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Brief Personal
Profile Of
HON. ALEXANDER CAGBABANUA YORONG
Alexander Cagbabanua Yorong is a
promising politician and Church youth leader who is,
at present an incumbent member of the Sangguniang
Panlungsod (a local lawmaking body) of the Shrine
City of the Philippines, Dapitan City.
Born on April 18, 1962 under the zodiac
sign of Aries in the humble barangay of Masidlakon,
Dapitan City. “Alex” as the relatives fondly calls him
and “Lex” (a Latin word for law) to his friends and in
the political arena, is the 8th of 10
children of the politician parents, Mr. Diosdado
Salusod Balladares Dagunayan Yorong and Mrs. Corazon
Dagpin Caincay Galanido Cagbabanua.
Alex finished his elementary and
secondary studies in 1975 at the Dapitan Elementary
School, Dapitan City and in 1979 at the Rizal Memorial
National Vocational School (now Jose Rizal Memorial
State College), Dapitan City, respectively. Desirous
enough to help his family he pursued his college
studies at the Mindanao State University-Iligan
Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) as student scholar,
taking up BS Bio-Premed, a preparatory course to
Medicine. Aside from becoming a priest or a lawyer, to
become a successful doctor someday is one of the lofty
ambitions of the young Alex. While at MSU-IIT, he
displayed some exceptional qualities of a student that
made to be constantly chosen as representative of his
department to any seminar or functions. But failure to
overcome the ordeal of being away from his family, he
decided to return home and shift to another field of
interest. By that time, he was no longer a scholar so
he had to work to own a degree. He then became a
working student who worked as casual utility
worker/janitor at the Office of the City Health
Officer. Dapitan City until he completed his Bachelor
of Science in Commerce major in Banking and Finance at
the St. Vincent’s College, Dipolog City in 1986.
While in school, he proved his
leadership excellence by becoming the Student Governor
of the College Department of the Rizal Memorial
Institute, Dapitan City in 1982-1983 and as Provincial
President of the Student Assistance Committee-Youth
Community Service Club (SAC-YCSC) from 1983-1986. He
also became the Junior Banker’s Association of the
Philippines, SVC-Dipolog City Chapter in 1985-1986.
In his early youth, Alex also proved
that poverty is not a hindrance to success by becoming
a leader to the youth of his time. His conviction was
evidenced by his election as the Kabataang Barangay
Chairman of Potol, Dapitan City in 1979-1985,
Federation President of the 4-H Club Council of the
Philippines, Region IX Chapter in 1083, altogether at
a time.
But then his ambition to become a
faithful shepherd of God’s Flock remained unceasingly
strong and vibrant, thus, he studied Philosophy at Cor
Jesu Seminary in 1993 and formally entered the Marist
Father’s House in Cotabato City in 1995.
Alex was not only a civic youth leader
but also a religious leader. He was actively involved
in the activities and organizations of the youth in
the Catholic Church. He became the Coordinator of the
Charismatic Youth Movement of St. James Parish,
Dapitan City in 198-1991 and Coordinator of the
Catholic Organization in 1991-1993. He was also chosen
as Youth Leader of the Parish Youth Ministry in
1998-2001. Also, he became the Vicarial Youth Leader
of the Vicariate of DABARASILA (an acronym for the
parishes of Dapitan, Barcelona, Rizal, Sibutad and La
Libertad, all of the province of Zamboanga del Norte).
He has also served as Director of the Executive Youth
Council of the Ministries, as Board Member of the
Parish Council of the Laity of St. James Parish and as
a Youth Leader for DOPIM which is an ecclesiastical
sub-province comprising the diocese of Dipolog, Ozamiz,
Pagadian, Iligan and Marawi Prelate.
Alex first indulged in politics when he
was 24 years old having elected as Barangay Captain of
Potol, Dapitan City in 1988. After his five (5) years
of service as head of the Barangay, he was elected as
new member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City
of Dapitan until 1995. Proving his capacity as a
promising young leader, he was chosen as
Vice-President of the National Movement for Young
Legislators, Zamboanga del Norte Chapter in 1994-1995.
Then, he was re-elected in 1998 and 2001. Recently,
the people of Dapitan City have again mandated this
humble representation to serve the city of Dapitan
with greater fervor by re-electing him as member of
the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Alex is now completing his
last term as local legislator.
Two standing committees of the
Sangguniang Panlungsod are under the chairmanship of
Alex, the Committee on Education and the Committee on
Culture and Arts. He is presently a member of the
following committees:
1.
Committee on Rules and
Revision of Ordinance
2.
Committee on
Appropriation
3.
Committee on Tourism
4.
Committee on
Labor
5.
Committee on Child’s
Welfare
6.
Sub Committee on
International and
Domestic Relations
Though he reached almost the peak of
his success, Alex remains to be humble and meek and
preferred to work with the less privileged and not
choosy in his works and dealings. He wants to be
remembered more of being religious leader than of
being a politician as he believes;
“EVERY MAN SHOULD SERVE THE MASTER
NOT THE SERVANTS“ |
