Glenn Derrick Dee: A life dedicated to public service

Glenn Derrick Dee has high hopes for his hometown.

At 37 years old, he is persistent on winning the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to further serve his kabalens from Dau — Mabalacat City’s premier business district and one of the most populated barangays in Pampanga.

Now serving as the incumbent first kagawad of the barangay, he wants to move another notch mainly for one reason: To give his community a brighter future. His aim is for Dau to develop in terms of infrastructure and livelihood development, and he plans to focus on his constituents’ education and health to help achieve this.

The elected official, who has been serving the village since 2013, shared that he is committed to provide better health services and quality of education for all, without compul si on.

“Nagdesisyon ako humabol bilang kapitan ng barangay dahil unang una, gusto ko magtayo ng dialysis center at patuloy na makapagbigay ng libreng gamot para sa aking mga kababayan. Kung papalarin manalo sa paparating na halalan, magtatayo rin ako ng isang public library na mayroong sampung kompyuter na libreng magagamit ng ating mga kabataan,” he noted.

“Bukod pa roon ay nais rin nating triplihin ang ating mga iskolar, upang mabawasan ang bilang ng mga kabataang hindi nakakapag-aar al ,” he added.

Aside from his plans to put up a dialysis cen t er equipped with four dialysis machines, the political aspirant also relayed that the construction of the barangay’s own lying-in clinic and emergency room is part of his platforms. He said that if given a chance to take the seat as the village chief, he also intends to put up a primary hospital.

Crediting his positive record as first kagawad, his experiences in working in the private sector, and his affiliation with his family’s foundation, Dee said these shaped his character and leadership as it also made him eligible for public office.

He is currently presiding over the Datelcom Corporation, a leading telecommunications service provider in Mabalacat, and also heads the Dee Hwa Liong Foundation, founded by his father, the late Anthony Dee, in 1992.

Dee shared that when his father died in 2010, he told him to dedicate his life to public service— a mission his father had upheld even without having the chance to take a political position in Dau.

It can be noted that the late prominent businessman had demonstrated and tried several times to enter politics but was not able to secure victory, until he died at the age of 60.

“A month before he died, he told me to continue his legacy of serving the people of Dau, and asked me to run for public office, which I did. I won in 2013, and I’m hoping that my kababayans will trust me again, as barangay captain, this time. I believe that authentic leadership is measured by the ripening of time and I claim that this is the right time to further serve the people of Dau by finding solutions and funding significant projects that will place the barangay among the top inclusive communities in the province,” the candidate noted.

Aside from good public record, a testament to Dee’s outstanding leadership is having been recognized by the Community-Based Support and Action Force of the Philippines (COBSAF) as a public service stalwart for his selfless assistance which contributed to the advancement of his constituents.

The COBSAF noted that Dee has “demonstrated excellence in achieving results for local folks, and has reflected the priorities of the ideal public service while demonstrating key compet enci es.”

Moreover, among Dee’s numerous contributions to the community during his first term include having been able to extend scholarship grants to hundreds of poor but deserving students. Through his own expenses, he was also able distribute more than 4,000 notebooks to underprivileged school children throughout the barangay, for the past years.