Ordinary people with extraordinary determination to do even little good things in life, at home and in their work persistently, every day, were unbelievably able to change the world in Pasay City.

After completing with amazing success its youth literacy program, attaining, without precedence, in the process, national and regional first place awards and the coveted recognition from the national government for accomplishing them, Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano shifted her attention to upgrading barangay or village financial proficiency.

She required all 201 barangays of the city, their heads and council members, including bookkeepers, treasurers and secretaries, to attend the city’s proficiency forum to educate, facilitate work and enable everyone to gain the desired efficiency, economy and effectiveness in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.

The move enabled city management to fully comply with the requirements of the Commission on Audit (CoA) on the submission of financial reports in accordance with the Auditing Code of the Philippines, compliant with the global financial public sector reporting standard, which resulted in the rendition by CoA of an unmodified opinion on the fairness of the presentation of the financial statements of the city for calendar year ending 31 December 2023 — another milestone in the administration of Emi Calixto-Rubiano.

On top of all these successes, Pasay City rose to its singular glory: the only city to win the coveted Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) Award five times — four times consecutively in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 — plus the most difficult and significant one in 2022, for the fifth time. Mayor Emi received the most coveted award for the people of Pasay in a special ceremony at the Manila Hotel on 13 December 2022.

The simple, ordinary people of Pasay with extraordinary persistence to do the individual little good things in life every day continue to strive “to reach the stars.”

Today, one can just marvel at the great transformation of the reclaimed area, now well-known as the home of the SM Mall of Asia, one of the achievements of the ordinary people of Pasay.

Their fantasy, nearing reality, is the iconic Manhattan of Pasay City along Manila Bay, world-class and impressive, well-planned and eco-friendly, that is set to affirm the city’s reputation as the first “Eco-City” in the Philippines, to be completed in a decade and a half or two.

The project is part of the Pasay City Eco City Grand Vision to build a sustainable, eco-friendly and world-class metropolis consistent with its mission to promote the quality of life of its people.

The solid and visible proof of the completion of the project is the stunning success of the Mall of Asia, as envisioned by its creator, the late visionary Mayor Duay Calixto, father of both Mayor Emi and Congressman Tony Calixto.

Manhattan of Pasay City is following Mayor Duay’s vision, which is turning into reality.

Most crucial to the completion of the iconic Manhattan of Pasay was the choice of one of the world’s top dredging companies, the EPC contractor Netherlands-based Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V.

On Tuesday, I will show how the six local top executives so far featured, through their acts of kindness, courage and initiatives, will transform the Philippines into the next most attractive wonder of the world to visit and behold.