Tito Oreta

Canuto "Tito" Oreta (July 30, 1939 – September 3, 2012) was a Filipino politician who was Mayor of Malabon City.^[2]

Early life

Born Canuto Senen A. Oreta on July 30, 1939 in Barangay Maysilo, Malabon City, Metro Manila. He was the second of five siblings: Celia, Charito (with her husband Jaime), Antolin Jr. "Len" (with his wife Tessie Aquino-Oreta) Eddy and Tony.

Personal life

Family

He was married to his wife, Maria Aranzazu "Aring" Dionisio-Oreta had 5 children:. He was the brother-in-law of former Senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta.

Children

• Gerardo "Dondi" D. Oreta & Marie Antonette "Tonet" Gatchalian-Oreta, with 2 daughters: Patricia & Amanda
• Maria Agnes "Nina" Oreta-Hewitt & Carl Hewitt, and daughter Sadie
• Victor Antolin "Vic" D. Oreta & Ma. Cecilia "Cecile" Solidum-Oreta, with 2 children: Michelle & Miguel
• Ramon D. Oreta & Jennifer Yu, and son Logan
• Paulo Alberto D. Oreta & Cindy Tan-Oreta, with 3 children: Nicole, PJ and Pauline

Educational Life

• Elementary: St. James Academy, Malabon City (1944-1950)
• High School: University of the Philippines Integrated School, Quezon City (1950-1954)
• College: Mapúa Institute of Technology, Intramuros, Manila (1954-1959)
• Others: Armed Forces of the Philippines - Home Defense Training (1976 & 1977), Jungle Warfare Mountain Operation/Ranger Course (1987), Passer of the Board Examination For Civil Engineers in July 1969

Political Life

Before becoming the Malabon City Mayor, he served as the Barangay Captain of Maysilo for several terms. Barangay Maysilo bestowed upon him the honor of being their Outstanding Barangay Captain in 1989. And then, the CAMANAVA Press Corps recognized him as 1994 Outstanding Barangay Captain in the North Sector of Metropolitan Manila. For three consecutive terms, he was elected as President of Malabon Association of Barangay Captains, which automatically called him as City Councilor to the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Malabon.

He ran for mayor in 2004 and won under the Nationalist People’s Coalition banner. He won a second and third term in 2007 and 2010, respectively, unopposed for the last 2 terms.

Death

Oreta died at 10:00 AM on September 3, 2012, after a battle with lung cancer, news reports said. Oreta died of “multiple organ failure”, at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City. He was 73 years old. The remains of Mayor Tito Oreta was transferred from his Maysilo Residence to the Malabon City Hall on September 7, 10:00 AM. After the arrival honors, he was brought to the lobby. A mass was held at the Malabon Amphitheater at 8PM followed by a necrological ceremony. Last Mass was held at San Bartolome Parish at 9:00 AM. Departure Honors was done at the Church Patio before proceeding to the Loyola Cemetery. Interment was on September 8, 2012, Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina. Cremation was at 1:00 PM. Meanwhile, vice mayor Antolin Oreta III, better known as Len-len Oreta, has been serving as the Acting City Mayor of Malabon since March 2012.

Legacy

Under the leadership of Mayor Tito, the City Government of Malabon entered a new rise of Good Governance centered in the advancement and education of the youth, the protection of women and care of children amid enhancement of the environment.

Right now, the City Government is facing head-on the perennial problem of flooding during the rainy months of June to September. And we are using all possible solutions to it; as well as the continuation of the CAMANAVA Flood Control and Drainage Improvement Project.

As the environment and the ecology are the highest priority for all citizens of Malabon, the Oreta administration realized two of the biggest dreams of the City such as: the New Malabon City Sports Complex Building, which is one of its kind in the CAMANAVA area; and, the New 11-storey Government Center Building with scenic elevator and Parking Space facility.

Accomplishments

During the period that he was involved in the local governance of the city of Malabon, he was also working full-time in the construction firm of A.M, Oreta & Co. Inc.. It had been founded by his father in 1946. He trained as an engineer in Guam, from the period, 1959 to 1962. He then continued his engineering training in Atlanta, Georgia, in the U.S., from the period 1962 to 1964. He then returned to Manila and started working as an engineer with his father's firm. In 1976,he was the project engineer for the Manila Peninsula Hotel. He was vice-president for Engineering in the said firm, until he was elected.

New Malabon City Hall

The newest and tallest infrastructure that dominates the skyline of Northern Metropolitan Manila is the eleven-storey building of the Malabon City Hall whose construction was started in September 2006 and was completed in December 2007.

Oreta Sports Center

The Oreta Sports Center Building which covers 2,500 square meters includes a 90 square meter men' and women's locker and dressing room facility and a 200 square meter men's and women's shower and toilet area. The said complex has a one thousand and three hundred person capacity spectator bleacher area, a 14-slot rentable and commercial stalls and a 13-slot parking area. It has a mezzanine floor area of 530 square meter multipurpose area ideal for athletic, martial arts and other sports activities. The Sports Complex is covered by a long span roofing with glass curtain frontage finish wall that will provide adequate lighting during daytime use of the facility and surrounded by louver window for natural air ventilation system. It also houses a standard-sized, wooden floor finish multipurpose playing court suitable for basketball, volleyball, tennis and badminton games. The Center is the embodiment of Mayor Oreta's dream to boost morale, recreation and welfare for the entire constituency.

Malabon City Digital Infrastructure Project (MCDIP)

The Malabon City Digital Infrastructure Project or the MCDIP was completed in 2006 and its goal is to provide efficient delivery of services to its constituents through the automation, enhancement and upgrade of its major renevue-generating systems, socio-economic profile systems, administrative systems and services linked to the Common Spatial Data Framework to ensure effective and efficient collection of taxes and fees, and to institute transparency in administrative affairs and resource management; as well as to improve business transactions within the LGU. Objectives:
1. To strengthen the financial foundation and independence of the local government by way of efficient and effective generation of revenues. It will also aim to enhance administrative support functions in support of its operations.
2. To improve internal processes and procedures at the same time promote transparency in the assessment and collection of revenues.
3. To enable to provide faster, convenient, and quality services to the citizenry with substantial degree of integrity.
4. To streamline present operations to better serve citizens by way of efficiently implemented development.

References