FREDERICK W. SIAO

Frederick “Freddie” Siao is the City Mayor of Iligan City, Philippines, a position he has held since 2022.

Born and raised in Iligan City, Mayor Siao has a deep understanding of the city’s long-standing challenges, including the inadequate water supply in many barangays and the need for a more effective and sustainable garbage disposal system. He is a seasoned public servant, having served as city sports director for six years, an elected city councilor for six years, and the lone district representative of Iligan City from 2016 to 2022.

Throughout his years in public service, Mayor Siao has consistently demonstrated his ability to turn vision into reality, as reflected in his many completed projects. As mayor, he continues to pursue his dream of a better, more progressive Iligan City—one built on inclusive growth, responsive governance, and meaningful change for all Iliganons.

ASENSO ILIGANON!

A NATIVE ILIGANON

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.

EXCELLENT TRACK RECORD

As the Iligan City sports director, he strengthened the city’s presence in regional and national tournaments. As councilor, Freddie passed 37 ordinances and 175 resolutions. As congressman, he authored 170 and co-authored 183 bills, including the Salary Standardization Law of 2019 and the Student Fare Discount Act. He also advanced measures granting IRA to six barangays, upgrading Buru-un School of Fisheries into a polytechnic state college, and establishing the Iligan City General Hospital, while continuing to push for projects like the Iligan International Convention Center and the NSC Special Economic Zone.

READY TO SERVE

During the COVID-19 public health crisis, Freddie was the first local official to respond to the needs of the people by distributing food packs to families, and face masks and face shields to frontliners. He also provided free transport services to public commuters. Every year, he helps 15,000 students with his family’s Helping Other People through Education (HOPE) scholarship program, 8,000 individuals with his medical programs, and many more beneficiaries with his partnership programs with CHED, TESDA, DA, private organizations, and other government agencies.

A CONSULTATIVE LEADER

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.

A VISIONARY

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.

WELL-EQUIPPED AND CAPABLE

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.

A GOOD FAMILY MAN

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.