| Carrying
her famous battlecry, “Puso at Pag-asa ng Batangas”
against the erstwhile and seemingly formidable political opponent,
newly-elected Governor Vilma Santos-Recto proved to be one
of he most loved and sought-after public servant in Batangas.
Her untarnished reputation in local governance, coupled with
a strong political will and unquestionable more integrity,
speaks so much for herself as one of the most outstanding
mayors in the Philippines.
Born on November 3, 1953 in Manila, she finished her primary
and secondary education at St. Mary’s Academy. She has
two children: Luis Philippe S. Manzano and Ryan Christian
Recto. She is happily married to former Senator Ralph G. Recto.
Serving as mayor of Lipa City for three consecutive terms
(1998 to 2007), she spearheaded the city’s socio-economic
and cultural progress giving emphasis on education, health,
employment, peace and order, tourism and technology, among
others. Undoubtedly, she earned the Most Outstanding Mayor
citation from the Civil Service Commission in 2000. In the
same year, the Asusasyon ng Kumentarista at Anaunser ng Pilipinas
recognized her as Outstanding Mayor in Region IV. In 2002
and 2003, she received the Sandugo Outstanding Local Government
Executive by the Department of Health. The Presidential Commission
for the Urban Poor took cognizance of her effort in upholding
the welfare of the marginalized sectors by giving her the
Gawad Parangal in 2003.
In
2005, she received twin recognitions as the 2005 Hall of Fame
Regional Sandugo Outstanding Mayor (DOH IV-A) and Finalist,
2005 Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran Component City category.
Her being conferred as Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa
by the Lipa City Public College in the same year adds another
important recognition for her efficient performance in local
governance. In the same year, the Presidential Commission
for the Urban Poor cited her program for the poor constituents
through the Special Award: Programs for the Urban Poor.
It is public knowledge that Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto has been
an icon in the Philippine movie industry prior to her entry
in the political arena. From FAMAS Best Child Actress (1963)
to countless best actress awards in almost four decades from
unrecognized bodies in the movie industry to FAMAS Hall of
Fame Best Actress (1990), URIAN Pinakamahusay na Aktres ng
Dekada ’80 (1990) at Dekada ’90 (2000), FAP Lifetime
Achievement Awards (1998) and Brussels, Belgium International
Film Best Actress (1999), among others. No doubt, she was
given recognition by the UP College of Mass Communication
as Outstanding Cinematic Achievement Award, Feminist Centennial
Filmfest and Gawad Plaridel (Film) in 2005. The following
year, she received the Diwata Award from the UP Film Institute.
Vilma Santos-Recto is not only an actress par excellence.
She has proven her worth and received numerous awards ad producer,
musical variety show host and singer. She has excelled in
every endeavor she engaged herself into. In fact, the Boy
Scouts of the Phlippines cited her leadership as Best Over-all
Local Council Performance (2000) and the Quezon City Jaycees
chose her as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Achievers (TOYA)
in 1992.
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