The surname Abalos is tied with the modern history and leadership of Mandaluyong City for more than three decades.
Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr., his wife and now-Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos and their son, the city’s former mayor and now Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos have led the city into further economic development during the past two decades alone.
Abalos Sr. first held the position as mayor of Mandaluyong City, leading it from 1988 to 1998. His wife has just been elected vice mayor this year after serving as mayor for two terms, from 2016 to 2022. Abalos Jr. or Benhur served as mayor for five terms, 1998 to 2004 and 2007 to 2016.
With the husband and wife tandem back leading the city, Abalos Sr. emphasized his partnership with his vice mayor wife, him focusing more on the economic aspect of the City.
“I told Menchie, ‘Can you take care of the sick? Take care of the elderly, while I focus on the economic aspect of the development of Mandaluyong,’” Abalos said in an earlier interview.
The Abalos leadership’s legacies were more on economic development as he managed to encourage businesses to invest in the City back in the day.
“Several times, I have to meet with Mr. Henry Sy, Kuok (Group of Companies) of Shangri-La, courting them to put-Shangri-La, to put-up (SM) Megamall. Yes, I was the one courting them, and the funny thing is I have made them agree to the offer,” Abalos said.
His comeback came just as the City, and the whole country, is recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, which became a huge setback for local and national governments as the crisis drastically affected all sectors and industries. In this case, the Mayor is continuing his economic efforts by negotiating with other investors and initiating projects that would give ease of access to commercial hubs.
“Actually, when I assumed the position, the City had lost two billion pesos because of the pandemic. We haven’t recovered yet. The truth is, we’re still approving those who are building establishments in our City,” Abalos said.
‘I don’t want someone to be denied access to hospitalization because they don’t have money.’
Aside from the local economy, healthcare is another priority under the mayorship of Abalos Sr., with him aiming for the kind of healthcare that will be accessible to the poor.
“I don’t want someone to be denied access to hospitalization because they don’t have money. I don’t want anybody denied access by reason of poverty. During my time, there was no law that prohibits the denial of medical services to people who can’t pay,” he said.
Abalos Sr. even briefly shared that they are targeting the opening of a new hospital in the City with a 321-bed capacity, and that they aim to have more medical equipment for Computed Tomography Scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
Apart from an empowered community, Abalos Sr. envisions a competent government, human resource, and benevolent private sector working in an atmosphere of mutual assistance that will shape Mandaluyong into a sustainable and globally competitive city and an effective partner in nation-building.