Affluent, down-to-earth

By ALBERTO VICENTE
Team OKKA . 

JAY Roa Pascual, a millennial, social butterfly, metrosexual, grassroots development advocate, former barangay captain on one of the most hinterland barangays in the city.

He is a person of contradiction whose upbringing and choices in life reflects the power of the present.

Many thought his entry into politics was largely dependent on the shadows of his charismatic grandfather – the Oloy Roa of Cagayan de Oro, mayor, entrepreneur. Pedro N. Roa is easily one of the most memorable mayors of the city despite his short term of office (1978-1980).

When he first ran for city councilor, Kapitan Jay Roa Pascual’s slogan was: Ang buhat maoy pasultihon, dili ang sulti maoy pabuhaton – the most memorable quote of his grandfather.

Thrust into politics by her mother Araceli in 2013, Kagawad Jay Roa Pascual became the barangay captain of Tignapoloan, located in the city’s boundaries with Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur. Many thought he would be a remote control barangay captain, but he proved critics wrong with his hands-on leadership.

He used his formal education and connections to bring development projects into the hinterland barangays. Among the milestones he left is placing far-flung Tignapoloan in the tourism map with the development of the Sinulom Falls.

A graduate of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, major in Crop Science of Xavier University, he worked hard to develop his barangay’s natural endowments – farms and tourist attractions.

As a city councilor, Kagawad Pascual brought his advocacy for agriculture tourism. He has continued working for the development and promotion of the Sinulom Falls as a major agri-tourism complex. “I envision it to become everything you want to see and experience in a farm while enjoying fresh mountain air, cool clean waters and fresh healthy foods — a place where everything is in rhythm with nature. No pollution, clean and renewable energy,” he says.

As a city official, he is chairperson of the City Tourism Council, City Council Committee on Tourism, and the Higalaay Festival. Aside from agriculture and tourism, Kagawad Pascual is a staunch advocate of education and LGBT rights.

With Higaonon blood in his veins, he wants to be remembered as the champion of the development of the city’s hinterland barangays. “I want them included in all aspects of growth in the city,” said millennial local legislator.

“My transformation was not overnight. From partying in the city, jet-setting abroad, my integration with the farmers in Tignapoloan explains my passion now. I am embracing where I am now,” said the 37-year-old city councilor who claims he is first and foremost an agriculturist and farmer.

Among his milestone legislations are City  Ordinance 13369-2018, “An ordinance providing for a comprehensive code for the youth of Cagayan de Oro City” Oro Youth Code and Ordinance 13473-2018 “An ordinance creating and establishing the Cagayan de Oro Technical Vocational Institute (CDO-TVI), and for other purposes.

Kagawad Jay Roa Pascual was born on May 13, 1982 to Araceli Angcod Roa and Johnny Marfori Pascual. His grandmother was Ihing Angcod Roa, the first wife of mayor Oloy Roa.

Public service is never finished, realizes the young politician. From where he is now, he plans to continue his grassroots advocacies and live life to the fullest.

Once criticized for posting photos of his trips abroad on social media, Kagawad Jay responded with photos of himself with his accomplishments as background, and captioned it “I-selfie ang maayong buhat.” That may not have silenced his critics, but he has proven that he come out of the shadows of his illustrious grandfather.

Kagawad Jay Roa Pascual’s transformation reflects the dialectics of his Louis Vuitton shoes gaining traction in the fertile earth of the city’s hinterlands.

(Alberto Vicente is a worker in a group working for the reelection bid of Councilor Jay Roa Pascual.)