Honey Lacuna Explained

Honorific Prefix:The Honorable
Honey Lacuna-Pangan
Order:24th
Office:Mayor of Manila
1Namedata:Yul Servo
Term Start:June 30, 2022
Predecessor:Isko Moreno
Title2:27th Vice Mayor of Manila
Term Start2:June 30, 2016
Term End2:June 30, 2022
Predecessor2:Isko Moreno
Successor2:Yul Servo
Office3:City Social Welfare Officer of the Manila Department of Social Welfare
Status3:Officer-In-Charge
Term Start3:June 30, 2013
Term End3:October 14, 2015
1Namedata3:Joseph Estrada
Predecessor3:Jay R. Dela Fuente, City Gov't Dept. Head III
Successor3:Arnold Martin Pangan Officer-In-Charge
Office4:Member of the Manila City Council from the 4th District
Term Start4:June 30, 2004
Term End4:June 30, 2013
Office5:Leader of Asenso Manileño
Term Start5:August 6, 2024
Predecessor5:Isko Moreno
Office7:Vice President for Internal Affairs and National Executive Board Member of Aksyon Demokratiko
Term Start7:August 12, 2021
Term End7:August 6, 2024
1Namedata7:Isko Moreno
Office6:Deputy Leader of Asenso Manileño
Term Start6:2005
Term End6:August 6, 2024
1Namedata6:Isko Moreno
Predecessor6:Isko Moreno
Successor6:Yul Servo
Birth Name:Maria Sheilah Honrado Lacuna
Birth Date:6 May 1965
Birth Place:Manila, Philippines
Party:Lakas-CMD (2024-present)
Asenso Manileño (2005-present)
Otherparty:Aksyon Demokratiko (2021–2024)
NUP (2018–2021)
PMP (2012–2018)
Nacionalista (2007–2012)
KNP (2004)
Nickname:"Mayora"
Father:Danilo Lacuna
Spouse:Arnold Martin Pangan
Children:1
Residence:Sampaloc, Manila

Maria Sheilah "Honey" Honrado Lacuna-Pangan (born May 6, 1965) is a Filipina physician and politician who has served as the 24th and first female Mayor of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines since 2022. The first woman to serve as the city's Mayor, Lacuna previously served as the city's 27th and second female Vice Mayor from 2016 to 2022, as Officer-In-Charge of the Manila Department of Social Welfare from 2013 to 2015, and as a member of the Manila City Council from 2004 to 2013. She is a daughter of the former Vice Mayor Danilo Lacuna.

Early life

Lacuna was born on May 6, 1965[1] in Manila to Danilo Lacuna, a lawyer who would later serve as a city councilor and vice mayor of Manila, and Melanie Honrado, a former Philippine National Bank (PNB) executive.[2] She earned a biology degree at the University of Santo Tomas, earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute, passed the physician board examination in 1992, and completed her residency training in dermatology at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center. She eventually became a fellow of the Philippine Dermatological Society.[3]

Career

A general practitioner with specialization in dermatology by profession, Lacuna worked as a resident physician of the dermatology department of Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center from 1992 to 1995 and as the public health center physician under the Manila Health Department from 1995 to 2004. As the latter, she was assigned to the Bacood Health Center in Santa Mesa and later to the Tondo Health Center in Tondo. Her father, then Vice Mayor Danny Lacuna, then tasked her to head the medical team of his office's regular medical and dental mission conducted every week in various depressed communities in Manila.

She served as the Acting City Social Welfare Officer of Manila from 2013 to 2015. Even as a politician, Lacuna continued her door-to-door visit to patients that she has been doing since before entering politics.

Political career

Lacuna then entered politics when she substituted a candidate for councilor in the 4th district of Manila who withdrew from the race ahead of the 2004 city elections. She ran under the ticket of her father, who was the running mate of former mayor Mel Lopez of Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino.[4] She then won, serving as a Manila city councilor from the 4th district for three consecutive terms from 2004 to 2013. As councilor, she served in the minority whip from 2004 to 2007, was chairperson of the Committee on Education, a member of 38 committees, and majority floor leader, the first woman to be named so. She also authored, among others, the following:

In the 2016 city election, she was chosen as the running mate of incumbent mayor Joseph Estrada, who was seeking re-election under Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP);[5] she then won the vice mayoralty race.[6] She became the first woman to be elected vice mayor since the post became an elective position. She was then reelected in 2019, this time as the running mate of her predecessor Isko Moreno, who was running for mayor under Asenso Manileño and defeated Estrada. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she stood as a point person for Moreno in coordinating with the hospital directors of Manila, applying her expertise as a medical doctor.[7] In 2021, she joined Aksyon Demokratiko and was named as the party's Vice-President for Internal Affairs and National Executive Board Member.[8]

With Isko Moreno running for president in 2022, Lacuna was nominated by Asenso Manileño to run for mayor in 2022 to succeed him, with Manila's 3rd district representative Yul Servo as her running mate and vice mayoral candidate.[9] She won the race by a huge margin over her closest rival, Alex Lopez, making her the first-ever female to be elected mayor of Manila in 450 years.[10] She was inaugurated before outgoing mayor Moreno on June 29, 2022, at the Manila Cathedral,[11] [12] but only officially started her term on the next day, succeeding him. As mayor, she vowed to prioritize health care and expand Moreno's programs.[13]

On August 5, 2022, Lacuna was conferred with a degree of Doctor of Public Administration, honoris causa by the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.[14]

On August 6, 2024, Lacuna left Aksyon Demokratiko and join the Lakas–CMD party.[15]

Personal life

Lacuna is married to Arnold "Poks" Martin Pangan, a fellow physician and registered social worker who is the incumbent City Health Officer of Manila, a former acting City Social Welfare Department Head of Manila, and a 2013 candidate for Manila councilor from the 4th district.[16] They have one daughter.

References

  1. News: Casucian . J. A. C. . Gonzales . K. I. C. . June 30, 2019 . 'Door-to-Door' Thomasian Doctor Wins Second Term as Manila Vice Mayor . The Varsitarian . November 5, 2020.
  2. Web site: Vice Mayor . https://web.archive.org/web/20201202091640/https://manila.gov.ph/vice-mayor/ . December 2, 2020 . November 5, 2020 . City of Manila.
  3. News: Lacuna excels as Manila’s vice mayor. March 22, 2021. Journal Online. November 7, 2021. Itchie. Cabayan.
  4. News: Atienza triumphs in Manila. Bebot Jr.. Sison. Cecille Suerte. Felipe. The Philippine Star. May 18, 2004. January 13, 2022.
  5. News: October 9, 2015 . 5 Politikos Compete for Manila Vice Mayor in 2016 . Politiko Luzon . November 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160509031110/http://www.luzon.politics.com.ph/2015/10/09/mad-scramble-for-second-banana-5-politikos-shoot-for-manila-vice-mayor-in-2016/ . May 9, 2016.
  6. News: Torres-Tupas . Tetch . May 10, 2016 . Estrada reelected Manila Mayor . Philippine Daily Inquirer . November 5, 2020.
  7. News: Fighting coronavirus: How Manila stays ahead of the curve – for now. Rambo. Talabong. March 26, 2020. November 1, 2021. Rappler.
  8. News: Isko Moreno now Aksyon Demokratiko president. John Eric. Mendoza. July 4, 2022. August 12, 2021. INQUIRER.net.
  9. News: Honey Lacuna seeks to succeed Isko Moreno as Manila mayor – sources. Dwight. De Leon. September 22, 2021. September 22, 2021. Rappler.
  10. News: Honey Lacuna proclaimed as Manila's first female mayor. Sundy Mae. Locus. May 11, 2022. May 12, 2022. GMA News.
  11. News: First woman mayor of Manila sworn in. Franco Jose. Baroña. June 29, 2022. August 14, 2022. The Manila Times.
  12. News: Lacuna, Nieto take oath before outgoing Mayor Isko. Khriscielle . Yalao. Manila Bulletin. June 29, 2022. August 14, 2022.
  13. News: Manila’s first female mayor vows to prioritize health care. Marita. Moaje. Philippine News Agency. July 4, 2022. August 14, 2022.
  14. News: Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna is a doctor again. August 5, 2022. August 15, 2022. Politiko Metro Manila.
  15. News: Miro Quimbo, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna join Lakas-CMD. Gabiel Pabico. Lalu. August 6, 2024. August 6, 2024. INQUIRER.net.
  16. News: MISMONG si Manila Health Department Director, Dr. Arnold "Poks" Pangan ang nagsimula ng pagbabakuna sa unang senior citizen at healthcare worker. Hataw. Filipino. November 7, 2021. March 10, 2021.

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