One could tell a lot of things about an elected government official by looking at his desk nameplate. This is what first crossed my mind inside the office of Biñan City Mayor Angelo “Gel” Alonte.

Instead of the official title of “mayor” preceding his name, Alonte’s desk nameplate carries prominently under his name the words PUBLIC SERVANT.

When asked about it, Alonte casually responds: “Gusto ko yung simple. Alam na naman nang tao na mayor ako. Gusto kong i-emphasize na ako’y isang lingkod bayan [I want it simple. The people already know I’m the mayor. I want to emphasize that I am a public servant].”

For this clean-cut, broad-shouldered, chief executive of Biñan City in Laguna province, being mayor simply translates to “implementor of the things Biñanenses need to have a better life.”

“Lagi ko nga sinasabi sa amin dito, lagi akong nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng nagco-contribute para sa lungsod ng Biñan. Kasi kung wala yung mga taxpayers, syempre wala yung mga programs, mga projects na gagawin for the city. [I always say to the people here, I am always thankful to all those who contribute to the city of Biñan. Because, if there were no taxpayers, we would not have (funds) for programs and projects for the city],” he mused.

Alonte stressed: “Kaya sabi ko, public servant ako. Kapag nagbasa sila—’O, serbisyong publiko po.’ Pantulong talaga para sa tao.” [That’s why I say, public servant. When they read it—’Oh, public service.’ It’s really to help the people].”

ACTIONS, MORE THAN WORDS

The 50-year-old mayor would already be at his office by 7 a.m. and at his earliest, be out 11 hours later at around 6:30 in the evening. 

He admitted that one of his greatest flaws is that he doesn’t know when to cut time. He would sometimes go around the city to inspect—often unannounced—and assess firsthand what the people of the city might need. 

“Public service” are big words; one that entails a huge responsibility. It is a phrase bandied about by government officials who speak of wanting to help their constituents while not actually proceeding to do it in earnest.

But Alonte—or “Mayor Gel” as his constituents have come to call him—would let his actions speak for themselves.

Mayor Gel served as city councilor of Biñan in 2013, before being elected twice to the position of vice mayor: one in 2016, and the second time in 2019. 

In 2025, he became city mayor—following the footsteps of his father, Bayani “Arthur” Alonte—the city’s longest serving mayor from 1988 to 1992.  

Within that year, Mayor Gel spearheaded the establishment of the Biñan Dialysis Center and successfully launched the “Right to Care” card for Biñanenses.

Less than a year after being elected as mayor, the city of Biñan was honored with “Unqualified Opinion:” the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit (COA) in its 2025 Annual Audit Report. 

Alonte said that the COA also recognized the city’s stable financial condition, as well as its growing income, and the absence of “unsettled disallowances, suspensions, [or] charges” at the end of 2025. 

Biñan City was also one of the local government units (LGU) that passed the “CY 2025 Good Financial Housekeeping” of the Department of Interior and Local Government. According to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) report, the recognition “refers to the compliance of the LGU with accounting and auditing standards, rules and regulations.”

Still, despite the solid achievements, dire developments at the international and national levels would quickly pose new challenges for municipalities and for cities like Biñan. 

Intensifying armed conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel culminated in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in late February 2026, triggering a severe global economic crisis.

About 20 million barrels of oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz every day, accounting for roughly 20% of global petroleum consumption.

According to a Reuters report, a huge chunk of the world’s oil supply is sourced from the Middle East—with Asia being among the most dependent, “sourcing 60% of its crude from the region.” 

TEST OF HARD TIMES

The Philippines took a devastating blow from the international oil crisis stemming from the closure of the strait. 

Roughly 98% of our oil supply comes from the Middle East, and any major strain in the region would severely disrupt the Philippine economy. 

In March of this year, the price of gasoline exceeded the P100-per liter mark. Prices of prime commodities followed suit. In no time, there were hikes in electricity and water rates. Though measures have been taken to quell the rising prices, the effect of the energy crisis continues to trouble the country. 

The scene is no different in Biñan City, home to more than 400,000 Biñanenses. Faced with hard times, the local government, through its chief executive, addressed immediate economic and social concerns.

DRIVERS’ SUBSIDIES

With the enormous rise in gasoline prices, one of the first areas of concern for its local chief executive involved the plight of Biñan drivers.

Biñan City became the first in Laguna province to offer a P1,000 fuel subsidy to its tricycle drivers. 

Biñan City became the first in Laguna province to offer a P1,000 fuel subsidy to tricycle drivers across the city

It also extended a helping hand to jeepney drivers, as well as TNVS drivers such as those from Angkas and Grab. 

Mayor Gel likewise committed to continuing these subsidies amid unabuted reports that the on-going oil crisis will extend for months ahead.

RICE SUBSIDIES

With funding assistance received under Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bawat Bayan Makikinabang (BBM) program, Mayor Gel and Biñan’s Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) mitigated the effects of rising prices and commodities by providing rice subsidy to Biñan households.

“Nagpa-sensus tayo para malaman natin ‘yung kondisyon ng ating siyudad ng Biñan. Nagpa-bid kami—hindi ako pumayag na walang bidding—para ma-procure ‘yang rice subsidy na ginagawa [We conducted a census so that we could know the condition of Biñan City. We had a bidding—I didn’t want to forego bidding—to procure the rice subsidy we were implementing],” Mayor Gel told the Graphic. 

Faced with limited resources, Alonte further explained that they had to be very prudent in distributing subsidies, ensuring that those who needed it the most would receive it. 

ECONOMIC RELIEF

Biñan City prides itself in being the “trading and commerce center of the South” and for having the largest public market in the entirety of the CALABARZON region. 

A tanking economy could spell a death sentence for many business, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the city.

As a response to the energy crisis, the Biñan city government distributed free business permits for startup businesses worth P200,000 and below. 

According to Mayor Gel, the move will not only help the SMEs but will also motivate them as business owners.

Vendors no longer resorted to street corners to conduct their business. The Biñan LGU has allocated a definite gathering place for them.

Under the guidance of Alonte, the city’s local officials revised the market code to Biñan Market, the largest market in Southern Tagalog.

”We listened to the vendors ventilating their needs and acted on their concerns. Hindi pwedeng desisyon ko lang. Gusto ko pangkalahatan [It shouldn’t only be my decision. I want a decision based on consensus].”

Mayor Gel recounted: “I would go to the market and talk to the vendors. I would inspect their area. I would really go there and check.” 

Consulting with his constituents has became a regular activity for Alonte. He added that he and the Biñan city government officials are doing everything to encourage investors to come to the city and to provide opportunities for Biñanenses, recognizing that not everyone is given the opportunity to work. 

“Ayun lang naman ang gusto ko. Mabigyan [ng] employment [ang] ating mga kababayan. [Sa] mga papasok na investor dito, p’wede naman akong makipag-negotiate na i-hire lang nila eh mga taga Biñan [That’s all I want. I want to give employment to our citizens. To the investors coming here, I can negotiate with them to hire those who are from Biñan],” he said.

OPPORTUNITIES WITH EDUCATION

Mayor Gel firmly believes that there’s no better way to alleviate poverty in the City of Biñan than by providing a high quality of education to its constituents. 

As the energy crisis struck the city, the youth also found themselves in search of ways to help their families make ends meet. 

Not wanting to leave the young ones behind, the City of Biñan’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) and the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) went to work. 

The city employed students to teach in various barangays—with pay. In 20 days, each of them received almost P13,000.

Mayor Alonte wanted them to teach by reading. When asked why reading specifically, he said that there are those who still can’t read, even when they’re already at an age when they should be able to. He wholeheartedly believes that knowing how to read and write will give anyone vastly more opportunities.

“Kahit nga sa trabaho, kahit ‘di ka maka-graduate, basta marunong ka magsulat, magbasa—kahit papaano, ma-a-accomodate ka eh, makakapag trabaho ka [Even in work, even if you didn’t graduate, as long as you know how to write, to read—in some way, you are accommodated, you can work].” he said. 

Mayor Gel himself is a product of good education, spending his elementary years at the St. Anthony School of Biñan and high school at the Santa Catalina De Siena School.

 He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy degree at the University of Perpetual Help System Laguna-Biñan campus.

He later enrolled at the Philippine Christian University where he completed his Master’s Degree in Public Administration. He later got into the online program of the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School (John F, Kennedy School of Government), where he took and completed a Public Leadership Credential Program.

BIÑAN: THRIVING CITY

For many Filipinos, the year 2026 has been characterized by increasingly critical economic concerns.

There are solid indications that the city of Biñan continue to weather their share of difficult times. Progress continues to run in its streets.

The city possesses an enviable position in Philippine history. Our national hero, José Rizal, found much of his early education in Biñan. 

In 1870, he and his brother stayed in the then town and sought Maestro Justiniano Aquino y Cruz, who taught the young Rizal Spanish and Latin. Juancho Carrera, another instructor from Biñan, taught him how to paint. 

Rizal’s heritage has roots in Biñan. His father, Francisco Engracio Mercado, was born and raised as a Biñanense.

To speak of Biñan is to speak of its progressiveness—even more so under the leadership of Mayor Gel.

He has been consistent in exerting effort to make the City of Biñan a healthier place. 

The Biñan City Cancer Institute, for instance, which held its groundbreaking ceremony in October of last year, aims to provide a comprehensive service for the early detection and treating of cancer. 

The Biñan Dialysis Center is also well-equipped in combatting kidney-related diseases.

Projects such as Iskolar ng Biñan, which supports students’ finances in school, and the recently inaugurated Biñan Teen Center, which acts as a “one-stop facility” for the youth’s need for counseling, mentoring, and health services, are evidence that the young Biñanenses are never ignored under Gel’s leadership. 

Written by Joseph Reyes.