Ateneo lad leads take-over of City Hall by Boys and Girls officials

A sixteen-year old high school senior from the Ateneo de Iloilo brings his youthful idealism to the position of City Mayor starting Monday as the Iloilo City government celebrates the 31st Boys and Girls Week project in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Iloilo City.

Pellongco and Llorante

Jose Ryan Pelongco had bested 43 other candidates from the city’s private and public high schools to earn the right to sit as Boy City Mayor for one week in a ceremonial capacity and experience first hand what it takes to run City Hall.

His buddy from Ateneo de Iloilo, Neil Andrew Llorente, placed second in the competitive interview conducted last week by the sponsoring Rotary Club of Iloilo City to become this year’s Boy Vice Mayor.
Joshua Misajon of the Central Philippine University Development High School is the 1st councilor and majority floor leader.

The other councilors are Marian Jilyn Almendros of the Colegio de las Hijas de Jesus, 2nd councilor; Valerie Ann Villarosa, Ateneo de Iloilo, 3rd councilor; Ethel Fatima Sia, Ateneo de Iloilo, 4th councilor; Risa Maria Lourdes Peña, Philippine Science High School, 5th councilor;
Raphael Vincent Lebrilla, Westbridge School, 6th councilor; Noreen Marian Bautista, Philippine Science High School, 7th councilor; Guil Francis Saldo, Holy Rosary Academy, 8th councilor;
Jefferson Magbanua, Westbridge School, 9th councilor; Christopher Millora, Westbridge School, 10th councilor; Chicki Florette Uy, Philippine Science High School, 11th councilor and Cherry Amor Deala of West Visayas State University, 12th councilor.

Thirty other students will occupy positions as department heads of City Hall, city court judges, fire marshall and city police director.
“This one-week project will give these Boys and Girls officials hands-on experience in the various aspects of local government operations,” said Manfred Lepp, a past president of the Rotary Club of Iloilo City, and this year’s project chairman.

Lepp said these students will sit side-by-side with their adult counterparts who are actually occupying these positions to observe first-hand and actually carry out some of the responsibilities of the position.