Monday, May 28, 2007 ‘I’ll try to be a servant-leader’ By Aledel Gonzalez-Cuizon Sun.Star Staff Reporter
JUST two months before his 41st birthday, Acting Vice Mayor Jonas Cortes was proclaimed winner in the May 14, 2007 polls, making him the youngest mayor of Mandaue City.
When he officially takes his oath next month, he will not only be a father to Dmitri, 13, and Mikyla, 3, but also to a highly urbanized city of over 250,000 constituents.
About 78 percent of the city’s registered voters cast their ballots last May 14 and 59,808 votes were later counted in favor of Cortes.
His win ended the 19-year reign of the Ouanos in the city government of Mandaue.
Cortes’ father, Demetrio Sr., was mayor of Mandaue for about 22 years.
Demetrio, or Boy, was the last municipal mayor of Mandaue and also its first mayor when it became a city in 1969. His father, Ariston Sr., was el presidente for almost 10 years.
The Cortes from the third generation has said in a previous interview that he wouldn’t want to be too different from his father. He admires his father so much that he wants apply everything he learned from him, including leadership and management style.
Jonas also promises to have a transparent administration, wherein the bidding process for projects will be open to non-government organizations.
He doesn’t want to hire close relatives to work for him, even in confidential positions in the Office of the Mayor. He could hire one, maybe, but he says that will be enough.
The new mayor refuses to talk about what he and his family endured during the grueling campaign period, but is willing to reconcile.
Why do you think there was no straight victory from either camp?
This is just my personal analysis: Mandauehanons today don’t like the elected officials to come from one party anymore. For them, there should be check and balance in the government.
Another factor is the involvement of the different clans in Mandaue.
What can Mandaue expect from the Cortes administration?
The most important thing I got from my father is the type of leadership he showed—hands-on leadership and leadership by example. Siya mismo mayor, magpaduol sa katawhan.
In the campaign I said that if I win, I’ll try my best to be a servant-leader.
How would you work with a City Council where the majority is composed of persons from your rival party?
My administration will be consultative. I will let them know about my plans. I will sit down and discuss matters with Vice Mayor-elect Carlo Pontico Fortuna.
But what if political affiliations factor in?
We will encounter that but I have high regard for Carlo and the rest of the council members. We only have one goal and that is to serve the City of Mandaue. We have to set aside politics. The elections are over.
It’s about time that we show the people that we will follow the moral standards of mature politics in Mandaue.
Let bygones be bygones.
Now that you are mayor, there is the belief that many employees at City Hall, especially those allied with the Ouanos, will also lose their jobs.
Diha sila nasayop. We will base it on performance. If they have been effective in their respective jobs, they will stay. If not, they will have to go.
Will you hire relatives to work at the Office of the Mayor?
Definitely not. But if I need their advice, yes.
That’s the issue against the Ouanos. They ran Mandaue like a family business. It’s public knowledge.
Will you rename the offices that were named after outgoing mayor Thadeo Ouano?
We’d rather promote Mandaue. For instance, Tedman will be renamed Team, or the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue.
Bus ni Mayor will be made Bus sa Mandaue.
With Team, I would suggest there will be coordination with the traffic management offices of other cities and municipalities.
You said in earlier interviews that you would continue some of the projects of the Ouano administration. What projects will not go on under the Cortes administration?
Mostly makaayo man.
But we should avoid expensive projects. We’re going to review the current loans and make sure there is payment. We should avoid new loans until we could pay them.
We have projects that remain unfinished. We have been paying for the interest of the loans for these projects but they haven’t been finished.
How will your administration address the absence of a sanitary landfill?
We will review the agreement between the City and the Cebu Provincial Government. There is no more area in Mandaue City for a landfill.
I also plan to have garbage collected at night until dawn to avoid traffic. It would be nice to wake up in the morning and see clean surroundings. I will also see to it that all barangays will have garbage bins.
Now that you are the father of the city, how will you divide your time between the City and your family?
My father was a good leader and a good father. Despite his hectic schedule, he saw to it that he was able to spend time with our family. I will also do that.
Papa was a humble leader.
What is your message to Mandauehanons, including your detractors?
I am thankful for the victory and the overwhelming support.
We should start the reconciliation and healing process since there were people who were hurt during the campaign. Together we will move forward for a better Mandaue.
