Bernie Anabo Jr.
A MAN OF ACTION, A SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE, AND A LEADER WHOSE LEGACY GOES BEYOND CITY HALL
In the brutal arena of public service, where promises are easy to make but difficult to fulfill, a leader’s true worth is measured not by the title he carries, the power he commands, or the applause he receives—but by the lives he touches, the communities he strengthens, and the legacy he leaves behind.
In Parañaque City, one name continues to command attention in discussions about leadership, public service, and the city’s continuing development: Edwin “Kuya” L. Olivarez.
A politician, businessman, athlete, father, and friend, Olivarez represents a brand of leadership that seeks to go beyond the four walls of government offices. His political journey—from serving in Laguna’s provincial government to becoming a congressman and mayor of Parañaque—reflects years of experience navigating the demanding world of public service.
But behind the political title is a more personal image: a man known to many as “Kuya,” a familiar figure whose greatest political asset is not simply authority, but the ability to connect with people.
And that is where the story of Edwin Olivarez becomes more than politics.
THE LEADER WHO UNDERSTANDS THE PEOPLE
Leadership is not a popularity contest. It is a daily test of judgment, courage, accountability, and the willingness to make decisions that affect thousands of lives.
Olivarez’s years in public office have placed him at the center of Parañaque’s aspirations for progress—a city where economic opportunities, reliable public services, better infrastructure, education, health care, and community safety must move forward together.
His experience as mayor from 2013 to 2022 gave him a long-term view of city governance, while his subsequent return to Congress from 2022 to 2025 brought him back to the national legislative arena.
Today, as the current mayor of Parañaque, the challenge is not merely to preserve what has been achieved, but to push the city toward greater efficiency, broader opportunities, and more responsive public service.
A city does not become successful through slogans alone. It succeeds when leadership translates plans into programs, public funds into services, and promises into results that ordinary citizens can actually feel.
That is the standard by which Olivarez’s leadership—and the entire city government—must continue to be measured.
MORE THAN A MAYOR—A FATHER FIGURE TO THE COMMUNITY
The word “Kuya” carries a special meaning in Filipino culture. It is a title of respect, familiarity, and trust. It suggests someone who listens, guides, protects, and lends a helping hand when the going gets tough.
For Olivarez, that familiar name provides a human dimension to his public image.
A father’s responsibility does not end with providing for his own family. It also means setting an example, protecting the vulnerable, guiding the young, and making sacrifices for the next generation.
In public service, that same responsibility should be reflected in programs that give children access to education, help families obtain essential services, support senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and create opportunities for young people to build better futures.
The Parañaque HELP Card initiative, introduced under Olivarez’s leadership, reflects this broader vision of making government assistance more accessible. The program was designed to integrate services involving health, education, emergency relief, employment, and livelihood, with senior citizens and persons with disabilities among its initial priority beneficiaries.
For families struggling to make ends meet, such initiatives carry a message that matters: government must not remain distant from the people it serves.
The real measure of a fatherly leader is not how often he is called “Kuya,” but how consistently the needs of ordinary families are heard, addressed, and acted upon.
That is the responsibility attached to the name—and the challenge that comes with it.
A FRIEND WHO KNOWS THE VALUE OF HUMAN CONNECTION
Politics can be a lonely business. Alliances shift, public opinion changes, and yesterday’s supporters may become tomorrow’s critics.
But beyond the political calculations, public service remains a deeply human undertaking.
A genuine friend is someone who understands that people are more than their positions, political affiliations, or economic circumstances. A genuine friend knows that respect must extend to the ordinary worker, the struggling parent, the senior citizen, the small entrepreneur, and the young person searching for an opportunity.
Olivarez’s public image as “Kuya” draws strength from this language of familiarity and personal connection.
Yet friendship in government must mean more than handshakes, smiles, and personal favors. It must mean building institutions that serve people fairly, listening even to those who disagree, and ensuring that assistance is delivered according to genuine need.
That is how personal trust becomes public value.
And that is how a leader can turn relationships into a stronger sense of community—without losing sight of transparency, fairness, and accountability.
PARAÑAQUE’S PROGRESS: A LEGACY THAT MUST KEEP MOVING
Parañaque occupies an important position in Metro Manila, with its strategic location, commercial centers, businesses, transportation links, and growing communities.
Its potential is enormous. So are the expectations of its residents.
The city’s continued development requires more than one official or one administration. It demands capable public servants, disciplined financial management, responsive barangay leadership, effective partnerships, and citizens willing to participate in shaping their communities.
Olivarez’s experience in local and national government gives him a platform to help steer that continuing effort.
But the work is never finished.
Better roads, stronger public safety, accessible health services, improved education, employment opportunities, environmental protection, and transparent government operations must remain central priorities.
The HELP Card initiative offers one example of a service-oriented approach. The challenge is to sustain such programs, measure their impact, improve implementation, and ensure that the intended beneficiaries receive meaningful assistance.
The same standard must apply to every major city project.
A city’s success is not measured by the number of announcements it makes, but by the number of lives it improves.
For Parañaque, the goal must be a city where development is not reserved for business districts and commercial centers, but reaches every barangay, every neighborhood, and every family that needs a fair chance to succeed.
That is the kind of progress that endures beyond election seasons.
FROM THE CITY HALL TO THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE
Olivarez’s political journey has taken him through provincial government, Congress, and the mayor’s office. Each position carries a different responsibility, but all demand one essential quality: the ability to serve beyond personal ambition.
As a leader, he must set direction.
As a father figure, he must champion the welfare of families and future generations.
As a friend, he must remain approachable, respectful, and attentive to the concerns of the people.
These are not separate roles. They are different expressions of the same public responsibility.
The strongest leaders understand that authority is temporary, but the consequences of their decisions can last for generations.
A public servant may leave office, but the schools built, the services strengthened, the opportunities created, and the lives improved can continue to shape a city long after the political spotlight has moved elsewhere.
That is the real battle for legacy.
Not the battle for the loudest praise.
Not the battle for the biggest headline.
But the battle to leave behind a city that is stronger, fairer, safer, and better prepared for the future.
THE FINAL WORD: KUYA EDWIN, THE CHALLENGE IS TO KEEP DELIVERING!
Let us be clear: no public official should be judged by image alone, and no leader should be beyond scrutiny. Genuine leadership welcomes honest questions, demands measurable results, and recognizes that public office is a trust—not a personal possession.
For Edwin “Kuya” Olivarez, the opportunity is to build on his years of experience and demonstrate that leadership grounded in personal connection can also deliver strong institutions, effective programs, and accountable governance.
The people of Parañaque deserve nothing less.
They deserve a mayor who listens before deciding, acts when action is needed, stands firm when challenges arise, and remembers that every government policy ultimately affects a human life.
They deserve a father figure who understands that the future of the city belongs to its children.
They deserve a friend who recognizes that public service is not about choosing whom to help based on political loyalty, but about serving the community with fairness and compassion.
And they deserve a leader who understands that the greatest legacy is not a title engraved on a plaque, but a better life experienced by the people.
KUYA EDWIN OLIVAREZ: THE REAL TEST OF LEADERSHIP IS NOT HOW HIGH A MAN RISES IN POWER, BUT HOW FAR HE CAN LIFT THE PEOPLE HE WAS ELECTED TO SERVE.
For Parañaque, the mission continues. The expectations remain high. And the next chapter of the city’s story must be written not merely in words, but in concrete results.
Because in the end, the strongest political legacy is simple: a city that moves forward, a family that feels supported, a citizen who feels heard, and a community that knows its government is working for them.
That is the challenge before Mayor Edwin “Kuya” Olivarez. And that is the legacy worth fighting for.
