Alfredo Lim

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Alfredo S. Lim
Mayor of the City of Manila
1992–1998; 2007–present
Senator of the Philippines
2004–2007*
*Original term up to June 30, 2010; Resigned on June 30, 2007 to sit as the new Manila Mayor.
Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government
1999–2001
Director, National Bureau of Investigation Dec. 1989-1992
Political Party: People's Reform Party (1992-1998)
Liberal Party (1998-1999) Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (2004-2005)
Genuine Opposition (2005 to date)
Born: December 21, 1929 (1929-12-21) (age 78)
Manila
Website: Official website

Alfredo Siojo Lim (born December 21, 1929) is the incumbent Mayor of the City of Manila and a former senator of the Philippines. A widower, he first served as mayor of Manila from 1992 to 1998 and returned to that post after winning in the 2007 mayoral election.

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[edit] Early Life

Alfredo Lim was born in Manila, and is of mixed Chinese and Filipino descent.[1] He finished high school at Far Eastern University, graduating in 1948. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in 1951 and Bachelor of Laws in 1963, both at the University of the East. He finished his Master's Degree in National Security Administration with honors, at the National Defense College of the Philippines, in 1981.

[edit] After Graduation

Lim started his police career in the early 1950s. He was a distinguished police officer earning numerous commendations and awards[citation needed]. During the late 1980s, Lim helped defend the government of President Corazon Aquino from numerous threats from rightist elements. Lim's led Manila Policemen to retake government installations from military rebels in the 1987 coup attempt. After retiring from the police, Lim was appointed National Bureau of Investigation director. Lim effected numerous changes in the NBI. Lim lobbied for more funding and increases in the pay of agents and other employees. Due to the fact that regular agents had to be either Lawyers or accountants, nearly half of the agent force positions were vacant. There were few takers due to the pay offered. Lim then lobbied for the position of special investigator which was realized to complement the regular agents.

[edit] Political Life

[edit] Mayor of Manila (1992-1998)

In 1992, he beat six opponents in the election to become mayor of Manila. As Manila Mayor, he worked on a strong law and order program which lessened crime[citation needed]. Lim also worked on some projects to improve the city's image which had been bad when he assumed office. He pushed reforms in the city government. He was re-elected in 1995.

[edit] 1998 Presidential Candidate

He ran a failed bid for the presidency as the Liberal Party nominee in the 1998 election, garnering 8.7% of the vote and finishing fifth in a field of eleven candidates. Sometime during the Estrada administration, Lim served as Secretary of Interior and Local Government. But his stint was cut short when Estrada left office in early 2001.

[edit] Senator

He was elected Senator in the 2004 election. as a senator Lim introduced legislation to bring back mandatory ROTC, but this bill did not receive any co-sponsors. Effective June 30, 2007, his position in the Senate, which he would have served until June 30, 2010, is currently vacant because he won for mayor in Manila.

[edit] Mayoralty Candidate in Manila

He ran for the mayorship in the City of Manila in the 2007 elections with his running mate Manila Fifth District Rep. Joey Hizon. He won the said election against Arnold Atienza, the son of the previous mayor of Manila (Jose L. Atienza, Jr.).

[edit] Mayor of Manila (2007-2010)

He took his oath of office on June 30, 2007. Under the governance slogan "Linisin, Ibangon (ang) Maynila" (Clean, Uplift Manila, hence the acronym LIM), he is currently assisted by Manila vice mayor Isko Moreno, who beat Lim's running mate Joey Hizon. Moreno ran with Danny Lacuna, a former Manila vice mayor.

In Lim's most dramatic move after he assumed office, he gave the go-signal for the removal of informal settlers in Quiapo, Manila's notorious “Little Vietnam”. The eviction will start of July 6, 2007, after a dialogue with imams (religious leaders) and village leaders who signified their approval, to clean the area of alleged killings and illegal drug activities. Meanwhile, Canadian Ambassador Peter Sutherland, said his government already had a number of programs for Muslims in Mindanao. Lim stated that "he would also make representations at the Supreme Court to see if a Sharia court could be established in the city, where 4,000 families lived in the Islamic Center alone".[2]On July 13, 2007, Lim rejected the designation of Rosales as Manila police chief and ordered current MPD director Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa to remain at his post.[3]

PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon (July 16) asked Lim to recall his "open-Mendiola" policy to prevent militants from marching there. PNP would recommend having protesters take their rallies to freedom parks. Upon assuming his post last June 30, Lim ended the ban on Mendiola by his predecessor Jose Atienza Jr., later modifiying the policy by allowing rallies at Mendiola on weekends and holidays. Calderon warned that if Lim will not change his position, the PNP will enforce the "no permit, no rally" policy.[4]Lim formally reopened (July 14) the portion of Avenida Street to traffic, some years after Atienza Jr. blocked it off in favor of pedestrians. There were no traffic lights or signs, or traffic aides to guide motorists, pedestrians and commuters (the new traffic scheme in the Sta. Cruz district in downtown Manila) except for concrete barriers of the MMDA. Neither were there pedestrian lanes or traffic signs urging motorists and drivers to slow down at intersections.[5]

Lim also ordered the removal of all business establishments, including bars and restaurants, in the Baywalk area along Roxas Boulevard (also another Atienza project) in an attempt to make the area a wholesome park for everyone, with an unobstructed view of the famed Manila sunset. A reason for this move is because many of these establishments have no business permits and were selling liquor, which is a violation of applicable city ordinances. [6]

On December 17, 2007, Alfredo Lim told MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando not to conduct its sidewalk clearing operations in Manila since vendors were allowed to sell on sidewalks for humanitarian reasons. Lim stated: "I jokingly told Chairman Fernando that they are welcome anytime but I cannot guarantee their safety. Their problem is how they will get out." [7]

On March 14, 2008, Alfredo Lim's son, Manny Lim, 44, a businessman, with 2 suspects were arrested in a hotel on Tomas Mapua Street by PDEA operatives during a buy-bust operation in Binondo. Manny had in his possession 100 grams of metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P600,000.[8]

[edit] References

[edit] External links


Preceded by
Antonio M. Carpio
NBI Director
1989 – 1992
Succeeded by
Epimaco A. Velasco
Preceded by
Mel Lopez
Mayor of the City of Manila
(First Term Sequence)

1992 – 1998
Succeeded by
Jose L. Atienza, Jr.
Preceded by
Ronaldo Puno
DILG Secretary
2000 – 2001
Succeeded by
Jose Lina, Jr.
Preceded by
Jose L. Atienza, Jr.
Mayor of the City of Manila
(Second Term Sequence)

2007 – present
Incumbent
Languages