Alfredo Lim

Alfredo S. Lim
Mayor of the City of Manila
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2007
Preceded by	Lito Atienza
In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998
Preceded by	Mel Lopez
Succeeded by	Lito Atienza
Senator of the Philippines
In office June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2007
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
In office June 30, 1998 – January 20, 2001
President	Joseph Estrada
Preceded by	Epimaco Velasco
Succeeded by	Jose Lina, Jr.
Director, National Bureau of Investigation
In office 1989–1992
Preceded by	Antonio M. Carpio
Succeeded by	Epimaco Velasco
Personal details
Born	December 21, 1929 (1929-12-21) Manila
Political party	Liberal Party (1998-1999, 2009-Present)
Other political affiliations	People's Reform Party (1992-1998) Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (1999-2008)
Occupation	Police officer, Politician
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	http://www.fredlim.com

Alfredo Siojo Lim (born December 21, 1929) is the incumbent Mayor of the City of Manila and a former senator of the Philippines. A widower, he first served as mayor of Manila from 1992 to 1998 and returned to that post after winning in the 2007 mayoral election.

Early life and career

Born on December 21, 1929 in 1324 J Sampaloc, Alfredo Siojo Lim is of half Chinese descent. (His father was of full Chinese blood, and his mother a pure Filipina) He finished his elementary grade at P. Gomez Elementary School in 1943 and his secondary at Far Eastern University in 1948. He received Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in 1951 and Bachelor of Law in 1963 both at University of the East. He finished his Master's Degree in National Security Administration with honor at the National Defense College of the Philippines in 1981.

Lim started his police career in the early 1950s.One of his accomplishments was when he arrested then civilian Robert Barbers for illegal possession of firearm. Then Manila vice mayor James Barbers tried to negotiate with officer Lim to release Robert Barbers without filing of the case in court. But being a dedicated police officer, Lim proceeded in filing of the criminal charge. He was a distinguished police officer earning numerous commendations and awards^{[citation needed]}. During the late 1980s, Lim helped defend the government of President Corazon Aquino from numerous threats from rightist elements. Lim's led Manila Policemen to retake government installations from military rebels in the 1987 coup attempt. After retiring from the police, Lim was appointed National Bureau of Investigation director. Lim effected numerous changes in the NBI. Lim lobbied for more funding and increases in the pay of agents and other employees. Because regular agents had to be either Lawyers or accountants, nearly half of the agent force positions were vacant. There were few takers due to the pay offered. Lim then lobbied for the position of special investigator which was realized to complement the regular agents.

Mayor of Manila

First term (1992-1995)

In 1992, he beat six opponents in the election to become mayor of Manila. As mayor, he worked on a strong law and order program which lessened crime^{[citation needed]}. Lim also worked on some projects to improve the city's image which had been bad when he assumed office. He pushed reforms in the city government. His slogan was "Magaling na Lider, Disiplinado."

Second term (1995-1998)

Lim was re-elected in 1995. During his first two-terms in office, he earned the nickname "Dirty Harry" for his anti-crime crusades that plays significant role in clearing Manila off with suspected and convicted drug pushers and drug runners. He succeeded in almost eradicating the city's red light districts and was almost feared, if not, respected by different criminal elements lurking all over Manila. He founded the City College of Manila that would serve to complement Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

Third term (2007-2010)

He took his oath of office on June 30, 2007. Under the governance slogan "Linisin, Ikarangal (ang) Maynila" (Clean, Dignify Manila, hence the acronym LIM), he is currently assisted by Manila vice mayor Isko Moreno, who beat Lim's running mate Joey Hizon. Moreno ran with Danny Lacuna, a former Manila vice mayor.

Shortly after assuming office, Lim gave the go-signal for the removal of squatters in Quiapo, Manila's notorious “Little Vietnam”. The eviction will start of July 6, 2007, after a dialogue with imams (religious leaders) and village leaders who signified their approval, to clean the area of alleged killings and illegal drug activities. Meanwhile, Canadian Ambassador Peter Sutherland, said his government already had a number of programs for Muslims in Mindanao. Lim stated that "he would also make representations at the Supreme Court to see if a Sharia court could be established in the city, where 4,000 families lived in the Islamic Center alone". On July 13, 2007, Lim rejected the designation of Rosales as Manila police chief and ordered current MPD director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa to remain at his post.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon (July 16) asked Lim to recall his "open-Mendiola" policy to prevent militants from marching there. PNP would recommend having protesters take their rallies to freedom parks. Upon assuming his post last June 30, Lim ended the ban on Mendiola by his predecessor Jose Atienza Jr., later modifiying the policy by allowing rallies at Mendiola on weekends and holidays. Calderon warned that if Lim will not change his position, the PNP will enforce the "no permit, no rally" policy. Lim formally reopened (July 14) the portion of Avenida Street to traffic, some years after Atienza Jr. blocked it off in favor of pedestrians. There were no traffic lights or signs, or traffic aides to guide motorists, pedestrians and commuters (the new traffic scheme in the Sta. Cruz district in downtown Manila) except for concrete barriers of the MMDA. Neither were there pedestrian lanes or traffic signs urging motorists and drivers to slow down at intersections.

Lim also ordered the removal of all business establishments, including bars and restaurants, in the Baywalk area along Roxas Boulevard (also another Atienza project) in an attempt to make the area a "wholesome park for everyone", with an unobstructed view of the famed Manila sunset. Lim claims that many of these establishments have no business permits and were selling liquor, which is a violation of applicable city ordinances.

On December 17, 2007, Alfredo Lim told MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando not to conduct its sidewalk clearing operations in Manila since vendors were allowed to sell on sidewalks for humanitarian reasons. Lim stated: "I jokingly told Chairman Fernando that they are welcome anytime but I cannot guarantee their safety. Their problem is how they will get out."

On March 14, 2008, Alfredo Lim's son, Manny Lim, 44, a businessman, with 2 suspects were arrested in a hotel on Tomas Mapua Street by PDEA operatives during a buy-bust operation in Binondo. Manny had in his possession 100 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P600,000.

Lim and Reynato Puno, on July 9, 2008, re-launched the Supreme Court’s "Justice on Wheels (JOW) Project", to improve access of justice to the poor. The Manila City Jail was built for only 1,000 inmates but is now crammed with 4,602.

Manila councilor Dennis Alcoreza, on July 17, 2008, filed human rights complaints before the Commission on Human Rights, against Lim, and other Manila officials. Alcoreza accused Lim of forced body removal off the slaughterhouse on July 11, and illegal dispersal of protest. Meanwhile, 24 Manila city councilors resigned from their posts as members and heads of the different committees, prompting a reorganization. The councilors unanimously denounced the violent treatment by Lim's Manila Police Department (MPD) towards Alcoreza during the city government’s takeover of the Tondo Vitas Slaughterhouse leased to Dealco Farms Inc.

In October 2008, Lim made ROTC training mandatory for all students at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) and City College of Manila (CCM), both city owned colleges.

Fourth Term (2010-present)

Fred Lim was re-elected to a fourth term as mayor of Manila during the 2010 general elections.

Other government positions

Senator

He was elected Senator in the 2004 election. As a senator, Lim introduced legislation to bring back mandatory ROTC, but this bill did not receive any co-sponsors.

Candidacies

1998 presidential elections

He ran a failed bid for the presidency as the Liberal Party nominee in the 1998 election, garnering 8.7% of the vote and finishing fifth in a field of eleven candidates. Sometime during the Estrada administration, Lim served as Secretary of Interior and Local Government. But his stint was cut short when Estrada left office in early 2001.

2001 Mayoralty Elections

Lim ran against incumbent Jose Atienza in 2001, the first local elections after Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took power in 2000. But perceptions of disloyalty to former President Estrada, whom he served as Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) from 1999 to 2000, which arose when he, while still DILG Secretary, proceeded to EDSA in support of the break-away group of then Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Angelo Reyes, weakened his candidacy and he lost to Atienza by almost 80,000 votes.

2007 mayoral elections

He ran for the mayorship in the City of Manila in the 2007 elections with his running mate Manila Fifth District Rep. Joey Hizon. He won the said election against Arnold Atienza, the son of the previous mayor of Manila (Jose L. Atienza, Jr.).

Resignation as President of PMP

Lim, on August 20, 2008, resigned as head of Joseph Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Partido ng Masang Pilipino - PMP) following a PMP’s executive committee resolution removing him as president of the party. He was replaced by Joseph Estrada who is also the PMP chairman.

External links

• Alfredo Lim's Assets and Liabilities
• The Mayor's Page
• Alfredo S. Lim's Official Website
• The Official Website of the City of Manila

Preceded by Antonio M. Carpio	NBI Director 1989 – 1992	Succeeded by Epimaco A. Velasco
Preceded by Epimaco Velasco	DILG Secretary 2000 – 2001	Succeeded by Jose Lina, Jr.