CITY COUNCIL NAGDALAMHATI, ITINANGHAL SI DATING MAYOR FRED LIM

INILAHAD ng Manila City Council kung paano nakatulong ng malaki ang mga landmark programs ng namayapa at dating alkalde Alfredo S. Lim sa usapin ng kabuhayan, edukasyon, kalusugan, peace and order at social services para sa mahihirap na tagalungsod. At sa pangunguna ni presiding officer at Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna ay itinanghal ng Konseho ng Maynila ang dating alkalde sa pamamagitan ng isang resolusyon.

Sa parehong resolusyon na nagkakaisang ipinasa noong August 10 at kasama si President Pro-Tempore at Acting Presiding Officer Jong Isip na siyang nanguna sa session, ay nagpahayag din ang city council ng ganito: “the city council also joins the whole nation and his family in their moment of bereavement over the departure of a great man and esteemed public servant.”

Nagpahayag din ng pakikidalamhati at pakikiramay ang City Council ng Maynila sa pagyao ni dating Manila Mayor Alfredo Siojo Lim, na naglingkod bilang mayor ng Maynila ng apat na termino o 12 taon.

“The demise of a great leader and a champion of the people’s fundamental rights is a great loss to the City of Manila and to the country,” ayon pa sa resolusyon.

Si Lim na sumakabilang buhay noong Aug. 8 sa edad na 90 ay inilarawan sa resolusyon bilang true-blooded Manileño at namumukod tanging public servant; local chief executive, law enforcer, educator, statesman, legislator, journalist, lawyer at patriot.

“Mayor Lim’s illustrious and colorful career in government spanned for almost seven decades in which most were spent serving the citizenry of Manila. Starting as a Patrolman of the Manila Police District in the 1950s and retiring as a Police General and Chief of the Western Police District in the late 1980s. During this time, General Fred Lim helped defend the government of then President Corazon C. Aquino from leftists elements by leading and retaking government installations from military rebels during one of the 1987 coup attempts,” ayon sa resolusyon.

Idinagdag pa na: “…in 1992, Alfredo S. Lim, was first elected as Mayor of Manila and then re-elected for a second term in 1995. During his first two terms in office, Mayor Lim worked on a strong law and order program which lessened crime in Manila earning him the nickname of “Dirty Harry” for his tough anti-crime policies against suspected and convicted drug pushers, drug runners, and the city’s red lights districts, among others. It was also during this time where he would establish two additional city-run public hospitals namely Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Hospital in District 1 and Ospital ng Tondo in District 2. Mayor Lim also founded the City College of Manila, presently The Unversidad de Manila, in 1995 to complement the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.”

Noong 2007 si Alfredo S. Lim ay muling nahalal bilang mayor ng Manila at muling nare-elect sa ikaapat na termino noong 2010 sa kanyang battle-cry “Linisin Ikarangal ang Maynila” na ginamit din ng kanyang administrasyon bilang slogan.

Sa panunungkulang ito ay binuksan ni Mayor Lim ang dalawa pang city-run public hospitals na kinabibilangan ng Jose Abad Santos Medical Center sa District 3 noong 2009 at ang Sta. Ana Hospital sa District 6 noong 2010, na siyang katuparan ng pangarap ni Lim simula nang maging mayor siya noong 1992 – ang pagtatayo ng isang ospital na may libreng serbisyong medikal para sa mga mahihirap sa bawat isang distrito ng Maynila.

Binanggit din sa resolusyon ang napakaraming karangalang tinamo ni Lim: “a recipient of numerous awards, medals, citations and commendations both local and international in recognition of his outstanding achievement as a distinguished public servant for almost sixty years and spanning seven decades.” (Andi Garcia)