TUBLAY, Benguet – The former president of the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) in the municipality of Tublay and a two-term municipal councilor is now setting his sights on the province’s vice gubernatorial post in the upcoming May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections to help in the crafting of appropriate legislations that will address the present problems of the society caused by the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) for the province to move on to the better normal.
Ericson Lawagey Felipe (a.k.a. Tagel) served as the SKF president and the ex-officio member of the municipal council of Tublay from October 1992 to September 1996 where he was able to initiate various youth-related projects ranging from sports development to youth welfare that paved the way for the active involvement of the youth provincewide. During the said period, he also served as an ex-officio member of the barangay council of Caponga.
After his term as the SKF president of the municipality, he worked as a Legislative Staff Officer in the Office of former Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan in the House of Representatives from October 1996 to June 2001.
Further, Tagel Felipe also served as a two-term municipal councilor from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2010 where he was instrumental in the crafting of vital legislations that contributed in uplifting the welfare of the people of the municipality.
His nickname ‘Tagel’ was given to him by his parents in memory of his late grandfather, Bon Tagel, who was the first person that visited him when he was born on October 30, 1971.
Felipe finished his Bachelor of Arts in Commerce major in Management at the St. Louis University (SLU) in 1994 and completed his Bachelor of Laws in the same higher education institution in 2002.
His parents are Edward Paoad Felipe, a retired principal of the Paoad elementary School in Tublay and Mina Lawagey Felipe, a trader from Tuel barangay.
Felipe is married to Dr. Gharie Liza Cadwising Garcia-Felipe, the current municipal health officer of Tublay, whose mother is from Bauko, Mountain Province and her father from Kibungan and Tublay towns. The couple is blessed with two children, Lance Ashburne Felipe, a senior high school student and Liam Asher Felipe, a Grade 4 pupil.
In 2010, he established the Tagel Corporation, one of the reputable construction companies in Benguet put up by a home-grown proprietor, which was involved in the rehabilitation, upgrading, improvement and paving of major road networks inside and outside the province. The Tagel Corporation is involved in the prosecution of major infrastructure projects in Apayao.
According to him, one of his priorities will be to bring the provincial board closer to the people and to ensure it is accessible to the people of the province for their concerns that need appropriate legislative action for the greater welfare of the majority of the populace.
Felipe assured he will be embracing a policy of transparency, accountability, good governance, enthusiasm and leadership by example once he will be given the chance by the province’s electorate to be the future vice governor. By HENT