Of Zamboanga's Greatest Mayor Remembered

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 26, 2008) - Hundreds of people on Saturday gathered in Zamboanga City to commemorate the birth anniversary of the late Maria Clara Lobregat.

Lobregat, a known philanthropist who died from diabetic complications in January 2, 2004, was considered by the locals as one of Zamboanga's greatest leaders.

Droves of people gathered at the Jardin de Maria Clara in Pasonanca Park to offer flowers and to remember good memories of erstwhile mayor on her 87th birth anniversary dubbed as Dia de Madam Caling.

Maria Clara or Caling was born on April 2, 1921 in Zamboanga City as the second child of the five children of Spanish-Filipino Don Pablo Lorenzo who was a mayor of Zamboanga City, a representative to the first Philippine Assembly and a delegate to the Philippine Constitutional Convention, and Luisa Rafols of Cebu City.

Lobregat was the first woman mayor of Zamboanga and also served as representative to the Philippine Congress. Her son, Celso, became representative to the former lone district of Zamboanga City in 1998 and later a mayor in 2004 until the present.

"I thank the City Council for passing an ordinance making Dia de Madam Caling on her birthday, not on the day she died, because we want to have good memories and all of us remember our personal and collective memories of Madam Caling," he said.

The 21st mayor of Zamboanga City, Lobregat, started her political career in 1971 when she was elected as the city's delegate to the Constitutional Convention. She ran for the position of regional representative to the Batasang Pambansa in the early 1980s but lost to the more colorful Cesar C. Climaco. In 1987, she ran for Zamboanga City's congressional seat and won the election.

She was considered as one of the greatest political leader in the Philippines because of her many achievements and love for humanity. (With a report from Claudine Uniana)

Great Mayor Remembered In Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 18 Apr) – Local mayor Celso Lobregat announced Wednesday the launching of the Maria Clara Lobregat Media Awards to coincide with the observance of the Dia de Madam Caling.

“Madam Caling” was the name referred to Maria Clara Lorenzo Lobregat, the influential mayor of Zamboanga City and mother of Celso Lobregat, who died of heart in January 2004.

The Dia de Madam, the mayor said, also was the day Maria Clara Lobregat was born and would be observed on April 26. She would have turned 86.

The observance of the special day in Zamboanga City will be highlighted by various activities and one of them is the “Mayor Maria Clara L. Lobregat Media Awards,” a tribute to journalists for their invaluable support and contribution to Zamboanga City.

Lobregat said the nominations for the awards have began for six categories: Columnist / Media Commentator, Development News Writer, News and Public Affairs Program, Feauture Writer, Photographer and the Mayor Maria Clara L. Lobregat Award, for outstanding journalist.

The criteria for this year’s award are the following: Immensely supportive of the city’s agenda for growth and advancement, manifesting this in the journalist profession, that included unquestionable integrity and credibility; who shows genuine love for the city, its people and traditions, promoting unity in the ranks of not only media, but the community as well – the journalist works should reflect the culture and good attributions of Zamboanga.

Journalist should serve as a model of integrity, esteem, professionalism and leadership in the media profession and must have made an extraordinary and remarkable contribution to society; and finally, journalist must earn the respect of all sectors of society with his skill, impartiality, integrity and capability.

The Zamboanga Press Club has hundreds of members, but not many of them are active or working journalists.

Maria Clara Lobregat was born in April 26, 1921 from a Filipino mother Luisa Rafols and Spanish-Filipino father Don Pablo Lorenzo.

The 21st mayor of city, Lobregat, started her political career in 1971 when she was elected as the city’s delegate to the Constitutional Convention. During the Marcos regime, she was the chair of the Philippine Coconut Authority.

She ran for the position of regional representative to the Batasang Pambansa in the early 1980s but lost to the more colorful Cesar C. Climaco. In 1987, she ran for Zamboanga City’s congressional seat and won the election.

She was considered as one of the greatest political leader in the Philippines because of her many achievements and love for humanity. (Mindanao Examiner)