“IT is my vow to make Sta. Barbara a model town in governance, peace and progress.”

Thus said retired Police General Reynaldo V. Velasco, now the leading mayoralty candidate in his native town of Sta. Barbara, following a recent 30-minute interview with ABS-CBN’s Halalan 2007 hosted by Mae Viray.

Velasco was the lone retired police and military general featured with two other panelists from the Bayan Muna and a university student council president.

In that forum, Velasco acknowledged that his 38 years experience in the police and military service has given him enough exposure to understand the rudiments of local governance including interfacing and working with a number of public officials from Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon and Metro Manila.

“People always underestimate the academic credentials of police and military officers,” he lamented, but explained that many men in uniform are not only experts in the field of keeping peace and order but also in general administration.

In Velasco’s case, he holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. La Salle and a doctorate degree in peace and security administration and several special training courses overseas.

Until his retirement as Deputy Chief PNP for Administration, Velasco was the ‘most well-rounded’
police officer in the PNP. As a young lieutenant, he served in Mindanao. As a company commander, he served in the Visayas. He was the 1st Battalion Commander of the Philippine Constabulary Special Action Force.

In the same forum, Velasco further explained his 10-point action plan anchored on the acrostic REY
VELASCO meaning: Reform in governance; Education for all; Youth and Sports Development; Values formation and strengthening; Environmental Care and Protection; Livelihood programs and jobs creation; Agricultural Productivity; Social and health services; Community Partnership; and, Order and peace.

During the last five years. Velasco has led the much needed rehabilitation and improvement of the Daniel Maramba National High School, the Banaoang Central Elementary School and other elementary schools which have been recipients of P50-million peso worth of projects.

He also disclosed his plan to modernize farming and enhance productivity among Sta. Barbara farmers who comprise 60 percent of the total town population.