Frederick “Freddie” Siao is the local chief executive of Iligan City, Philippines.
Born and raised in Iligan City, he is well-aware of the city’s problems such as the long-time inadequate water supply in many barangays and the lack of a proper system for garbage disposal. He is an experienced public official – the city sports director for 6 years, an elected city councilor for 6 years, and the current lone district representative since 2016.
As shown by his many completed projects, he’s the kind of leader who turns visions into reality. He dreams of a better and progressive Iligan City. With your help, he can make that happen.
Freddie was born on November 29, 1966 and raised in Iligan City. He went to Lanao Chung Hua High School for his elementary and secondary education. He grew up watching the city grow, develop, and turn into what it is today. As someone who has lived in Iligan City for more than 50 years, he knows the most common problems Iliganons are facing such as garbage disposal, drainage issues, lack of water supply, and lack of agricultural support.
As the city sports director, he significantly improved Iligan City’s representation to regional and national tournaments by giving all-out support to athletes and contestants. As a city councilor, Freddie accomplished 37 ordinances and 175 resolutions. As a congressman, he authored 170 house bills and co-authored 183 ones. Among his house bills that have become law include the Salary Standardization Law of 2019 and Student Fare Discount Act while among those that have passed the final reading are the house bills giving IRA to six barangays, making the Buru-un school of fisheries a polytechnic state college, and creating the Iligan City General Hospital.
In 2021, he realized one of his visions for Iligan City – the Mandulog River Esplanade, one of the newest attractions of Iligan City popular for its beautiful structure. He turned the famous Tambacan wood bridge into a fortified steel bridge with LED lights. He also championed the visions of barangays and schools by helping them build their multipurpose facilities and classrooms, respectively. Other visions he has for Iligan City are a sports complex, an international convention center, a general hospital, a special economic zone, world-class learning institutions, and a strong local economy.
He finished Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Management at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila and Master of Public Administration at Bukidnon State University. He was one of three fellows in the Mindanao Bridging Leaders Program in 2012 conducted by the Asian Institute of Management. He was appointed as the Iligan City Sports Director from 2004 to 2010 and elected as city councilor from 2010 to 2016 during which he authored the Revised Iligan City Investment, Incentives, and Promotions Code, attracting huge investments such as Robinsons Place Iligan. In 2019, he represented the Philippines in the Emerging Leaders Program of Harvard Kennedy School, which seeks to build leaders fit for the challenges of the new generation.
Freddie is married to another native Iliganon Maria Teresa Padilla-Siao and has been blessed with three children — Derrick, Alexandra, and Ethan — who have been well-nurtured and have now become mature and successful individuals. He spends quality time with the family mostly by traveling with them to different places in the Philippines and abroad.
Freddie is humble enough to admit that he has limited knowledge in certain fields. In identifying and solving problems, he consults field experts and stakeholders and takes their recommendations. For years, he has been taking advice from experts in health, sports, agriculture, engineering, and other fields. More importantly, he takes suggestions from representatives from the women’s sector, persons with disabilities (PWD), senior citizens, the LGBTQ+ sector, business people, teachers, the youth, and other sectors of society for the policies and programs he wants to create. He recognizes that in nation building, the people should be involved.
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