POLITICAL CAREER

   Atienza started his political career in 1968 when he organized the Democratic Youth    Movement (DEYMO). He was one of those who survived the Plaza Miranda bombing in    1971 during the Liberal Party’s Meeting de Avance.

   During Martial Law, Atienza was arrested twice for exposing human rights abuses    under the dictatorship regime of President Ferdinand E. Marcos at that time, one of    which is the attempt to phase out jeepneys in Metro Manila in line with the beautification    project of Imelda Marcos. He organized the Metro Manila Jeepney Drivers    Organization, which was the first ever organization of Jeepney Drivers. The members    were arrested so was Lito. He remained with the opposition even if he was on constant    threat of incarceration for opposing Marcos.

   He became a Barangay Captain for 10 years (he was a tanod before this), despite the    notion of being in the government, especially in the smallest unit of government in the    society, makes you a follower of the dictator and allows him to control the grass roots.    He still condemned the Marcos government in any way he can because with this    opportunity he was able to really be at sync with the everyday pulse of the people.

   He resigned from his post at the Information Office of Manila City Hall under the    mayorship of Ramon Bagatsing because of his principles already were conflicting with    his work. He stood by his principle of expressing disgust with the oppression of the Red    Regimen. He could no longer stand being limited by the Journalistic Creed.

   He decided to run for the Parliament but he did not have enough money for the    campaign. With God’s will, good friends and principles, he was able to gather support    form people he did not even know. The assistance from so many people – be it logistical, financial and moral – was so overwhelming.

He fed all his volunteers with the famous breakfast for Filipinos – pandesal. He used the bread also to describe the Marcos administration because it has started to become smaller in size as time goes by.  Atienza said that the people’s trust in the government went smaller each day – simultaneously with the size of pandesal.

Atienza was first elected as Member of Parliament in the then At-large Congressional District of Manila (then encompassing the districts of Paco, Pandacan, San Andres Bukid, Sta. Ana, Santa Mesa districts) under the Batasang Pambansa in 1984 and served until Marcos was peacefully ousted during the People Power Revolution of 1986. He was among the many who grieved for the death of Sen. Ninoy Aquino and his good friend Antique Gov. Evelio Javier. He also was one of the opposition leaders who encouraged Cory Aquino to run for presidency.

Under the administration of President Corazon Aquino, Atienza was appointed
General Manager of the National Housing Authority in 1988 and he promoted
low-cost housing for teachers and policemen.

Atienza could be considered a man with principles one could not question.
Wherever he would be, whatever he would do, he would do it extraordinarily well
and right. He was never afraid to go out of the box. He was never complacent.
So he decided to resign from his post in NHA and run for Mayoralty in Manila,
where his rival Mel Lopez was able to get the endorsement of then President
Cory Aquino. 

But because he was a gentleman, he respected what happened which could have
caused his loss for the post. He was not unnerved.

Atienza ran as vice-mayor in Manila 1992 and won a second term in 1995. He made history by being the only Vice Mayor who got elected for mayorship in 1998.

This is perhaps because he played a major role in the administration of the city during his time, being able to run the City Council effectively. 

Vice Mayor Atienza attends to the mendicants/ settlers near the Breakwaters, who were victims of typhoon. 

His greatest achievement was his aggressive stand of not allowing the Manila’s part of Roxas Boulevard/Manila Bay be reclaimed. Fond memories of his childhood, made him push harder on not blocking the Manilenos luxury of being able to witness and experience God’s miracles of sunrise and sunset. He did not go wrong.

He took his oath of office on June 24, 1998, coinciding with the 427th founding anniversary of the City of Manila. Atienza was again re-elected in 2001 and finally on 2004.

ANG TUNAY NA AMA NG MAYNILA: BEST MAYOR MANILA EVER HAD

Record Breaker:  The only Vice Mayor to have been elected Mayor and the only Mayor to have been re-elected for three consecutive terms
(1998-2007)  In picture, Atienza with his family and other elected City Officials in their Oath Taking Ceremony administered by then
Chief Justice Hilarion Davide. (June 24, 1998)

“My birthplace is my destiny.”

As a young boy Lito Atienza was a dreamer and a great lover of his City.  He had seen it pick up its pieces from the destruction brought about by World War II.  He grew up as Manila started to reveal him its real beauty and glory. Foreigners would come to study and bring with them good memories of the city. Day by day, Lito starts to draw in reveries of big dreams and visions of the city he has fallen in love with.

But as cities all around Asia started to boom, Manila has fallen to decay due to lack of any serious development. Three decades of wrong governance, Manilenos have just watched the city drown in the quicksand of poverty.

Writer Nick Joaquin said that when Manila sneezes, the Philippines catches colds. Manila could have gotten tuberculosis during that time.

It could have been his driving force to follow the tradition of his family of being an honest and consistent public servant, always taking in consideration the betterment of his people. It could have been his underlying reason why he took up Fine Arts. He had drawn an image of a resurrected Manila in his mind, without him even consciously noticing it.

LIto Atienza was destined to not just an administrator of the City, he was meant to be the BEST MAYOR MANILA EVER HAD.

Atienza’s leadership of his three/full term can be described into three aspects; (1) social and community development – where he focused on improving the welfare of senior citizens and of children, especially for abandoned children, (2) improving living conditions by improving government services and facilities, and (3) simplifying the bureaucracy in dealing with the city government of Manila.

In the areas of urban renewal for the City of Manila, Atienza implemented
the "Buhayin ang Maynila" (Revive Manila) program, his brainchild and battlecry, which aimed at improving community life and services and the environment, developing the facilities in public areas while preserving the links of the city to its glorious past and ultimately reviving Manila’s soul and spirit and traditions.

Atienza’s Buhayin ang Maynila Program was misconceived to be just a
face-lifting program.  But in fact, it was a comprehensive platform addressing
almost all the society’s basic needs and more. Its major thrusts include projects on Kalusugan, Karunungan, Kapayapaan, Kalinisan/Kapaligiran, Kaayusan, Kabuhayan, Kaunlaran, Kultura at Sports.

“Ang Maynila ay parang bulaklak. Ito ay kailangang maging mabango upang dapuan at buhayin ng mga paru-paro.”

   
   Among the major and most noticeable improvements included renovating most of Manila’s    decaying public facilities such as lighting and improving the sidewalk of major thoroughfares    like Taft Avenue and Quirino Ave and by the Manila Bay along Roxas Boulevard opening the    area to become filled with al fresco restaurants and coffee shops. Public places such as the    Plaza Miranda, the Lacson Underpass, the Andres Bonifacio monument, Rajah Sulayman, the    Binondo areas, Plaza Hugo, Plaza Blagtas, the creation of a Linear-Park in Pandacan,    renovating Carriedo and the R. Hidalgo streets in Santa Cruz, upgrading services of the city’s    public libraries, schools and hospitals including the Ospital ng Maynila, organizing markets and    vendors as well as pedicabs and tricycles, providing decent and affordable housing projects in    BASECO, Residencias de Manila and the U.N. Gardens and the building a permanent campus    for the Universidad de Manila.

   He initiated cultural awareness to all walks of life bringing the Hawaii-based Pinoy talents    Society of Seven, the Three Tenors, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Manila    Symphony Orchestra II, the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company and several    local and foreign talents to perform in the plazas for free.

   The 2-km promenade Baywalk has beaten seaside of Miami in several ways. The splendid    sunset outshined everything Miami had to offer.

Several private companies have seen Manila as perfect locations for concerts, movies and live television shows. Business establishments started sprouting and investments started pouring, opening job opportunities for several Manilenos and escalating the income for the city government.

Who ever said that development was just beautification? 

“If a mayor could not synchronize the 4 clocks at the City Hall tower, one should not trust him to run his office.  It just goes without saying that he is not giving his people a good sense of where the City is heading and when should it start.”

He also started improvement inside city hall. He was able to run the clocks, thanks to ingenuity of technicians in Avenida.  All comfort rooms were clean and operational. The elevators were all working.  Taxpayers were given VIP treatment for they give the city government the revenue needed in further improving services to the people. Taxpayer’s Lounge and Mabuhay Lounge were put up in the heart of the City Hall – airconditioned rooms with free coffee and juice, where taxpayers and business permit seekers were given the leisure to relax while
waiting for their transactions to get done.

During his term, economic activities were spruced up contributing to 600% increase in the revenue of the City Government.  The profit earned during his time was continuously used
in more redevelopment projects.

All the bureaucratic malpractices were aimed to be wiped out so Atienza started it with values formation. He held weekly prayer meetings with his own cabinet, the department heads and directors of offices and bureaus.

The mayor battled the country’s three major oil companies, the partly state-owned and Saudi
Aramco managed Petron, Dutch-owned Pilipinas Shell and Caltex-Chevron. Atienza and the
city council decreed that the presence of oil distribution depots in the heavily populated district
of Pandacan poised as a security and safety danger and issued an eviction notice to the oil companies. The concern was raised after the terror attacks that started on September 11, 2001 that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York. Atienza and the council decreed that the Pandacan district was to be converted from an industrial zone to a residential-commercial zone.
A moratorium was set and the oil companies have agreed to gradually scale down their
operations.

“If the people could not go to City Hall, let us bring the services straight to their doorsteps.”

He also pioneered “Serbisyong Diretso sa Tao” through the Sama sa Masa, done 2-3 times a week, which involved setting up a mini action center in each barangay, bringing medical, dental, legal services etc. from the city hall as well as free hair cut, nutrition and educational activities in the communities. It was like bringing the City Hall closer to the MASA.

He also had People’s Day, every Tuesday, wherein every Manileño gets a chance to talk to and meet with the Mayor without prior appointments. Everybody was welcome to go his office.

“Takot ang masasamang loob sa maliwanag at magagandang lugar!”

During the Atienza Administration, crime rates were lower compared to previous administrations. He reinforced Manila Police Department by providing them logistical support, patrol cars and vans and motorcycles. NCRPO declared that MPD has 96.45% of crime solution efficiency.

His street-lighting may have contributed much on this development too because he believed that 1 lamp post is equal to 10 policemen on patrol. At the end of his term almost 30,000 lamposts were installed in all the six districts.

“Development is like a virus (good virus-that is), it is very contagious.”

What were mentioned here were just a few for the virus of development was becoming very extensive until June 30, 2007.

The Glorious Manila Bay Sunset: The City of Manila takes pride in being the only City in NCR which experiences one of God’s
Miracles like the sunset. Even during his term as Vice Mayor, Atienza firmly stood against the reclamation of this side
of Roxas Boulevard. He did the right thing.

“I used to dream. The dream started to became a reality. Ipagpatuloy natin ang programang Buhayin ang Maynila, at sa tulong ng Panginoong Diyos, magtatagumpay tayo!”

Up until the day Lito Atienza bid goodbye to his Mayorship and opportunity to be the Father of his beloved city – he left a P3 Billion budget which he deemed important to be used by the next administration in continuing the splendid vision of giving Manila the kind of life Manilenos deserve.

But above all these, Atienza, who is fashionably known as the man which has principles and dreams as sunny and vibrant as his shirts, left a legacy of HONEST AND GOOD GOVERNANCE which aimed at nothing but the benefit and progress of his City and its people.

DENR

Ang inyong lingkod ay lubos na nakataya at naniniwala sa halaga ng buhay. Yes, I am a staunch pro-lifer as I believe that life is the greatest gift given all of us today. You cannot be a pro-lifer if you are not pro-environment because in creation, God created life together with the environment, precisely to give him a good life. Go forth and multiply and have dominion over my creation.

DENR SECRETARY LITO ATIENZA

When Lito Atienza stepped out of the Mayor’s Office in Manila City Hall on June 30, 2007, he was very ready to become a private individual.  He prepared for a long vacation, to give thanks to God and spend undivided attention to his wife Beng and their family, quite
a first after his 30 years of public service.

He and Beng were planning on continuing their advocacies even as private citizens, their foundations will still continue, their house will still be open for charity works and service to the public. They were praying to God to lead them where He wants Lito Atienza to be. And God sent a speedy reply.

It wasn’t too long when Atienza received a call for no less than President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo. He was ready to turn any offer down. He even prepared a lengthy spiel, but when the President asked him, “Lito binuhay mo ang Maynila, tulungan mo akong buhayin ang ating kalikasan.” 

She need not say anything more, he said yes and assumed office on July 18, 2007.

Since then, Sec. Atienza has been doing what he does best.  Pouring all his heart and energy on doing what is good for his fellowmen.  The stakes are higher but he was confident that he would excel again because God will always be on his side. And once again, Lito Atienza is spreading the good virus… this time on saving Mother Earth and preserving and proper management of the natural resources which he believes, could be the solution to poverty contrary to common notion that population growth causes the extermination of our resources.

To date, various projects are being implemented, with Sec. Atienza working closely with the people in DENR.  The Secretary has been everywhere, roaming the entire Philippines, continuously learning and discovering every treasure, inspecting every malpractice, implementing the laws and conceptualizing ways on maximizing through proper usage of these God-bestowed resources. He also is all over the world, attending conferences, initiating moves and signing pacts for proper utilization of our richness but never sacrificing and endangering the environment and promoting the fact, telling the world that the Philippines is abundantly gifted.

   In less than a year, DENR has become one of the    busiest government offices, through his    leadership.  He starts the week with the flag-    raising ceremony which includes his week’s    inspirational message. He makes it a point to let    his people know his ideas and principles and    influences them to work hard.

   His office was also opened to everybody.    Secretary Atienza holds his People’s Day every    Thursday to personally attend to concerns and    issues of people who were not accommodated    through appointments. Together with his    undersecretaries and hardworking staff, more problems are being addressed and given immediate solutions or answers.

His efforts are being rewarded, indeed. DENR’s latest projects are focused on preservation of AIR, WATER, and LAND --- because these elements sustain LIFE. Saving endangered species and awareness on caring for all things that have life    are also campaigned.

The following are some of the latest DENR projects jumpstarted by Secretary Lito Atienza:

Metro Manila’s commuters will soon be able to ride passenger buses fueled by environment-friendly liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). A prototype of the initial four units of
the LPG-powered buses was brought to the main office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Diliman, Quezon City and shown to DENR Secretary
Lito Atienza.

“We welcome this initiative because the use of LPG in motorized vehicles will improve the quality of air in Metro Manila, whose dramatic improvement we expect to see in the next
two years,” Atienza said. “We are, however, seeking the assistance of all local government units (LGUs) in enforcing anti-pollution and all the environmental laws, because the DENR cannot do it successfully without the much-needed help from them,” Atienza said.

“If we don’t improve the quality of air, respiratory diseases and global warming will come about. That’s why the DENR is not only implementing reforestation projects but also programs to clean our lakes, bays and other bodies of water in order to improve the quality of air and prevent global warming,” Atienza said.

Just recently open burning of rice stalks, grasses and other agricultural wastes by farmers who were preparing their farms for the second cropping has been traced by DENR. Although farmers have been allowed over the years to burn their garbage right on their rice fields for convenience and due to its being a seasonal thing, the DENR has reminded local government units (LGUs) that the prohibition on open burning does not exempt farmers.

“Instead of burning rice stalks, let us educate and encourage our farmers to compost them and produce high quality organic fertilizer or garden soil. There are far greater ecological benefits of composting agricultural wastes compared to burning them,” Atienza said.

Massive efforts on cleaning the air we are breathing have been put to implementation. Clean Air Laws have long been passed but may not be well executed but Sec. Lito Atienza intends to put the intelligent Laws into execution...

___________________________________________

In a simple ceremony highlighting the convergence of a nine-day, Luzon-wide Earth Day People’s Caravan at SM Pampanga in San Fernando City, last April, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza was named “champion of Philippine waters” by Odette Alcantara, environmental activist and Mother Earth Philippines convenor.

Moreover, Atienza has been actively managing the rebirthing of the rivers and lakes especially
the Laguna Lake and Manila Bay. He has been all around the Philippines, like Baguio
(Balili River), Batangas (Taal Lake),  to inspect all bodies of water. All obstacles like illegally constructed fishpens are removed, all illegal settlers are being relocated.  Massive cleaning and clearing activities are being underway to start the long process of reviving all bodies of water in cooperation with environment groups such as the Laguna Lake Development Authority and
ABS-CBN Bantay Kalikasan to name a few.

Clean water will help us address the inevitable crisis on water shortage.

In addition to this, Secretary Lito Atienza warned all local executives to close down open
dumpsites within their areas of jurisdiction or suffer the consequences of the law. He made the warning following reports that there remain 826 open dumpsites in various parts of the country.

“The local government units have been given sufficient time already to comply with Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. The law calls for the closure of all open dumpsites within three years after the effectivity of the law. The law was passed in 2000, yet to this day, there are still 826 open dumpsites all over the country,” Atienza said.

   According to him, open dumps are very unsanitary because they attract all kinds of parasites that, in    turn, afflict people with different kinds of illnesses. Aside from that, he said, the garbage that    accumulate in the dumpsites produce leachate that contaminate the groundwater. Atienza also said    that the methane gas emitted by decaying organic matter in the dumpsites has greater global    warming potential by about 21 times as compared to carbon dioxide.

   Moreover, Secretary Lito Atienza said the reported resumption of illegal logging in Dingalan, Aurora    must be stopped at all costs, while those behind the nefarious activity must suffer the full force of the    law. This is in reaction to published reports, which quoted a leader of Task Force Sierra Madre, that    illegal loggers are again active in cutting down trees in Aurora province.

   “I have personally confirmed the report from my independent sources in the area and I have found    that it has sufficient basis,” an enraged Atienza said.

Calling illegal loggers as “chainsaw murderers,” Atienza said they must suffer the consequences of their action to the fullest extent of the law. “I am warning all illegal loggers and environmental criminals that we will hunt you down and send you to prison.”

Atienza said community action and vigilance of people’s and non-government organizations are two of the best ways to expose the activities and bring to justice environmental criminals.

These are just few of Sec. Lito Atienza's efforts in protecting the environment.  Prevalent efforts are also being exerted in the correct management of mining and correct garbage disposal etc. are being done. Foreign assisted projects are being empowered.  This simply shows how other countries acknowledge the rich and endowed country that we have.

It sometimes comes to hit us that we don't even value whatever God has given us. 
It’s high time that we do our share in saving our environment.  Philippines has been blessed enough to sustain our needs, no matter how populated we are. God has given us wisdom on how to take care of Mother Earth. Let us start doing our share.

“One of the shortest ways to achieve genuine progress is to properly manage our bountiful riches with the full participation and involvement of our people,” Atienza said. “Marami tayong biyaya ngunit bakit pa rin tayo naghihirap? This is because we have mismanaged our resources and not because of our big population as claimed by some groups.”

                                                                                    DENR SEC. JOSE L. ATIENZA, JR.

Over the years, rumors on breaking friendships have tried to bring Lito down. But because of his sheer honest principles of THE RULE OF LAW and TRUE VALUE OF FRIENDS, nothing ever got him down.

Lito Atienza has been one of the strongest pillars of the Liberal Party. In fact, he was one of the candidates (he was running for councilor then), who were there during the Meeting de Avance when the Plaza Miranda Bombing occurred. A lot of his friends were

(Left photo) Atienza during one of the caucuses of the Liberal Party in the early 80’s. He was imprisoned twice for exposing human rights abuses committed by the Marcos Regime. (Right) Secretary Lito Atienza (center, in tropical shirt) yesterday led thousands of elected national and local officials
of the Liberal Party (LP) from all over the country in celebrating the 62nd founding anniversary of the second oldest political party at the Tent City of
the Manila Hotel. The majority of the LP which is headed by Secretary Atienza marked the event by passing a resolution for reconciliation based on
truth, sincerity and loyalty to unite all Liberals. Also in photo with Atienza are former Presidential Chief of Staff Mike Defensor, Reps. Rod Valencia,
Danny Suarez, and Matt Defensor, DENR Usec Eli Quinto and Speaker Jose de Venecia

injured, including one of his best friends former Senator John Osmena. Osmena and the others won while Lito lost this battle.

But he has never left his most beloved Liberal Party.

Atienza has been sensationalized for having his own group on the said party during the most talked about splitting of his side, which had the majority members under his wing, and the Drilon wing. 

The National Executive Committee was apparently bypassed when a minority number of members announced their disinterest in supporting the current administration.  Drilon's wing has condemned Pres. Arroyo and has requested her to step down without asking the majority of members if they agree on this stand.

After all the misunderstandings and chaos, the SC had a ruling and as a man who VALUES THE RULE OF LAW GREATLY, Atienza rested his case for the moment.

The Philippines which happened to be a country with the richest history and greatly empowered and made politically aware citizenry, loyalty and principles are greatly valued and scrutinized.

Most of Atienza detractors would always find a way to throw dirt on his colorful shirts. But they would always fail... for his principles are firm and consistent.

Much as Atienza believes how much Filipinos are empowered, he believes that good governance entails cooperation and discipline too.  We are guided by our constitution and we must respect the RULE.

When former president ERAP ESTRADA was forcibly sent out of Malacanang, Atienza was one of the few who were there to give moral support to his good friend. For sometime, he did not approve of what happened to EDSA 2 because the LAW of the LAND was disrespected.

   
   When PGMA's presidency was solemnized by the LAW, he kept up the pace and supported the    government.  People who were emotionally brainwashed would misinterpret his move.  But Atienza    believes in the RULE OF LAW and that development and progress won’t be achieved if we don't    move on and keep up.    

   Some people still won’t agree with him but because of his stands, he was able to keep his friends    and he still respects the RULE OF LAW.