The national flag at the Valenzuela City Government Complex is flown half-staff since Tuesday to pay respect and as a sign of mourning for the passing of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and shall remain so until his internment.

This is not just in compliance with President Noynoy Aquino’s Proclamation No. 460, declaring national days of mourning for the late secretary and ordering all government offices in the country to fly all flags at half-staff in his honor, but rather to show Valenzuelano’s bereavement for the passing of one of the strongest advocates of good governance in the country.

Robredo’s accomplishments and innovations to good governance and honest public service have been the inspiration of Valenzuela City local government officials in serving their constituency.  Developments he has ushered in for Naga City are always among the models for replication in the City.

City Mayor WIN Gatchalian looks up to Robredo as his mentor.  They have been meeting in forums organized by “Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance & Ethical Leadership” which Robredo leads alongside some of the country’s good governance champions.  They share mutual admiration and, in fact, Robredo was one of Mayor WIN’s nominators to The Outstanding Young Men 2011 which recognized Mayor WIN’s long standing commitment to honest public service.

“I particularly admire his (Robredo) efforts in providing good quality education for the children of Naga City.  This has been my inspiration in my own efforts to raise the standard of education in our city,” Mayor WIN said.

He also regarded Robredo as the most distinctive DILG Secretary for his good relations to local government unit and his innovations to raise the standards of local governance in the country, among which is the upholding of the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS) where Valenzuela City consistently tops in the ranking.

Last Tuesday, City Mayor WIN Gatchalian led several city government employees and management heads to a mass in honor of the late secretary.  Rev. Fr. Francis S. Cortez, Parochial Vicar of Sto. Cristo Parish in Barangay Marulas, who officiated the mass shared in his homily his memory when he met the late secretary sometime ago in Bulacan province.  He recalled his simplicity.  “Lumisan siya na walang batik sa kanyang pangalan at inspirasyon ng bayan sa kanyang layon na maitaas ang atas ng pamumuhay at kalagayan ng mamamayan.  (He went with his good name intact and an inspiration to the whole nation in his quest for the upliftment of the condition of the common people.)” He concluded.

A portrait of the late DILG Secretary shall also be on display at the lobby of the City Hall until his internment to remind Valenzuelanos of Robredo’s legacy to the good governance they are enjoying from the local government.