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1992–1998; 2007–present |
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2004–2007* *Original term up to June 30, 2010; Resigned on June 30, 2007 to sit as the new Manila Mayor. |
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1999–2001 |
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| Political Party: | People's Reform Party (1992-1998) Liberal Party (1998-1999) Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (2004-2005) Genuine Opposition (2005 to date) |
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| Born: | December 21, 1929 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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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.
In 1992, he beat six opponents in the election to become mayor of Manila. As 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.
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.
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.
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.).
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.
Shortly after assuming office, Lim gave the go-signal for the removal of squatters 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".[1]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.[2]
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.[3]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.[4]
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. Lim claims that many of these establishments have no business permits and were selling liquor, which is a violation of applicable city ordinances. [5]
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." [6]
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 methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P600,000.[7]
Lim and Reynato Puno, on July 9, 2008, re-launched the Supreme Court’s "Justice on Wheels (JOW) Project", to improve access of justice to the poor. The Manila City Jail was built for only 1,000 inmates but is now crammed with 4,602.[8][9][10]
Manila councilor Dennis Alcoreza, on July 17, 2008, filed human rights complaints before the Commission on Human Rights, against Lim, and other Manila officials. Alcoreza accused Lim of forced body removal off the slaughterhouse on July 11, and illegal dispersal of protest.[11] Meanwhile, 24 Manila city councilors resigned from their posts as members and heads of the different committees, prompting a reorganization. The councilors unanimously denounced the violent treatment by Lim's Manila Police Department (MPD) towards Alcoreza during the city government’s takeover of the Tondo Vitas Slaughterhouse leased to Dealco Farms Inc.[12]
In October 2008, Lim made ROTC training mandatory for all students at the Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) and City Colleges of Manila (CCM), both city owned colleges.[13]
Lim, on August 20, 2008, resigned as head of Joseph Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Partido ng Masang Pilipino - PMP) following a PMP’s executive committee resolution removing him as president of the party. He was replaced by Joseph Estrada who is also the PMP chairman.[14][15]
| 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 |