Antonio Villegas

Antonio J. Villegas
Antonio J. Villegas, Mayor of Manila, taken in 1970
Mayor of Manila
In office April 15, 1962 – December 30, 1971
Preceded by	Arsenio Lacson
Succeeded by	Ramon Bagatsing
Vice Mayor of Manila
In office December 30, 1959 – April 15, 1962
Preceded by	Jesus Marcos Roces
Succeeded by	Joaquin R. Roces
Personal details
Born	(1928-01-09)January 9, 1928 Tondo, Manila, Philippines
Died	November 16, 1984(1984-11-16) (aged 56) Reno, Nevada, United States
Resting place	Manila North Cemetery, Manila, Philippines

Antonio J. Villegas (1928–1984) was a Filipino Mayor of Manila from 1962 to 1971. His term was in the middle of Manila's golden age, after the term of Arsenio Lacson as Mayor of Manila, and before the period of Martial Law in the Philippines.

Early life

He was born on January 9, 1928 at Sales Street in Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines. He grew up in the swampy slums of the Abad Santos Avenue area in Tondo, Manila. Villegas always enjoyed telling people that he was born during the Feast of the Black Nazarene, a feast held in Quiapo, Manila. His father, Epifanio Trinidad Villegas (1905-1985), a brilliant lawyer with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines, was born in Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines. His mother, Obdulia de Jesus Villegas (1908-1994), was born in Pampanga and raised in Mariveles, Bataan, Philippines.

He is the oldest son of ten children, Lucia Villegas-Balboa (1926-1993), Vitalico Villegas (1931-1998), Corazon Villegas-Tiglao (1933-), Epifanio Villegas Jr. (1935-), David Villegas (1938-), Obdulia Villegas-Demesa (1940-), Fe Villegas-Torres (1943-1996), Domingo Maximo Villegas (1946-2003), and Perla Villegas-Fernandez (1950-).

Villegas graduated valedictorian from Cosmopolitan College (1947), from Far Eastern University (AA, 1949), and from Manuel L. Quezon University Law School (LLB, 1953). He received the Doctorate of Law (LLD, 1963) degree from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (1963) and Doctorate of Humane Letters (LHD, 1969) honoris causa from Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila (1969).

He was selected as one of two delegates of over 1,000 applicants from the Philippines to be awarded a scholarship to attend Harvard Law School, Boston, Massachusetts. Upon his return to Manila at the end of 1952, he began work on the campaign of Ramon Magsaysay for President while being excused by MLQ Law School Dean Africa from attending his last year of law school and simply required to sit for final exams which he passed with flying colors and ending up as MLQ Law School Valedictorian.

Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas and wife Lydia, 1968

File:Antonio and Lydia Villegas at church, 1970-71.jpg

Gatpuno Antonio Villegas at Gining Lydia Villegas celebrates their 18th Anniversary during the 1970-71 New Year's Midnight Mass at San Marcelino Church where they originally wed in 1953

On new year's day in 1953, he married Lydia M. Alano at San Marcelino Church in Manila. She attended Saint Theresa's High School and graduated from University of Santo Thomas in 1951 with a bachelor degree in home economics. They have four children: Teresita, Antonio Jr., Victoria, and Antonieta.

In mid 1953, he took the Philippine bar exam and ranked in the Top 12 while receiving the highest scores in Civil Law, Equity Law, and Remedial Law. In 1954, he was appointed by President Magsaysay to draft his first presidential decree which established the Presidential Complaints and Action Commission (PCAC) and to serve as its Vice-Chairman with Manuel Manahan appointed to serve as PCAC Chairman. Upon the death of President Magsaysay in a plane crash in 1957, Villegas began work as corporate legal counsel for Yellow Taxicab.

Vice Mayor of Manila

In 1959, at the age of 31, Villegas began his political career as a candidate for Manila Vice Mayor with the encouragements of friends like co-worker at Yellow Taxicab "Mel" Mathay who later became Mayor of Quezon City and feisty Radio personality "Paeng" Yabut. He had only three days to campaign for the Liberal Party nomination, which he won, and only 45 days to campaign for the office itself. He was elected by a landslide as Vice Mayor of Manila in the 1959 elections, without having previously run for any elective office while polling more votes than the fourth-termer incumbent Mayor, Arsenio Lacson.

When Lacson died of stroke on April 15, 1962, Villegas assumed the chief executive post of the capital city of the Philippines. As the youngest Mayor of Manila at the tender age of 34, he received the TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Men) Award for Public Service in 1962 from the Junior Chamber International.

Mayor of Manila

After Lacson's sudden death in 1962, Villegas quickly decreed that the first overpass in the Philippines, located in Quiapo area of Manila, should bear the name of Arsenio Lacson in his honor. Construction of Lacson underpass began in 1962 and was completed in 1964.

In 1962, to mobilize neighborhoods to keep Manila streets and parks clean, Villegas and his wife Lydia founded the Women's Auxiliary Group (WAG). Members included wives of government officials, police precinct commanders, police officers, public employees, private citizens, and some movie celebrities. WAG members wore bright RED Maria Clara dresses as they swept streets and cleaned parks of all four city districts on a weekly basis. They were known as the "RED Ladies" of Manila. When Ferdinand Marcos was elected President in November 1965, his wife Imelda similarly formed their group of supporters and called them the "BLUE Ladies." After Mayor Villegas left office in 1971, Marcos declared martial law in 1972, changed the color of his "BLUE Ladies" to RED, and renamed Marcos supporters as "loyalists".

Kay Villegas Kami ("We Are For Villegas") movement was also born in 1962. Its purpose was to support Mayor Villegas in his advocacy and implementation of government programs for the benefit of the poor. Its membership are composed of key leaders in various subdivisions and districts of Manila. This organization served as the pioneer to what is later known as Barangays (neighborhood associations) which prevailed throughout the Philippines.

In 1963, Villegas started completing the projects Lacson failed to complete, such as a city university (the University of the City of Manila),, a city hospital (the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center), and a city compost plant and a reclamation area in Tondo, Manila.

File:Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas with President Diosdado Macapagal in 1963.jpg

Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas with Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal shaking hands with Liberal Party Supporters during a 1963 reception for the president and reelection campaign of Mayor Villegas in 1963

On February 13, 1963, Mayor Villegas issued Executive Order No. 7, s-1963, to create a Planning and Working Committee to draw up a plan to establish the University of the City of Manila. It is the first university in the Philippines to have its official name in Filipino as Pamantasan Ng Lungsod Ng Maynila (PLM). PLM is also the first university in the country to be fully funded by a municipal government without collecting tuition from the students. Students of PLM are known as "isko" since they received full scholarship throughout their college years while they maintain their honor student status. PLM attract the brightest and the best among the poor city residents. PLM repeatedly produced board exam top notchers in the fields of engineering, architecture, accounting, and nursing. Years later, PLM expanded their educational programs with the addition of a law school, a medical school, and a graduate school in public administration.

Attendant legal challenges stalled the completion of the plan to start erecting the edifice of PLM in 1963. Villegas then sought the help of Congressman Justo Albert in the passage of House Bill No. 8349. President Diosdado Macapagal signed the bill in 1965 which is now known as Republic Act 4196. After four years of strategic campaign for national legislation and funding, Villegas opened the university in 1967 with Carlos Moran Sison as Chairman of the Board of Regents and 21 faculty members. On February 10, 1968, Villegas inaugurated Benito F. Reyes, PhD, LHD, LittD, DO as PLM's first President. On April 18, 1969, the first batch of 331 students graduated. During its first commencement, PLM honored Villegas with a Doctorate in Humane Letters (LHD) honoris causa.

On March 1963, Villegas welcomed international delegates from the San Francisco - Manila Sister City Commission (SFMSCC) which was formed in 1961 with a Memorandum signed by Manila Mayor Lacson and San Francisco George Christopher. SFMSCC continues to exist to date. On November 2006, over 140 delegates of SFMCC visited Manila with Mayor Lito Atienza as host. During his 2006 visit, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. who was later elected Lt. Governor of California in 2010, received an honorary degree from PLM.

On June 1963, Villegas visited San Francisco in an effort to strengthen the sister city bond. He then proceeded to Sacramento to receive his Doctor of Laws (LLD) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, as handed to him by U.S. District Court (California North District) Judge Halbert.

On October 1, 1963, Manila Science High School, the Pilot Science High School of the Philippines, known as "Mataas na Paaralan ng Agham", was born in accordance to Municipal Resolution 426 signed by Villegas.

On November 1963, Villegas ran for reelection based on the platform of "Building a Better Manila." He and his running mate, Herminio A. Astorga for vice mayor, won decisively under the LP banner. Consistent with his campaign promise, he began major infrastructure construction of roads, parks, buildings, and even the mayor's office.

On December 18, 1963, the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (ONM), which Villegas pushed to be built upon assuming office on April 15, 1962, began construction. It was finally completed and inaugurated on January 31, 1969. It provided free health care, free vitamins, free child delivery, free surgery and free hospitalization to poor citizens of Manila.

Also in 1963, construction began on the new mayor's office with a large reception hall for press conferences and public events with seating for a hundred guests. The hall was named Bulwagang Katipunan and later renamed in 1993 as Bulwagang Gatpuno Villegas by Mayor Alfredo Lim during his first term of office.

Villegas commissioned national artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco to paint the panoramic mural to chronicle the history of Manila and the Philippine. The mural portrayed Rajah Soliman and early chieftains of Tondo, the Chinese traders with Limahong, the Spanish colonial period with Legaspi, the 1896 execution of Jose Rizal, the ensuing KKK revolution led by Andres Bonifacio, the 1898 liberation from Spain, the American colonization leading to the 1935 Commonwealth with President Quezon and finally ending with the pictures of Manila Mayors at the front panel with Villegas in the center. This 2.7 x 4.87 meter mural in four panels was completed at the end of 1964. Villegas named the mural as Filipino Struggles Through History.

In 1964, Villegas started new infrastructure constructions of streets, plant pot dividers, sewage, parks, and buildings in Manila.

The first overpass and underpass near Quiapo church started in 1962 was finally completed. It was named in honor of Mayor Lacson. A second underpass located in front of Manila City Hall was also completed. Villegas named it Lagusnilad for Lagusan ng Maynilad which means Manila Passage (overpass/underpass).

Sewage systems were reconstructed to prevent flood and obstruction of drainage. Flower plants as middle dividers on avenues were created to prevent flood from heavy rain, air pollution by smoke belchers and injuries associated with jaywalking. Streets with pot holes were fixed. Unpaved roads were paved with asphalt or concrete.

Children playground parks at various locations in the four districts of Manila including one in front of Manila Zoo were constructed. They were called Paraiso Ng Bata'ng Maynila which meant "Paradise of the Children of Manila." Manila Zoo became a tourist attraction as well with construction of a stage and more cages for new animal acquisitions including the unique cross of Zebras and Donkeys called Zebronskys.

In 1965, Villegas inaugurated the newly constructed mayor's office (Bulwagang Katipunan) in Manila Cit Hall (Maharnilad) and signed a series of Executive Orders on June 24, 1965 to establish a proud identity for Manila.

Manila's Birthday: On January 1965, Villegas declared June 24, 1571 as Manila's birthday. Prior to this, no one commemorated "the day of the Adelantado, Governor Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, officially proclaimed Rajah Soliman's kingdom of Maynilad as the 'Ever Loyal and Distinguished City of Spain in the Orient.'" He inaugurated the annual foundation day celebration and called it Araw Ng Maynila (Manila's Birthday).

Manila's Official Seal: Villegas with his Executive Order No. 37, s-1965, established the New Official Seal for the City of Manila (Sagisag ng Maynila). It includes palisades of Rajah Solimon with a background of field of gules (red) properly superimposed on the palisades are symbols on each point on an imaginary traingle: Top is the Malayan script K gules; on the based are the San Agustin Church and the gates of Fort Santiago proper.

Mayor's Coat-of-Arms: Villegas with his Executive Order No. 38, s-1965, established the distinctive Coat-of-Arms for the Office of the Mayor of Manila. It is represented by the 15 rayed Sunburst (Sigliwag or Sigla ng Liwanag).

Manila Museum and Library: Villegas issued his Executive Order No. 40. It directed the organization and establishment of a district Museum and Library to be known as the Kamaynilaan. By the authority of Ordinance Nos. 4834 and 5428 dated November 6, 1963 and March 25, 1966 respectively, a three storey concrete building was erected. It housed the Central Office of the Manila City Library. However, a year after Villegas's term ended, in 1972, the Manila City Library was ordered to vacate the Kamaynilaan Building to give way to the Manila Action Center (which was later called the Manila Barangay Bureau).

In 1966, Villegas continues to "Filipinize" Manila in preparation for Manila's 400 anniversary in 1971.

Filipinization: Villegas began efforts to replace English with Tagalog to be the lingua franca of law, business, and education. He coined terms such as Maharnilad (City Hall), Gatpuno (Mayor), Gining (First Lady), Lagusnilad (Manila overpass/underpass), Sigliwag (Sunburst), Pamantasan (University), Batasang Magiting (Manila's Finest, Police Force), Kagiting (Colonel), Kabasal (Corporal), Sining Kalinangan (Cultural Arts), and others.

He also petitioned to change various streets with colonial names to Filipino names. While Dewey Boulevard overlooking Manila Bay was so named for the benefit of tourists, Villegas insisted on renaming it Roxas Boulevard in honor of Philippine's first republic president for the benefit of the residents.

Manila Anthem: On January 1966, Villegas commissioned national music maestro Felipe de Leon to compose various songs including Awit Ng Maynila (1966, Manila City Anthem), Awit Ng Bayan Kay Villegas (1966, Country's Song for Mayor Villegas), Lydia (1966, Song for Manila 1st Lady), Kay Villegas Kami (1967, We Support Villegas Marching Song).

Manila Hero: Villegas made Andres Bonifacio the Hero of Manila and had a statue erected in his owner on Plaza Lawton, in front of the Postal Office Building. He also had the Postal Service design and release a stamp with the image of Bonifacio as national hero of Manila.

Manila Film Festival: Mayor Villegas founded the Manila Film Festival, the father of the Metro Manila Film Festival and all other Philippine festivals, to encourage local producers to develop world class quality movies that showcased the beauty of the Philippines and the greatness of the Filipino people. He appointed Attorney Expiridion Laxa to serve as the Chairman of the film festival which starts on June 14 and culminates on June 24, Manila's birthday. Most of the first batch of the festival films came up with English titles. The BEST Films of Manila Film Festival included "Daigdig ng mga Api' (1966), "Dahil sa Isang Bulaklak" (1967), "Manila, Open City" (1968), "Patria Adorada" (1969), "Dimasalang" (1970), "Cadena de Amor" (1971), "Elias, Basilio at Sisa" (1972), "Nueva Vizaya" (1973), "Alaala mo Daigdig Ko" (1974). From 1975 to 1990, Manila Film Festival was discontinued as Metro Manila Film Festival took over. In 1991, Manila Film Festival resumed in June while Metro Manila Film Festival continue to be done in December. The best Manila film in 1991 was "Kailangan Ka Magiging Akin" followed by "Cordora" in 1992 and "Dolzura: Dahil Mahal Kita" in 1993.

In the International Arena: One of the more prominent places in the world became sister city with Manila - Taipei, Taiwan. It was realized on October 12, 1966. Villegas, who came to Taipei for the Junior Chamber International Conference, received a gold key from Taipei Mayor Henry Kao on April 28, 1965.

On October 20, 1966, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson visited the Philippines. Mayor Villegas presented the city seal embossed on a 3-inch diameter gold coin as a gift. He delivered his entire dedication to President Johnson, not in English, but, in Tagalog. He insisted on public dedications to be done in Tagalog and to invite foreigners to learn to love our language as we do.

In 1967, Mayor Villegas ran for reelection which he won decisively.

He won by a landslide with 163,363 votes which is greater than all the votes of his opponents combined. Pablo V. Ocampo ended up with 117,488 votes, Salvador L. Marino with 17,342 votes, Artur V. Samaniego with 131 votes, Blandino P. Buan with 92 votes, and Pilipino Balingit with 11 votes. However, his running mate Vice Mayor Astorga lost on a slim margin with 78,648 votes to NP candidate Felicisimo R. Cabigao who garnered 79,437 votes.

In 1968, Villegas published the "Dahong Alaala" (Remembrance Publication) which declares his "Libre'ng Pilipino" platform.

He affirmed "Being beholden to no one except the people of Manila, I regard myself as fully free to act at all times in accordance with their interests. In the coming four years, the public interest shall be my sole guide and I pray that I shall not be found wanting in the courage to uphold public welfare even in the face of criticism and at the price of unpopularity ..."

His government program entitled Libre'ng Pilipino, gave free basic City Hall services to Manila's citizens, such as free health services and free treatment in the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.

The program even included free marriage licenses and free textbooks. He also provided tuition-free public education from kinder through high school like Manila Science School (Agham) to college like University of the City of Manila (PLM).

Villegas succeeded on relocating in one week the squatters from the Intramuros area. This act proved that he was tougher than his predecessor Lacson when it comes to facing a possible turnover squatter votes. He provided free electricity, free water, and property tax exemption to relocated squatters who won by lottery free and clear title to condominium units in newly constructed buildings. No government official before him and after him was able to replicate his feat.

He implented closure plans on foreign-owned retail stores in the city, in accordance to the Retail Trade Nationalization Law, affected 3,288 Chinese, 59 Indian, and 56 American stores. He insisted on having Filipinos own majority interest in foreign-owned stores or else they will be closed. He said that he is mandated to enforce the rights of Filipinos, not the foreigners.

Summary of political career

Villegas won the Vice Mayor race in 1959 and became Manila Mayor when Lacson died in 1962 with over one year left on his term. In 1963, he ran for reelection under the Liberal Party (LP) banner and won against Nacionalista Party (NP) Congressman Roberto Oca. In 1967, he ran again for reelection and won against NP Congressman Pablo Ocampo. His victory along with his party council members in Manila was the only major victory enjoyed by the Liberal Party (LP) in 1967. All of the LP senatorial candidates except for Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino were defeated by the opposing Nacionalista Party (NP) due to President Marcos' tactics of "goons, guns, and gold" in winning elections.

In 1971, then Congressman Ramon Bagatsing was chosen by the Liberal Party to run for Manila Mayor. Vice-Mayor Felicisimo Cabigao remained NP's bet for mayor. Villegas was left without a party. He formed the Libre'ng Pilipino Party (LPP) to run for reelection as Mayor. He selected journalist J.V. Cruz to be his running mate for Vice Mayor. On the day of the 1971 local election, Villegas lost to Bagatsing.

Death and legacy

After losing in the 1971 local mayoralty elections to then Manila Congressman Ramon Bagatsing, Villegas left for the United States where he remained until his death on November 16, 1984. The tomb of Francis Burton Harrison was laid beside Villegas's tomb in the Manila North Cemetery.

During his term as Mayor of Manila, he was locally known as Yeba, which actually meant "Young, Executive, Brilliant Administrator" inscribed in a plaque awarded to him by the Alumni association of Far Eastern University. He usually ended his correspondence with "Yeba!" in lieu of what he previously wrote, "May you always be a young, executive, brilliant administrator!" He also used "Yeba" as a campaign whoop where it meant "YEs, hindi BA?" (Yes, isn't it so?) after he drives his point during his campaign speeches. In response, the audience shouts "YEBA" which meant "YEs, BAkit hindi!" (Of course, why not!).

Villegas hired nationally renowned linguists to create new Filipino terms, like Maharnilad (City Hall), Gatpuno (Mayor), "Gining" (First Lady), "Bulwagan" (Hall), "Lagusnilad" (overpass and underpass in front of Manila city hall.

In his honor, the Antonio J. Villegas Vocational High School (AJVVHS_, located in Tondo, Manila, was established in 1994. An award in the Metro Manila Film Festival, the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award, was given to the best film that best portrays Philippine culture and Filipino people to the world.

In an effort to promote Philippine films, he banned the showing of foreign films at movie houses during the Manila Film Festival from June 14 through June 24 (birthday of Manila).

In order to instill national pride and prevent spectators from sleeping in the theaters, he required the playing of the national anthem at the beginning of each film showing.

In order to ban smoking from movie theaters, he composed a warning in poetic verse. "Hindi po nais namin kayo'ng pigilin, pero ang usok as masamang hangin." This translates to "Not that we wish to restrain you, but smoke is fowl stench."

As a proud example of one who rose above poverty through relentless effort and a public servant dedicated to provide the poor an equal chance to prosper - his wish to everyone is inscribed on the mural of the mayor's office. Magmunit lumikha nang maging dakila. Manulay sa diwa ng tunay na laya! In other words, "Strive to create in order to be great. Tempt your esprit to celebrate true liberty!"

Writings

• Manila, 1962: Mayor Antonio J. Villegas reports (1963)
• Building a better Manila (1963)
• Manila: Its Needs and Resources (1966)
• Dahong Alaala (1968)
• To end the reign of misery and strife ... Libre'ng Pilipino (1971)