CEBU, Philippines – A son of public school teachers and the sixth among seven children, he did not enjoy a comfortable life while he was growing up. He would walk to school everyday, had only one pair of pants and had to give up his dream of becoming a doctor because his family could not afford to send him to medical school. He instead took up engineering and relied on a scholarship so he could finish college. He strived hard to become successful, thinking that he would not let his children go through the same hardships that he went through. This is the kind of father Engr. Edsel Galeos, the mayor of Argao town, is.
“My greatest dream as a father is, and this is also what I would consider my greatest accomplishment as a father, to provide my children everything that they need, the things I did not enjoy while I was growing up,” he said.
Mayor Edsel, or Papa to Ian, Grazel and Eron, shared he is a hands-on father – sending and fetching the children to and from school and attending PTA meetings, up until the time he was elected mayor of Argao. “I really make sure that I am there during PTA meetings and during the getting of cards. It’s different when the parents are the ones who get the cards of their children, they are very proud if their parents make an effort to go to their schools, especially if they have good grades.”
He is also a reasonable parent, he said, a believer of heart-to-heart talks rather than corporal punishment. “Children would respect you more if you talk to them if they make mistakes. Kung masayop akong mga anak, ipatawag ra nako sila and then I talk to them. My eldest son Ian is already in third year college and I only remember nga nakabunal ko niya once.”
Aside from being proud of his children’s school accomplishments, Ian is a third year Civil Engineering student, Grazel is taking up Physical Therapy and Eron is a grade six student, Mayor Edsel is also proud that his children live a simple life despite the success of a construction business that his family is involved with. Aside from being a father to his three children, Mayor Edsel is also a father to the 300 employees of the construction business. Although they all lead busy schedules, the mayor shared that they always pray together and hear Mass together on Sundays.
But Mayor Edsel said he had to pay a high price after he was elected mayor of Argao town since he could no longer spend more time with his family.
“Eighty percent of my time is now devoted to Argao that I only get to see my family during weekends. Now the children are complaining. My youngest would even jokingly ask me when I am going to be impeached so I could spend more time with them again. But I know they understand. As mayor of Argao, I can also help other people,” he said.
Mayor Edsel shared that he runs Argao also like a family, admitting that because he is new to politics, he does not know any other way to run the town. “I give people responsibilities so that they can participate in running the town, I teach them values, too. As the father of Argao, I manage the municipality with love.”
He narrated that when he took over as mayor of Argao, people had difficulty in accepting change. “I really had a hard time with the attitude of the people then. Just like a father, I want to take care of the upbringing of the people. Now, people welcome change, they want improvements, and they see improvements. Argao has become very successful because I am surrounded with smart people,” he proudly shared.
And just like when dealing with his children when they make mistakes, Mayor Edsel is also a very diplomatic mayor when it comes to erring employees. “Suave man ko mangasaba. Dili man ko mosinggit. But you will know nga nakasala ka with the way I talk to you,” he said.
Being the father of three families – the Galeos family, the construction business family, and the Argao town family – is no easy task. But his belief in God and his strong foundation as a person has helped Mayor Edsel Galeos in fulfilling his duties, whether it is giving his sons or daughter advice in dealing with life’s realities, or dealing with business problems, or turning Argao into a first class municipality.
“The duties and responsibilities of being a father does not only apply to your family, but also to your business, or to the people you are leading. Kung maayo ka nga amahan, idol ka sa imong mga anak. Kung sa imong pagka-amahan masayop ka, mangayo sad ka ug pasaylo sa imong mga anak aron kung sila na usab ang makasala, aduna kay katungod nga mangasaba,” he concluded.