Aquino signed Robredo's appointment yesterday.

Apparently, for President Aquino, the DILG is so important that he deferred the announcement of his final choice to head the department until a thorough vetting process is complete and even concurrently held the portfolio for more than a week.

Few days ago, when his fate was uncertain, Jesse Robredo was texting friends that he was all set to accept a one-year  fellowship at the Stanford University. This would have effectively sidelined the talented mayor during the critical first year of the Aquino presidency. And P-Noy would not allow that.

Jesse Robredo spent all his younger years in Naga City, finishing grades school at the Naga Parochial School (batch 1970) and high school at the Ateneo de Naga (batch 1974). During these early years, Jesse Robredo consistently belonged to honor sections and was known as a brilliant chess player.

Robredo later finished his Industrial Management Engineering and Mechanical Engineering courses at the De La Salle University. His post-graduate trainings included courses in management at the University of the Philippines.

After the 1986 People Power Revolution, Robredo returned to Naga to head the Bicol River Basin Development Program, giving up a lucrative job at the  San Miguel Corporation.

In the1988 elections, Robredo became the city mayor of Naga at 29. After serving for three straight terms as Mayor and already prohibited by Philippine law to seek re-election, Robredo used the 3-year break in his mayorship to finish his Masters Degree in Public Administration at the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University.

He returned to Naga to become mayor again and served for another straight three terms that ended just when a new Philippine president was sworn into office.

During the years when Robredo was at the helm, Naga City, by all count a disadvantaged provincial city, lacking in critical infrastructure like robust airport and seaport, experienced progress and development never before seen in the Bicol Region. In 1999, Naga City was Asiaweek's "most improved city in Asia." Robredo was Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Public Service in 2000. Under Mayor Jesse Robredo, Naga City was forever transformed. The city became a showcase of what good governance can do.

In 1996, Jesse Robredo was among the Ten Outstanding Young People of the Philippines and Ten Outstanding Young People of the World.

Robredo's other recognitions in the area of governance are the Konrad Adenauer Medal of Excellence as Most Outstanding City Mayor of the Philippines in 1998 and the Civil Service Commission's  “Dangal ng Bayan ” award. He is also an Edward Mason Fellow.