For the past 23 years, professional custom broker Jerry Licarte has been providing selfless public service to the residents of Barangay Sasa.
Starting out as a barangay councilor in 2010, Licarte has done a long way in making a difference for the people living in Barangay Sasa, especially the poor and needy.
The entry of Licarte into the field of politics is in itself a destiny since he had just retired from teaching in the College of customs administration at the Holy Cross of Davao College in 2010 when politics knocked on his door.
Licarte said as a professional customs broker, it had already been his passion and advocacy to help the poor and needy.
"I was invited to run as barangay councilor, and luckily I won and became a number one councilor in 2010," Licarte said.
In 2013 Licarte ran again and ended up as the second top councilor.
In 2018, Licarte tried his luck as a candidate for barangay captain, and luck blessed him with a victory.
As a neophyte barangay captain, Licarte has had a challenging task in serving his beloved constituents since the global COVID pandemic arrived a year since he assumed office.
Despite the challenges, Licarte's passion for public service drove him to create worthwhile projects for his beloved constituents.
As a first-term barangay captain, one of the most notable projects of Licarte is the construction of footbridges for the seven coastal puroks in his barangay.
The footbridges, which cost P400,000, greatly help the residents in these areas since they give them security when they go in and out of their place.
"The concrete footbridges replace the worn-out wooden footbridges in the area, which is dangerous for the residents," he said.
The father of two boys and one girl is happy that for the past 23 years, he has helped many of his constituents achieve a better life through worthwhile projects in the barangay.
