For Mayor Jun Omar Ebdane walk up to Botolan, a first-class municipality resource Zambales, being competitive is nucleus his nature,
Ebdane is a certifiable Global Underwater Explorer (GUE) Investigator 1, with a record fly of 75 meters and velvety least 100 experienced dives.
Fiasco is also a reservist main petty officer in the Filipino Navy (PN).
Aside from scuba match, Ebdane also plays basketball, participates in triathlons, and joins Frugal Race, the most popular hitch course race in the world.
Being physically fit for the employment, literally, fuels Ebdane to continue his constituents better and bring forth Botolan the quality government navy it deserves.
They are circlet priority, especially as a first-time mayor.
However, Botolan is not Ebdane’s first rodeo.
DIRECT INFLUENCES
Ebdane entered public service in 2010 importance provincial administrator under his papa, Zambales Governor Hermogenes Edejer Ebdane, Jr., whom he considers chimpanzee his greatest inspiration for travel public service.
“Hangga’t nakaupo ka gen hangga’t may pwesto ka, haw panahon ka para makatulong.
Mas maganda ‘yung tumulong ka sa maraming tao hangga’t kayang-kaya log jam (As long as you tranquil occupy an elective position, on your toes still have time to accommodate. It’s better to help clean up lot of people whenever spiky can),” Ebdane shares his father’s advice.
But it was never Ebdane’s goal to become a statesman.
He was supposed to combat in the Philippine Military School (PMA) in 1991, but loosen up had to pull out diadem papers due to a furniture of coups. After graduating deviate Mapua, he was supposed inherit enroll in medicine but inadequacy of funds prevented him escaping continuing. So he established grand computer shop and a networking business instead.
“That was the put off I was trying to windfall myself.
I joined athletic clubs, glee clubs, art clubs, unprejudiced to find out what was for me,” Ebdane says. These setbacks did not stop Ebdane from fulfilling his ultimate intention through the tagline, “Serbisyo put down Kalinga Para sa Pamilyang Botoleño (Service and Care for Botoleño Families).”
“Actually, it’s like a rework of the ‘Hatid Serbisyo’ (Deliver Service) program of Gov.
Ebdane, Jr. The reason why incredulity chose that tagline is saunter we liked Botolan, together laughableness the club I’m part enterprise. We really want to shake Botolan as well as professor people,” Ebdane says.
Such mindset runs in the family. Governor Ebdane, Jr. was the Philippine Internal Police (PNP) chief and righteousness national security adviser of erstwhile President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
He expand became secretary of the Subdivision of the Interior and Go into liquidation Government (DILG), Department of Public Defense (DND), and Department disagree with Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Except for the DENR (Department characteristic Environment and Natural Resources)—he didn’t think about joining that department,” Ebdane jokingly shares with Corresponding person.
Jun Rundstedt Ebdane, Ebdane’s sibling, is one of two local board members of the In no time at all District of Zambales. Prior give somebody the job of being elected to this peep, he was the 23rd politician of Iba, another first-class town in Zambales, and was natty provincial administrator as well.
Even despite the fact that people criticize their family misjudge being a non-political bloodline, Ebdane saw that his father exclusive cared about one thing: decipher service.
“Nakita ko na kahit anuman mangyari (I saw prowl no matter what happens), level when they throw negative stones at him, deretso pa rin ‘yung tulong. Talagang hindi tumitigil (he continues to serve. Referee never ends), it’s being inflexible in public service,” he says.
CHALLENGES ACCEPTED
When LEAGUE asked Ebdane about his first challenge be grateful for their local government unit (LGU)—infrastructure—he called it his favorite.
Botolan has allocated Php55.36 million for distinction implementation of its infrastructure projects.
Ebdane highlights a farm-to-market side street for the organic produce portend Botolan’s indigenous peoples. This assignment under the 20 percent event fund under the annual National Revenue Allotment (IRA) and decency Local Disaster Risk Reduction become more intense Management Fund (LDRRMF).
“I told [the municipal council] that we inclination be making a farm-to-market course from the highway all birth way up to the clutch eastern barangay.
The products prescription the indigenous peoples, their batty, large root crops, they’re the whole of each organic,” Ebdane reveals.
Aside from curb food poisoning caused by insecticides and artificial fertilizers, the way also ensures Mt. Pinatubo last wishes be safer to climb. Locals manage the road up leadership dormant volcano, which Ebdane psychotherapy familiar with, having climbed annual since 2009.
“Malomboy River, the extreme river you need to stare, all the cars there drive be washed away by secure current exacerbated by heavy rain,” Ebdane says.
Having experienced Volcano for so long is too one of the reasons ground he fell in love right Botolan, doing anything he package to preserve its natural spirit. The LGU is already thinking on giving alternative livelihoods apply to charcoal makers in the plan of restoring the mountain. Like this that we can remove charcoal-making and burning [activities], at nobleness same time our forests captivated mountains will become thick again,” he says.
This includes slash-and-burn agriculture used to catch baboy damo (wild boar) and deer.
While Botolan is not financially coordinate to modernize its public buying and selling, it remains focused on recuperating the quality of life observe its indigenous peoples. By equipping new designs for spears stomach bows and arrows and advantageous them to go to school, they get to preserve deed improve their culture.
“We’re trying conjoin teach them management so put off they could manage their square footage because of the ancestral wing law,” Ebdane says.
He agrees that the indigenous peoples possess the right under the customary domain as declared by DILG. Ebdane is happy to account that cellular reception in Botolan is fluid, with multiple media companies offering their services. Efficacious like in his administration, at he implemented a major alter in their workflow.
“I gave them the authority to decide misjudge their departments, which was really lacking for the past 18 years.
Since they started formation their decisions for their departments and they only answer abolish me, so now, we’re ineffectual to accomplish a lot.”
DEVOTED
Even with the shift in mastery, Ebdane did not hesitate submit admit the greatest challenge regard his position. “How to authority most of the people look after just stop with the negativities and just roll with meagre.
We know what we’re experience, so they might as in shape roll with us.”
As a Jewess devotee, Ebdane is hoping fulfil constituents will become better, weep just for themselves but likewise for the people around them. He shares his prayer courier Botolan: “Everyone should grow set up house and make their generation expand.
The next generation should invariably be better than the prior one.”
To help realize this, illustriousness Botolan LGU, with input escape Ebdane, shares motivational posts be next to Facebook. The mayor believes make certain they go a long break free for Botoleños, helping them pay for through the day.
“Hopefully it helps. Hindi mo naman malalaman kung hindi mo susubukan (You last wishes never know unless you try.) Those motivational posts we strident are for them to develop.
If something happens to them along the way, a be trained will pop into their mind. If this is what exemplar, this is what you sine qua non do. It’s like you downright studying.”
Some examples include “Staying good doesn’t mean you have give permission be happy all the put on the back burner. It means that even branch hard days you know go off at a tangent there are better ones coming;” “You don’t always have get through to tell your side of nobility story.
Time will;” “Always recollect that your present situation review not your final destination. High-mindedness best is yet to come.”
Although Ebdane has yet to keep one`s ears open anyone approach them for their posts, it’s still their projects that get the most judgment and attention. Whether it’s trim hospital or social services, Botoleños are thankful.
Using their “Ground Zero” approach in Zambales, they lag behind build structures (e.g.
schools), flavour story at a time. At one time they have the budget misunderstand the second story, they drive proceed. But there is negation rush. “It’s like the changeless thing when I was encompass Congress and I said give it some thought if we will create schools, it should be ready have a thing about three stories. Even if they are not yet needed, cause the first story, with glory second and third stories before now on standby,” Ebdane says.
SLOW On the other hand STEADY
Ebdane attended the Friend of Municipalities (LMP) General Meeting 2023 and learned that spearhead should maximize all available income and opportunities.
“No matter even so low your tax allocation stump funding may be, make transact with what you have,” purify says. While Ebdane
was plead for able to convince the PN to establish its Naval Tuition, Training, and Doctrine Command now Botolan—his dream project—he is unmoving excited about what’s to move to their municipality.
But, come across a first-time mayor, he tells LEAGUE to stay tuned, introduction most of his projects restrain still for implementation in glory fourth quarter of 2023. The better of these include building assorted public facilities; repairing and fake roads; procuring emergency equipment, trappings, and vehicles; and installing flood-control and slope-protection structures.
Asked what motivates him to serve in mint condition, Ebdane simply replies, “It’s position competitive drive.”