Written and shared on Facebook on October 8, 2021
Filing of COC is now officially closed! Thank you so much Lord for all the guidance for all these years!
Twenty years ago, I made one of the biggest decisions in my life – and that is to run for public office. That decision completely changed my life. It opened a lot of doors, enriched my knowledge and skills, gave me so much opportunity to gain new friends, create new ideas, write policies, see these ideas fail or prosper and somehow impact on many lives and organizations. After twenty years, I take on new and exciting directions – to help our country – to stand for new ideas, new strategies in support of all the innovators around the Philippines, and Filipinos around the world – as a private citizen.
In 2014, we pegged Bacolod and Negros Occidental Vision to have 60,000 jobs by 2022. That vision will now be close to impossible. But give 3 to 5 years and I will work with all stakeholders to drive that.We worked hard to push for digital innovation in different aspects – business, education, governance, creatives, and many more – now please give me more years to push for these innovations in the local and national level. I cannot do this as a mere citizen – but use my ideas, my learnings across the world, all the insights I have gathered from all stakeholders around the country, my creativity and my life as a citizen – we can do this together!
Everyday, starting tomorrow, my heart will be so happy in sharing good news and developments about my different responsibilities as a catalyst and as an ordinary citizen – without being mistaken as part of political ambitions. My heart has silently bled for 20 years because there will always be suspicions about my motives. But tomorrow – we go to work and we work hard!I was truly honoured to be the symbol of change in 2019. An unforgettable opportunity.
For 20 years – I have been participating every election. It is time to discover new paths. The pandemic has taught me so many lessons. Special thanks to my mentors Atty. Andy Hagad, Brother Rolando Dizon, Senator Edgardo Angara and Governor Alfredo Maranon Jr, most of all – my dear father JOSE RULL BATAPA who has never stopped reminding me to continually respect myself. They are now gone but I will continue with the work they have asked me to do. To all my supporters, PLEASE TAKE MY HAND IN CONTINUING FRIENDSHIP!I THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF MY 2O YEARS JOURNEY! Padayon!
Where is #CitizenJocelle heading to after 20 years in local politics?
I am currently (1) HTC (highly technical consultant) for 31 digital cities around the county under the Department of Information and Communications Technology, (2) Level 3 Coach and Mentor for Digitalization for MSMEs under the Department of Trade and Industry, (3) Policy Consultant for Digital Transformation and Tatak Pinoy under the Office of Senator Sonny Angara, drafting and/or assisting the following bills (and more):
SBN 1834: Philippine Digital Workforce Competitiveness Act
SBN 1470: National Digital Transformation Act
SBN 1472: eHealth System and Services Act
SBN 1764: Use of Digital Payments Act
SBN 1943: Information and Communications Technology Officer Act
SBN 1944: Science and Technology Parks Act
SBN (TBF): Quality Apprenticeship Bill
I also guide LGUs on digital governance and digital entrepreneurship and mentor startup founders.
For Bacolod I have already spent 20 years in politics having run 6 times and also 9 years in active service and wrote major ordinances aligned with my advocacies. Please check https://jocellebatapasigue.com/2019/10/19/policy-work-of-jocelle-batapa-sigue/
I wish to spend my remaining years in this world helping the whole country. Life is precious. We need to use God’s gifts as much as we can.
Jocelle Batapa Sigue 