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The Manila Times
  • 6 days ago
Vegafria shares vision to transform Olongapo City if elected mayor

Arnold Vegafria, a well-known personality in the entertainment and beauty pageantry industry, has set his sights on a new stage—transforming Olongapo City in Zambales.

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Transcript
00:00Welcome to the Manila Times Newsroom. I'm Ezra Raya. Today's guest is a renowned showbiz manager,
00:11marketer, producer, and philanthropist. He is the national director of Miss World Philippines
00:16and Miss Grand Philippines Organization. And now he is running for mayor in Olongapo City
00:22in this year's midterm elections. Let's welcome Mr. Arnold Vegafia. Welcome to the Manila Times,
00:29sir. Hi, thank you. Thank you for inviting me here. It's my pleasure to be invited in your
00:33newsroom of Manila Times. Thank you for making time. Sir, for our first question, so this is your
00:40second run as a mayoral candidate in Olongapo City. So the first was a failed attempt. But what made
00:47you decide to run again? I think it's my conscience. It's really, I think it's a calling that you really,
00:53I have to go back to my city because it's my city needs my help. And I find out when I went back,
01:01I thought it's again, they're going to improve, especially the economy and the tourism business of
01:07of my city. But sad to say, it's still the same. They did. I mean, the tourism industry is still
01:16deteriorating. And, you know, that's my line. So I need, I think I need, that my city needs my help.
01:25And then because I'm sure that I can do something to improve the economy of my city.
01:30That brings me to your, to my next question. So your rivals are veteran politicians and
01:36you're confident that there's something you can bring to the table for Olongapo City. So you
01:42mentioned that Olongapo City is in dire need of entertainment and tourism. So how would you
01:49plan to improve Olongapo City using your, your vast experience in the entertainment and show business?
01:56Of course, entertainment is really my line. And I really studied also tourism and I know I can
02:04implement and I can do something to bring back the glory of Olongapo City before Olongapo City is known
02:10as the number one city of entertainment of the Philippines. But now nothing, you know, everything
02:17changed. It's so dark and, and the entertainment scene was out and, and they did not focus on the
02:26tourism, which is the main industry of my city. So I, it is my, I'm sure I can do something. And the
02:34first thing I wish we'll do is to change the look, to change the image of my city and to bring back the
02:42music scene, bring back all of those concert hall. If no, Olongapo before known for concerts, Freddy Aguilar,
02:50Sampaguita, all of those big rock stars, way back seventies and eighties, there are, and nineties, even
02:58Arnel Pineda came from, came from my city. And I have to bring back those, you know, um, the music scene. And I
03:07want to bring back also to make Olongapo again, as the center for the entertainment. And, but this time I wanted
03:15the clean entertainment, not like before that they called it the city of sin. I mean, the sin city of, of the
03:22Philippines, but they, it's not anymore like that. My concept is definitely, it's a clean entertainment and fun city with,
03:30where the family and the tourists, the local internet, international theory, tourists will visit my city.
03:37And I add more, you know, other kinds of tourist attractions that are different from the other cities in the
03:46Philippines. And also may I'll make it again as a tourist destination because not only they're known for
03:54entertainment because we have a beautiful, uh, uh, beaches and we have a beach, we have a mountain, we have a
04:03land, we have the water. And I think that's the, that's the beauty of Olongapo city. And of course, not only in
04:14terms of recovering the tourism industry, but of course, I want to add more to add, because the main problem of my
04:21city is job generation. Do we have this, we are near, we have this SBMA, but the SBMA is not exclusively for
04:31Olongapo city. And it's so hard to, you know, to apply for work because it's open for, you know, anyone from, you
04:40know, it's open for, from all over the Philippines who wants to, you know, uh, apply for work. So since
04:48Olongapo city, it's already considered as economic zone, the main Olongapo city, I'm talking about the
04:54main, I will turn it into, I will put up my, our own economic zone, which is exclusively for Olongapo city
05:03workers and employees that need that I can help, you know, to give them job. The main problem of that city
05:10is really terrible, it's the work. They need to work. And I believe that my, that my constituents are,
05:20are, you know, they're workaholic, their need, they are very smart and, and skilled. And I'm sure
05:29that if I'm going to put up our own economic zone, uh, it's going to be open for, for businesses, like
05:39factories, warehouses, port, we have water, so we can open a port and a shipping development.
05:47So that's part of the urban development of my city. Sir, you know, you have planned this and you
05:51have actually, uh, highlighted what the Olongapo city has. So marami pa lang pwedeng ma-i-offer ang
05:57Olongapo city sa inyo. And, uh, you're planning for a new image for Olongapo city in the arts and
06:04entertainment industries. Not just that, but also job generation for the people of Olongapo city. So do you
06:12have any political party? Do you have a running mate? I'm, I have my own, which is, uh, uh, Anak ng Gapo,
06:18which is a local political party, uh, which I am the chairman. But not only that, uh, we're concentrating,
06:25if I can, if I can add on, uh, not only for, because there's a lot of talented Filipinos and young
06:33Filipinos in my city, because maybe because of the influence during the time of the peak of the
06:39entertainment scene of Olongapo city, their parents are musicians. And a lot of singers from local
06:46singers now are from that city. And one of my main purpose is to promote the arts and culture.
06:53culture. It's part of the tourism and to promote tourism because of the arts and culture.
06:59So I'm planning to put up a, our own performing arts school and performing arts theater where in all
07:06of those talented young Filipinos, young Olongapenos can perform and have their own venue for
07:13performance. It's like that here in Manila, we have PETA. We have PETA, we have this repertory
07:20Philippines. So I want to put up something for them because I believe that they are really talented
07:26young Filipinos who can make waves. And we soon become, because I'm in the, I'm in the business of
07:33entertainment. I manage artists also. I can discover, you know, the, who will be the next Lea Salonga,
07:40who will be the next, you know, uh, those are big name artists who became, uh, big, who became big stars
07:49from all over. I'm sure I can get someone who can represent Olongapo city to the international stage.
07:57Are you from Olongapo, sir? Born and raised because you sound so passionate.
08:01I was born and raised in Olongapo city right after high school. I went to Manila to study,
08:08uh, doctor, doctor of dental medicine. So all of us normally, um, most of the students go to Manila
08:18to study. So during, and we stayed here for a longest time, but every time, every Christmas break or,
08:26or every vacation, we normally go back to our, to our city, you know, and, but for a longest time,
08:33because I work here, I put up my business in Manila. I didn't go to Olongapo city, but, but, but
08:42every, but when I get back, I saw it. I think I thought, I told myself, I want to help my city. I wanted
08:49to build again my city and make it into a popular one and make it at then to be known as the city of
08:58entertainment. Wow. Those are big dreams, no? Uh, napakaganda po ng plano nyo para sa Olongapo city.
09:06So you've mentioned your job, sir, ano? So how can you, um, encourage big businesses to invest in Olongapo city?
09:13So what will you say to them? Wes, the first one is I have to, um, I have to recover the tourism industry,
09:21as I said a while ago. Of course, I'm in a line of entertainment business. I started it now. I just
09:29started last year to put up a bar, a club, a sports bar, a videocer room, a concert hall, and a hotel.
09:39So I started on my, on myself, on my, on our own business. As a private businessman. As a private
09:44businessman to, you know, to encourage also the other businessmen of, of our city. Well, if I can get an
09:52investor from my city, I have to invite my friends here in Manila to invest and help me.
09:58Uh, so, so a lot of friends of mine also say, telling me that we'll definitely help you if you're
10:04going to win. So, so I, I'm very positive that I can invite not only friends of businessmen, my
10:13colleagues in Manila, but also, you know, international investors. They're very much interested in, in the
10:21city of Olongapo. Because Olongapo is like a Singapore, a very small place, but, but you can see a lot of,
10:30a lot of potentials and a lot of natural resources that you can explore it into, you know, something,
10:39there's something, you know, that you can make money or you can make, make a, because of the natural
10:46resources. We have the nice mountain, a beautiful sea and a beach and a beautiful land. So, I want to
10:55explore that and make it into a tourist destination. That's the entrepreneurial spirit of Sir Arnold,
11:01big dreams and good connections. Yes, connection is the more important. I think my city needs this time,
11:09a businessman who has the vision. Because running that kind of city, you need someone who has the
11:16vision. Because they've been, they tried during the time of the, of Gordon, Gordon made a lot of beautiful
11:23things in, in our city and make it, I know, make it the Olongapo city as, as a, a, as a very popular
11:33city during his time. But now, I think I have to bring back the glory of Olongapo city again,
11:41by, we have this, we almost the same vision. And, and I think that's the best thing that I have to do
11:51to bring back the glory and bring back also the, the business of Olongapo. So, not only the local
11:59businessmen, I can have connections in international. Then I spoke to some, uh, businessmen also from
12:08different countries who's willing to invest in my city, especially for economic zone.
12:14So, the, the plan, this whole grand plan for Olongapo city is already in the works. So,
12:22you just need to vote for him. When I lost to 2022, I made a plan. For me, everything is possible. If you
12:30have political will, you can do it. So, I'm not, I'm, I'm that type of person that, you know, I'm very
12:35passionate of everything that I want to do. Uh, so everything that I do, it turns into gold,
12:44turns into, even in a pageant, I just started doing pageant. But look at, look at that. I, I made
12:50popular, I made Philippines popular to the international stage. That's right. Such optimism.
12:56Uh, one thing about optimism, it's infectious. So, anything's possible. So, would you believe that
13:04managing a business is the same as managing a city government? Managing a business is like managing
13:11a city. I think the city needs a businessman. My city needs a businessman because there's no other
13:18industry there except tourism, because there's no, except tourism industry. And you can add on,
13:25it's already economic zone. But, but Olongkapo itself, it's not yet economic, economic zone. Only the SBMA. But,
13:39I saw Bataan, the, the province of Bataan, our neighboring, our neighbor province, they're very successful with
13:47their economic zone. So, they, they, they don't have problems with job for their, for their, for their
13:54constituent. They became so successful. They, they, they have three economic zones, three towns like
14:01Maliveles, Balanga, and the new one is Hermosa. So, that way, if they, if Bataan can do it, why not Olongkapo? And we are more
14:14beautiful, you know, I can, I can, I can say that we are, it's strategic, it's more strategic for economic
14:21zone because we have the water, we have the land, and we have the mountain that you can develop as
14:26economic zone. So, I mean, we'll name it as the new Olongkapo. I always say to my campaign, I will build
14:34ang bago, magtatayo po, ng bagong Olongkapo. Because there's no space anymore in the land, but I have the space in the
14:42ridge or in the mountain of Olongkapo. And I will convert it into a business land, and I will convert
14:50it into new Olongkapo. All what I vision for, for, for business and entertainment and leisure will be in
15:01the mountain, in the mountain, in the beautiful mountain of Olongkapo. Wow, amazing dreams. Just
15:05listening you, listening to you talk about it, parang I'm so excited for Olongkapo. I saw that in
15:12Hong Kong, I saw that in, in Singapore, why they converted their, their mountains into a, into a beautiful
15:21and, and, and business, be center for business and trade. That's right. And so you mentioned
15:28earlier that the Olongkapo cities in tourism industry among other industries are currently
15:33deteriorating. That's why that lit a fire in you to make these changes and developments in the city. So,
15:40what do you think are the challenges that you would encounter or are currently encountering in
15:45developing Olongkapo? The only thing that I can, I can say that I have to study a comprehensive study
15:56about how I'm going to transform it into a tourist destination again. Because I believe that, you know,
16:03we can do it because we have, if I could make it again as a city entertainment, there's a lot of
16:09talented Filipinos there, which I can make them into a, you know, as musicians of my clubs, bars and
16:17restaurants and concert hall. I want to bring back that. I want to light, light again, Olongkapo city.
16:23I want to make it into something that the, every tourist will say that this is a beautiful city, a small
16:31Las Vegas, something like that, which I include also like a Trump, cars, a Trump or as a tourist,
16:40as a tourist attraction and a cable car. To add on, I have to, I want to make it, I want to build a cable
16:47cars because of the mountains and the sea and the land. So that can be a tourist attraction too.
16:54So that's going to be a big challenge for me. And, and I know I can do it. And I'm positive that,
17:02you know, I can deliver that and I can implement that to make my city as the city of entertainment.
17:09Again, you have to add a modern, you know, tourist attraction. And then in the, in the beach area,
17:17we're in the beach boulevard. I'm going to make it into a beach boulevard and I want to put up a,
17:23an international convention center. And I would invite also, you know, hotels, which is, we don't
17:29have a five star hotel there or a three star hotel. I want to invite all of those, you know, to build
17:37in the, in the beach area, to build a five star or even just a four star hotel.
17:43I can already imagine just listening, with casinos also. I can already imagine, sir,
17:48no, just you, just hearing you tell these stories, no, parang na-imagine ko na what Olonga po,
17:53the new Olonga po would look like. But how will you be able to juggle your responsibilities if elected?
18:00So managing the ALV group of companies at the same time running the local government?
18:05Well, definitely my concentration is a new journey of my life now, because I've been there in that,
18:11in, in the, in the entertainment business for so long. I help a lot of people. I help a lot of
18:18celebrities, beauty queens, even politicians. I was, I was, we are one of the consultants and we are the
18:25people behind the success of the politician. For me, I said to myself, I, this is, this is now the right
18:32time for me to be in front, be a public servant. We always be, I'm always the, the person behind of a
18:39public servant because we're the one running and marketing, you know, the campaign. But this time,
18:46it's me now to be, it's me now the one being the public servant of my city. So what will be my,
18:53my role? I will definitely do my, I will not stop doing business because continue my business.
19:01Being a public servant, it's not actually a money making. It's a public service to your people.
19:07So there's no such as, you know, how to make a lot of money there. Uh, you have to continue doing a
19:13business, but you have to, you know, do your, uh, the, the, you have to have a, a division of between
19:25work and business and being a public servant. I think what we should do is to prioritize what,
19:35what is your interest now. My interest is time is to be a public servant. And that will be almost
19:43maybe my 70% of my time will be serve my city. And it's a matter of, you know, uh, will we,
19:52what will be your priority and everything will be in the right place. And my priority this time,
19:59it's to serve my city and become a public. It's a new journey of my life, Ezra. Uh, but I'm very,
20:07very excited and I'm very passionate to be a public servant. Very well said, sir. It's about
20:14prioritizing. So it's, uh, you've reached that level that, uh, you wanted to give back to your hometown.
20:21And I think those two, uh, being an entrepreneur, a businessman and, uh, being a local, uh, servant to
20:27the local government, I think it's intertwined for you. So I think it supports each other and you have
20:32that entrepreneurial spirit and vision for a new Olongapo city. I'm very excited for you, sir.
20:39I'm very excited too. What will be happen to me in May 12th? If I make it, I will be the most happy
20:45person because I want to help my city. And if I didn't make it, thank you for, for giving me an
20:54experience to fight for, to fight, you know, to be part of the, uh, to be part of the election. But
21:02I will not stop. Even if I didn't make it, I want to help in my own little way and continue helping
21:11until I get, you know, I'm such a fighter. I'm very passionate of everything that I do.
21:18That's the spirit of a public servant. Thank you so much, sir, for your time and best of luck to you
21:23in this year's midterm elections. This is Arnold Vegafria, everyone, running for mayor of Olongapo.
21:31Thank you so much, sir. Thank you, sir. Thank you to Manila Times.
21:42Thank you so much, sir.