Tuloy ang Joy sa QC.

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

“When Joy is a habit, love is a reflex.” — Bob Goff

It was an absolute delight to have spent a very productive morning with our newly-reelected Mayor of Quezon City, the effervescent MARIA JOSEFINA TANIA GO BELMONTE, affectionately called “Joy” by her family, friends and constituents. Mayor Belmonte believes that the success of the city lies upon having trustworthy leadership, data and information-driven decision making, and an efficient and well-functioning government system that is worthy of the public trust. While having initially introduced her 14-point agenda which focused on human and social services, economic development, environment, and climate change, infrastructure, and institutional development, she spent a dominant part of her first term as Quezon City mayor confronting the pandemic. During the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, she proved that, through the dedicated service of the local government officials and genuine concern for its constituents, the city would survive all hurdles thrown against it. Free COVID-19 tests were made available for its residents and workers and the city's molecular laboratory was built for speedy release of coronavirus test results. The local government had also provided financial aid to employees of high-risk establishments affected by lockdowns, and care kits to closed-care setting facilities grappling with virus outbreaks.

With her landslide win against her closest rival in the mayoral race this year, she vowed to focus on her 14-point agenda of inclusive growth, the upliftment of lives and communities, and unwavering service to every Quezon City citizen, which she believes can contribute to the city’s long-term development while resolving challenges brought about by the pandemic. Among her priorities include ensuring the vaccination of citizens, further strengthening the healthcare system and providing more support to businesses affected by the pandemic.

The 14-point agenda of her administration includes: (1) Delivering responsive, efficient and cost-effective social services; (2) building more homes; (3) provide better healthcare; (4) ensuring high quality education; (5) empowering citizens of every gender and social class; (6) building a safer and more resilient city; (7) making Quezon City the preferred destination for businesses; (8) creating new jobs across more businesses; (9) developing growth hubs; (10) building a livable, green and sustainable city; (11) building essential infrastructure; (12) being a model of good governance; (13) professionalizing and strengthening the Quezon City workforce; and (14) listening to Quezon City citizens and knowing what they need.

While the mayor’s advocacies cover a wide spectrum, they are especially focused on the protection and upholding of the rights of women and children, gender fairness, economic empowerment of women, mental health, culture, and the arts. She pushed for the establishment of the QC Protection Center for Women, Children, and LGBT++ (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders) as a one-stop-shop facility for victims of abuse. Located at the Quezon City General Hospital, the facility provides legal services, police assistance, medical assistance, medico-legal examinations, counseling and psychiatric evaluation, and referral to a temporary shelter program. She also saw the need for nursing mothers who have to transact business at Quezon City Hall for a breastfeeding station and ensured that one such facility was put up at City Hall. The facility complies with DOH requirements and has a play area suited for small children of nursing mothers.

Moreover, her advocacy to promote livelihood programs and entrepreneurship is designed to empower and provide a sustainable future for indigent women, for those rehabilitated from drug abuse, and for inmates who seek a better life upon release from jail, among others. Among her projects for promoting entrepreneurship is the “Tindahan ni Ate Joy, L.I.P.A.D.” (Local Inclusiveness Project for the Advancement and Development)-Pinay Program, the Artisan Academy, and Lazada E-commerce online selling.

More recently, she has approved an ordinance mandating the inclusion of environmental criteria in the technical specifications for the city government’s procurement of goods, services, and infrastructure. This Ordinance hopes to help the city government implement the policies it crafted and fulfil the agreements and commitments it entered into with various organizations when it comes to environmental protection and sustainable development.

Prior to becoming the chief executive of Quezon City, she served as the vice mayor from 2010-2019. She presided over a City Council, which has been regarded as the Most Outstanding in the Philippines, in accordance with the exemplary standards of the Local Legislative Awards of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

A gifted leader and academic achiever, Mayor Joy completed her high school studies at the Poveda Learning Centre, where she became the first student council chairman of the school. She graduated with a Jose Segovia Award for Service and Gerry Roxas Award. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, a Master’s Degree in Philosophy from the Institute of Archaeology, University College in London, and another Master’s degree in Museum Studies from the Leicester University in the United Kingdom.

The two-hour tête-à-tête gave me an even better appreciation of our city leader who astonished me with her unmatched dedication and cyclonic energy. It is no wonder that she continues to confound skeptics with her steely resolve to accomplish the impossible, often masked in a disarmingly childlike demeanor. Indeed, with Mayor Joy at the helm, #MayJOYsaQC.