In 2001, there was a great clamor from the San Juaneños to have him as their leader, following the footsteps of his father, JV conquered the local spotlight.  He was handily elected as Mayor for the Municipality of San Juan.

Under JV’s leadership, the Municipality of San Juan had emerged triumphant amidst the economic and political crises besetting the nation. To date, San Juan has the lowest poverty incidence of 2.92% as stated by the National Statistics Coordinating Body, achieved a 200% increase in its revenue in merely four years, and recognized by the Commission on Audit as the best fiscally-managed municipality in the entire country.

Despite being in the opposition, and not having received a single centavo or project from the current administration, San Juan likewise emerged as the country’s Most Progressive Municipality in 2006 as adjudged by the Commission on Audit. This is a feat which showed Mayor JV has excelled as a good local executive, while being active in fighting for his principles as part of different mass actions about various national issues.

Because of Mayor JV’s sound financial management, San Juan was the only local government unit in the country to be given an AA credit rating by the Local Government Unit Guaranty Corporation, the highest rating among the local government units.  Against all odds, Mayor JV emerged as one of the best if not the best performing local chief executive as he spearheads San Juan’s “economic boom”

Armed with adeptness in decent managerial, directorial skills, political aptitude and a benevolent personality, JV emerged to become one of the best if not the best leaders of San Juan of all time and one of the well-accomplished town leaders of the Philippines.  JV’s multiple tasks as Mayor, from being a person in command to being an ally, whose helping hands are always open to personally heed to all the needs of his constituents have been successfully carried out.

The conversion of the Municipality into a full–fledged and highly urbanized City of San Juan on June 17, 2007, despite its relatively smaller land area as compared to other cities; is by far, one of his greatest achievements.

As a local government chief executive, his title required him to exercise general supervision and control over all programs and projects of the municipal government, determine policies, direct the formulation of its development plan, enforce all laws and ordinance relative to governance, initiate and maximize generation of resources and revenues, and ensure delivery of basic services to his constituents.

The support he solicited from the business sector and non-government agencies with so much trust and confidence to his administration had been his powerful weapon. Major projects like the renovation and reformation of the local museum and his scholarship foundation were successfully accomplished without a single centavo from the local budget.

It was also because of these accomplishments that the Municipality of San Juan has been converted into a highly urbanized city in 2007.  JV’s exceptional governance has elevated San Juan to its most progressive state which has mainly made San Juan eligible to become a full-pledged city despite its relatively smaller land area as compared to other cities in the country.

JV was not just a city mayor. He is a young man of action, with excellent skills, exceptional talent, brilliant vision and genuine concern to humanity. JV Ejercito is one of the best leaders San Juan has ever produced and is considered to be one of the well-accomplished and outstanding local leaders in the country.

From then on and albeit all the odds, Mayor JV has emerged as one of the best, if not the best performing local chief executives by spearheading San Juan’s economic boom.

JV has managed to boost the economy of San Juan, with an astounding increase in the municipal revenue; his administration had augmented its resources to efficiently implement all the municipal projects.

His third and last term, a landslide victory, was his sweetest triumph as he could have left San Juan sooner had he not sacrificed his senatorial bid.  Garnering the highest number of votes in the electoral history of San Juan in the May 2007 polls, JV had all the makings of a good senator then and the surveys manifested that he could surely have a seat in the senate.

But JV was not a man for himself; he sacrificed his personal political aspirations for the welfare of his party and for the interest of the people of San Juan.  He chose to unite the opposition and he chose to stay in San Juan to further serve its people and continue his mission of making San Juan the most progressive city in the country.

In his last few years as Mayor of the City of San Juan, JV exuded an exceptional ability and willpower to execute the approved ordinances and resolutions as the Chief Executive of San Juan while at the same time doing everything he can to live up to his promise of easing the problems of the poor.

He has spearheaded numerous youth organizations and foundations and has been instrumental in sending hundreds of children to school through his scholarship program.

His 5 K Programs on Kaunlaran (Progress), Kalusugan (Health), Kalinisan (Cleanliness), Katahimikan (Peace and Order), at Kabuhayan (Livelihood), have been sufficiently implemented with the poor constituents as its focal recipients.

JV’s unceasing search for new ways and means to boost the town’s economy since he took on the leadership in 2001 proved fruitful as the municipality’s revenue increased from the approximately P 300 Million in 2000 to almost 700 Million in 2006. His administration has sufficiently augmented its annual budget to implement most of his city projects.

In the Commission on Audit’s Financial Highlights of Local Government Units for Fiscal Year 2006, the Municipality of San Juan emerged as the number one municipality in terms of Cash in Bank” with 526.65 Million Pesos and the Highest Gross Income of 686.56 million Pesos. San Juan placed third in the List of Municipalities with the biggest current assets of 655.71 Million Pesos and biggest net income of 156.1 Million Pesos.

Mayor JV’s administrative and executive skills, being a self-made businessman with a Degree in Political Science and his distinctive style of governance have effectively placed San Juan in its most progressive state.  San Juan had become one of the most popular business and commercial hubs in the Metropolis, following the rise of major business establishments in Greenhills and other areas in the city, thereby making San Juan as the “Tiangge Capital” of the country, which predominantly contribute to its income.

Because of the transparent, professional and efficient fiscal management that he is strictly implementing, it has twice been given a Double A credit rating and recognized as the most financially stable LGU in the country in 2003 by the LGU Credit Corporation, proof that San Juan is very well capable of meeting its financial obligations. Business Tax Collection and Real Property Assessment have been computerized under his administration, as part of his administration program.

He also gave importance to infrastructure projects and prioritizes the rehabilitation and improvement of barangay halls, recreational centers, roads, drainages and bridges.

The San Juan’s local newspaper, “Balitang Pinaglabanan”, which mirrors the town’s state, was also a brainchild of JV.  “The Balitang Pinaglabanan”, which serves as a vehicle to disseminate important information and reports on relevant issues of the city, is published every two months by the Public Information Office (created during his first 100 days in office) under the direct supervision and guidance by the Office of the Mayor.

Through JV’s efforts and his incessant mission to provide affordable quality education to the youth, San Juan opened its very first community college, San Juan Community College, a satellite campus of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. This feat complemented the accomplishment of his father, then Mayor and former President Joseph Estrada who had built and established the first and the only local high school in San Juan, the San Juan National High School.

The San Juan Health Cards, which are considered passports to good health, have been helping thousands of constituents in getting free medical treatments or at very affordable discounted rates.  His governance through the various programs on health like the Operation Timbang (weight), the Operation Bigay Lunas (Cure); an annual medical mission in cooperation with the Mercury Drug Corporation and the UNILAB; the Feeding Programs per barangay, Door to Door Patak Polio, Family Planning Programs, etc. have been commended as constant awardee of the Green  Banner  Awards for  Nutrition  and was also recognized by the National Commission on Population as the “Most Outstanding Municipality in the Implementation of Population Programs in Empowering Filipino Families.

Through JV’s efforts on cleanliness and beautification through the implementation of the city-wide Linis Bayan Program (a cleanliness drive) and his more efficient garbage collection system, the City of San Juan has been awarded the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran (Presidential Award for Environment) and the 2nd Place Award of MMDA’s Cleanest Barangay in Metro Manila for its Barangay Addition Hills.

As an advocate of peace, JV ensured that the peace and order in San Juan is properly and regularly maintained.  He created the Task Force Disiplina (Task Force for Discipline), a special city agency, that enforces city ordinances and imposes appropriate fines to the violators, not only to generate additional income for the municipality but also to instill discipline among all San Juaneños.

He also regularly donated new firearms and mobile cars to update and modernize the equipment of the local police and fire departments.  He also personally coordinated with different agencies like the local police, SWAT Team (Special Weapons and Tactics), the Barangay Police and the Task Force Disiplina (Task Force for Discipline) and the Traffic Force to further improve their service as peacekeepers.

Because of these efforts, the City of San Juan had been recognized as the Most Peaceful City by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the NAPOLCOM for two (2) consecutive years and was given the Best Drug-Free City Award by the Metro Manila Drug Enforcement Group

One of its thickly-populated barangays, Barangay Salapan and Barangay Onse were respectively named by the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government) as the Most Outstanding Lupon ng Tagapamayapa, (Barangay Justice System) for more than six (6) consecutive years.

The administration of JV has further strengthened and improved the services of its Public Employment and Services Office (PESO).  It established partnerships and affiliations with several business and commercial establishments that provide employment opportunities to our constituents.  To date, PESO has facilitated the employment of more than 14,000 San Juan residents through its regular in-house hiring program.

The San Juan Manpower and Livelihood Training Center, another priority program under his administration, has also been producing thousands of technically skilled individuals and various livelihood opportunities through its free training in dressmaking, tailoring, television and radio electronics repair, refrigerator and aircondition repair, Swedish Shiatsu, reflexology, culinary, food processing, welding and automotive and the six-month caregiving course, etc, which are all TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) registered and accredited.

Through the municipal’s close coordination with the TESDA, the graduates of the training center have been considered as world-class skilled individuals, and are readily employed either locally or abroad by the city government’s partners and affiliates.  The San Juan Manpower Training Center also holds the pride as the only local training center that offers caregiving training program for free.

The San Juan’s The Arena, now known as the Fil Oil Flying V Arena, (San Juan local gymnasium) had risen to be one of the most preferred home and venue for major tournaments and sports league in the Philippines since its formal inauguration in 2006.

In his desire to restore and perpetuate the historical legacy of San Juan in the struggle for the Philippine Independence and to make the municipality as a tourist destination, monuments of our national heroes like Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto were constructed under his administration. His other social and cultural programs which included the annual re-enactment of the Battle of Pinaglabanan and the renovation of the Museo ng Katipunan (museum that pays tribute to the 1896 Philippine Revolution) for the commemoration of the Pinaglabanan Day, and the week-long Wattah! Wattah! San Juan Fiesta Celebration, were conceived under his administration.

These have made the San Juan City an important historical site and a delightful tourist attraction and are now recognized as the “DAKILANG LUNGSOD” (San Juan, Noble City)

The San Juan’s Museo ng Katipunan is another brainchild of this young leader.  Driven by his idealism and patriotism, the museum was established to honor and pay tribute to the heroism of our forefathers, the Katipunan (revolutionary group) led by his personal icon, the Supremo Andres Bonifacio, who fought against the Spaniards.

The museum is the first and the only gallery in its nature and is now considered as one of the most famous and most sought-after museums in the country, notable for its grandiose and exquisite collection of Katipunan artifacts, replicas, photographs of Katipunan materials and documents and other original stuff of the Katipuneros like bolos (bladed weapons) and other weaponries which were luckily preserved and acquired by the city government.

The museum is also the proud and official abode for the San Juan’s ”Ninay Dolls”, our “one town, one product”.  The Ninay Dolls collection exquisitely depicts the significant chronological accounts of the 1896 Revolution called the “diorama”.

In collaboration with the Constantino Foundation and the artist group Tutok, the City of San Juan likewise proudly houses murals that mainly honor two gallant icons from two generations, Macario Sakay of the revolutionary KKK and Lean Alejandro, the slain activist during martial law.  This manifests his genuine appreciation to the heroic feats of the Filipinos that continue to inspire him in the realization of his own mission to restore independence and finally overpower repression in the country.

Inspired by his government’s dictums “May Pag-Asa” (There is hope) and “Para sa Bayan” (For the Nation), JV has undertaken unprecedented achievements that enabled him escalate San Juan from a previous debt-burdened municipality to a progressive and flourishing “Todo Asenso-San Juan City” (Most Fourishing and Progressive San Juan City).  In all his endeavors, JV has always been employing a positive approach mainly for the betterment of the city and its people.  Nothing and nobody can stop this leader from making San Juan a peaceful and a thriving place to live in.

His wide array of businesses have also been instrumental in carrying out his functions not only as mayor but also as chairman of various organizations and foundations for the youth, through financial and project sponsorships.  Amidst the present economic and political crisis in the country today, San Juan has become the most progressive municipality in the Philippines under his leadership.

JV has managed to exhort financial assistance through fund raising projects and through his affiliation with various civic and non government organizations and his association with well off personalities, who are as benevolent as he is, to further augment his various programs for the poor, apart from his municipal programs and projects.  For this man believes that charity and the love for the people must be inexhaustible.

His efforts and innovations for the computerization of the city, which made San Juan business-friendly community, have secured an estimated 2 Billion worth of investments.

All of these feats had made San Juan become a full-pledged and an ever-thriving City of San Juan despite its relatively smaller land area as compared to other cities.

Mayor JV’s performance as a local chief executive had gained the respects of the people not only in San Juan but also of people from the media, authorities and various institutions and organizations all over the country and abroad, that value, recognize and appreciate outstanding and exemplary performances and accomplishments of noteworthy individuals.

Ducky Paredes, one of the respected columnists of Malaya, had acclaimed Mayor JV with his accomplishments in his column:

“This is non-political, we praise Mayor JV Ejercito for doing a great job in the Municipality of San Juan.  This is not something that comes from JV’s public relations people.  It comes from within the government.”

In the January 12, 2006 issue of Jess “Jemba” M. Basco’s column “BIRADA”, Mayor JV’s accomplishments which mainly contribute to its bagging an AA Rating for the past consecutive years, were commended:

“Kung muling tumanggap ng first rated “AA” (high credit standing) ang munisipalidad ng San Juan sa pamumuno ni Mayor Joseph Victor Ejercito, hindi na ito kataka-taka, unang kumuha ng “AA” rating ang Bayan ng San Juan noong 2001, 2002 at 2003 ng may pinakamalaking lamang sa kanyang mga kalaban…., Bilang patunay nga sa kahanga-hangang pamamalakad ng makisig na anak ni dating pangulong Erap Estrada, sa ikaapat na pagkakataon, sa kabila ng mga balakid, hindi mapigilan ang San Juan sa pagiging pangunahing bayan sa Metro Manila…, ang kahanga-hanga sa mabilis na pag-unlad ng San Juan ay sa kabila na wala itong gaanong nakukuhang suporta mula sa national government, alam ng lahat na ang mga Estrada ay mahigpit na kalaban sa politika ng gobyernong ito…, Bayan muna bago ang lahat.  Kaya hindi kataka-taka ng maging maunlad na maunlad ang San Juan”

(We would not wonder anymore when the Municipality of San Juan has again received the first rated AA (high credit standing) under the administration of Mayor Joseph Victor G. Ejercito.  It has consecutively received the same award in 2001, 2002 amd 2003 with an enormous lead edging other local government units.  This is just a manifestation that the administration and leadership of the son of the former Philippine President, Joseph “Erap” Estrada is overwhelmingly excellent, and in the fourth time, despite all the odds, San Juan is now unstoppable in being one of the leading cities in Metro Manila.  The most admirable about it is that San Juan has not been getting enough support from the national government; everyone knows that the Estradas are oppositionists, but Mayor JV practices the dictum, service to the nation and people before anything else, that is why San Juan’s economy has undeniably boomed under his administration.

MR. REX DRILON, Chief Executive Officer of the Ortigas and Company, Limited Partnership has high praises with Mayor JV’s style of governance as quoted:

“Mayor JV has transformed this historical town to a vibrant, hospitable and progressive community for     people and businesses.  Eversince he became the Mayor of San Juan in 2001, he has provided a healthy environment for businesses that resulted in dramatic increase in  investments, employment and revenues.  He has implemented many innovative solutions to l local governance challenges that have made it easy for businessmen to do business in the municipality.  Because of his leadership and vision for this community, Ortigas and Company has invested more than 2 Billion Pesos in the last five years – a manifestation of our confidence in his leadership and the exemplary governance practices of his team.”

“The leadership, the faculty and the staff of his alma mater are proud of JV’s accomplishments as one of the young and energetic leaders of our society today.  His leadership qualities and dedication to service make him a true “man of others” – which represents the highest ideals of Xavier School”

MS. BOOTS ANSON ROA, a respected actress, educator and Executive Director of the MOWELFUND, expressed her admiration how JV has kept San Juan as one of the outstanding local government units:

“In JV, we clearly see a balanced molding of public administration and business prowess, attributes which have kept San Juan in the list of the country’s most outstanding local government units”

 

MR. BAYANI F. FERNANDO, Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has been very vocal of his veneration to JV and was quoted as saying:

“If there is one government executive fully deserving of such an honor, it is Mayor Ejercito, he has an exceptional track record in leadership and entrepreneurship.  At 38, Mayor Ejercito has attained feats few men of his age have reached.  The cleanliness and progress of his domain speak loudly of Mayor Ejercito’s dynamic performance as a public administrator.  Nowhere is this more apparent than in the high level of investor confidence in San Juan, a proof of which is the Municipality, and a well satisfied constituency that overwhelmingly gave him another mandate”

HIS EMINENCE +RICARDO J. CARDINAL VIDAL says:

“As the incumbent mayor of the City of San Juan in Metro Manila, Mr. Ejercito was instrumental in the recorded significant growth of the municipality for the last 3 years.  Under his leadership, San Juan greatly improved its health care and day-care services for the poor, provided manpower training programs for the youth and implemented a Community Oriented Policing System (COPs) to prevent and control crimes in the community.

As quoted to what MR. RAFAEL ORTIGAS JR., President of the Ortigas & Company Limited Partnership, said, he expressed his belief to JV’s administration as Mayor of San Juan:

“In the seven years that I have observed Mayor JV Ejercito as        Chief Executive of San Juan, I can only admire the dedication, energy, integrity and executive ability of this young man.  We have actively supported several of his projects that focus on the education and leadership development of the youth in San Juan.  Having been the National President of the Philippine Jaycees himself, Mayor JV Ejercito epitomizes the credo of the prestigious organization.  He is an alumnus of the Philippine Jaycees can be very proud of”,

 

Some of the awards and citations he received as San Juan Mayor

 

• Recognition as First LGU to create a municipal focal point for gender equality – 2003

• Green Banner Awards for Nutrition in 2002 – 2003

• Recognition Award by the National Commission on Population as the Most Outstanding Municipality In the Implementation of Population Programs in Empowering Filipino Families in 2002 – 2003

• Recognized for his valuable support in the institutionalization of the Sagip Pasig Advocacy Program in 2002

• Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran Award in 2002 and 2003

• Citation as the Best Drug-Free Municipality by the Metro Manila Drug Enforcement Group in 2002

• TROY Awards for Clean and Sanitized Public Toilets in 2003

• Recognition as the First Local Government Unit To Create a Municipal Focal Point For Gender Equality in January 2003

• Awarded by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority as the 2nd Cleanest Barangay in Metro Manila for Barangay Addition Hills.

• Recognized as the Most Peaceful Municipality by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the NAPOLCOM from 2001-2005

• Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Award in 2004

• Awarded by the Department of Interior and Local Government for Barangay Salapan as Most Outstanding Lupon ng Tagapamayapa

• Awarded Best Municipal Fire Station of eth Year by the DILG, Bureau of Fire Protection in 2005

• Recognized as the Best Municipal Peace and Order Council in the    entire NCR since 2005 by the Metro Manila Peace and Order Council