Gladys Vergara: Bringing Home the Titles, One Baguio Family at a Time
Andy Ignacio — April 26, 2025
Gladys Vergara: Bringing Home the Titles, One Baguio Family at a Time
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – In a city where land ownership has long been a dream deferred for thousands of families, one woman is stepping forward—not to claim the spotlight, but to carry forward a legacy she helped build behind the scenes.
Gladys Vergara, daughter of former congressman Bernardo “The Action Man” Vergara, is no stranger to public service. While she served as a Councilor and Vice-Mayor in her own right, it was her many years as her father’s chief of staff that shaped her deep understanding of governance, legislation, and land rights—a defining issue in Baguio City.
While some candidates vaguely promise to “resolve land disputes,” Gladys brings receipts—concrete proof of her hands-on experience assisting in policies that delivered real change.
The Law That Gave Titles to Dreams
Republic Act No. 8963 may sound like just another number in the pile of Philippine legislation. But for families in Cabinet Hill–Teachers Camp, it is the law that gave them dignity, stability, and a future. The measure was filed by then-Congressman Bernie Vergara in 1999 and lapsed into law in 2000. It reclassified parts of the Forbes Forest Reservation and Government Center Reservation into alienable and disposable land—allowing long-time residents to apply for legal titles under Republic Act No. 730, which governs the sale of public lands.
It was a complex, technical piece of legislation—but to the families it served, it meant everything. Just ask Shayra Grageda-Reyes, one of its many beneficiaries. “Hindi ito basta kwento ng papel at pirma—ito ay kwento ng malasakit, tunay na serbisyo, at pagkalinga sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan,” she says. She still remembers the moment her family received their land title. “Isang pangarap na matagal na naming inaasam,” she adds, wiping away tears.
Shayra is also quick to point out the person who stood shoulder to shoulder with then-Congressman Vergara. “Ang tumulong noon, siya pa rin ang maaasahan ngayon.” She is, of course, referring to Gladys Vergara—who, as her father’s chief of staff, was deeply involved in the legislative process, from research and drafting to negotiations and follow-through.
Years in the Trenches, Not Just on Paper
Gladys Vergara isn’t campaigning on borrowed glory. She’s running on the strength of years spent in the background, mastering the technical, political, and human elements of lawmaking. Her name may not have been on the bills—but her fingerprints were all over the process.
Unlike others who treat public office as a family entitlement, she treated it as a classroom. Committee hearings, agency briefings, legal research, constituent work—she was there, watching and learning, assisting and executing.
Now, she’s ready to lead with that experience as her compass.
Not All Family Names Are the Same
Recent controversies in City Hall have exposed how some politicians misuse their positions to benefit unqualified relatives. A sitting councilor is under fire for hiring his own daughter, who allegedly rarely shows up to work and allows her boyfriend to meddle in city operations. It’s a portrait of public service distorted by entitlement.
But not all political families operate the same way.
Gladys Vergara didn’t coast on her surname. She earned her public service credentials through years of quiet, competent work. She helped draft laws, negotiated with agencies, followed up with stakeholders—and made sure promises turned into papers, and papers into property titles.
Legal Backing with Heart
Her understanding of land issues goes beyond RA 8963. Gladys also points to Proclamation No. 773, signed by President Fidel V. Ramos in 1996, which preserved 56 hectares of land—including Teachers Camp—for educational and cultural use under the Department of Education.
Over the years, similar proclamations have been amended, sometimes to the detriment of public interest. That’s why one of Gladys’ top priorities is a full land audit of Baguio City—to resolve overlapping claims involving powerful institutions like the BCDA, PEZA, DENR, and even private and military groups.
Her mantra is simple but powerful: protect what’s public, title what’s rightful, and fight for those long denied what they deserve.
From Policy to People
What sets Gladys Vergara apart isn’t just her legal literacy or family background. It’s her approach: hands-on, heart-first, and backed by lived experience.
She doesn’t just speak in platitudes—she names names, outlines steps, and shares track records. For her, institutions like BCDA and PEZA are not faceless bureaucracies. They are familiar challenges she has worked with before, and is ready to face again.
She doesn’t wait to be asked. She shows up with results: laws filed by her father, supported and delivered by her own work as chief of staff, and lives transformed in the process.
When Baguio voters head to the polls, they won’t just be choosing among surnames. They’ll be voting on a legacy that’s been built through service, study, and sincerity—and a woman who’s ready to lead because she’s spent years preparing to do just that.
