I missed going on a field trip. I remember when I was in grade school and until high school I always join school field trips. It was a great experience during my school years. Some of the highlights of the field trips were museums, historical places and food plants (I think) and of course there's always swimming. Those are the wonderful days!


Now, it seems that I'm returning that memories again. Yes, once more I experience the enjoyment of joining tours as me, together with the other bloggers were treated to a tour, a special field trip at the heart of Manila, San Juan City.




We were toured around the city hall and the city. The field trip feels grew more because of the introductions and few talks from the tour guide. Our first tour guide was Mayor Guia who opened the doors of her office to show interesting facts and stories about the city of San Juan. It was really a very informative hour for us and take note we learned more about the city itself.


After the office of Mayor Guia, the next was the office of CEDOC or the Central Emergency and Disaster Operations Center where a huge screen of different monitors displaying the different areas around the city.



The walls in the lobby of the City Hall is painted with three different murals that depicts the past and present of San Juan.

The Pinaglabanan Shrine which is decorated and made beautiful by the fire trees is now a historical landmark to visit.
The El Deposito de Aguas turned museum is once the depository station of potable water the whole Manila area. This is the very first water management system in the country which is design by Palacio. The City Hall, the Shrine and its surrounding area is the entire water management system of El Deposito, unfortunately is now being rebuilt only as a memoir of the once water management system that serve Manila.

The Museo ng Katipunan where you will learn more bits and pieces of history that are not written in textbooks, like what really KKK stands for which Kataastaasang Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan.

San Juan National High School and Science High School are part of the master plan of having schools in the city developed during the time of its former Mayor Joseph Estrada which is continued by JV Ejercito. Part of its plan also is having a estate college university which the PUP.
The Sunctuario of San Juan del Monte and Santo Kristo and some of the century old churches which is a proof of the people's faith and being religious.

Other places visited were the Old City Hall which now part of the San Juan Medical Center, the old pipeline of the El Deposito, the Entertainment and Recreational Arena for the People, the shopping malls and some old houses that make up the now San Juan City.

It was sort of a treat for us, moms like me this Mother's Day. I am really thankful to Mayor Guia Gomez, the mother or San Juan City for letting us know some important facts, stories and history of the places, happenings and development around the city.


Indeed, Mayor Guia is truly a mother taking care the city and the welfare of her constituents. The roots that SenJV never forget to look back.

It's rare for me to be invited by politicians and to have lunch with them. Fortunately, I am grateful to be invited, together with the other bloggers, to have a luncheon event at the house of Mayor Guia Gomez on her Birthday. It was a sumptous lunch and a chika overload with her.

Mayor Guia is the mother of Senator JV Ejercito, the Senate's Mr Healthcare. During our interview with Mayor Guia on the day of her birthday, she talked about her lovelife, showbiz carreer, as well as her college life. Mayor Guia is a very jolly person and no dull moment with her.
She also shared what his son, Senator JV Ejercito's gift for her and she is very grateful for it. Like her, Senator JV also has a big heart for the Filipinos and a truly public servant.

Of course the birthday celebration will not be complete without the star of the day, the food. Finally, I can taste the very famous dish of Mayor Guia, her specialty, the Bacalao! She only cooks the Bacalao once a year and this is my first time to taste it.

The Bacalao really taste good. Indeed, we need more rice to eat with the Bacalao. A very unique dish and can you imagine it’s a fish! Aside from Bacalao, she also prepared some other dishes, the Bulalo, Adobo, Pochero, and the Relyenong Fish. It's truly a “Lutong Bahay” and if you say it lutong bahay it's very tasty and you will eat a lot and we did! A very generous Mayor Guia with a feel at home food!



 
Truly, Mayor Guia supports her son Senator JV Ejercito on his candidacy as re-electionist. Sen JV is the author of the Universal Health Law that will help a lot of Filipinos. For sure Sen JV can do a lot more!
Thank you very much Mayor Guia for welcoming us and being generous. We enjoy the day for having us as your guest. More power to you and  your advocacy of serving the public.

#MayorGuiaVote4JV

Perhaps I can relate to San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez of her being the mother, not only to her family but to the entire city. Of course the relate part is only being a mother. Motherhood is a profession and it's a full time job that most of the time overtime is not paid but of course it's the love for the family that makes it fullfiling and satisfying.

Thankfully, I was part of the invited bloggers to have a simple chitchat with Mayor Guia Gomez. Yes, I'm very glad to have met her personally, the mother of Senator JV Ejercito. She is the mother who became the mother of the entire city after replacing her son from being Mayor of San Juan City.

Mayor Guia Gomez, before and currently being mayor of the city has been a public servant by heart. Owning perhaps the true title of being the mother of the city.


During the chitchat with her she was able to share bits of her past to us, bloggers. She was once also an actress in her prime days but was cut short because of knowing she wasn't into it very much. She also shared her time being the mother who loves to spend time with her family, children, and grandchildren.

Mayor Guia's time serving the people of San Juan has done a lot of improvements in the city. Some of them are additional housing programs for the less privilege, job generation and skills training, and the sustainable programs that will eventually free the majority of the San Juaneños from poverty.

Mayor Guia's motherly trait perhaps comes from her parents. Being the eldest child of Dr. Dominador Gomez of Silay City and Paz Guanzon of Iloilo City. Of course there's a saying "kung ano ang puno sya ang bunga" and this qualities she have were passed on to her son Senator JV Ejercito who also excelled in his own achievements.


The mother who cares for her family and to the city.