Councilor Piano is Gapo's bet for outstanding councilor of the country

The city councilor who introduced an innovative approach using the “virtual welder trainor” and who created www.sangunian.com with its full listings of City Ordinances and Sanggunian Resolutions starting from 1959 up to the present, both first in the Philippines, is nominated in the 2009 Search for the Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines.

With the task of training thousands of youths but with meager funding, Coun. Piano needed to come up with the solution of imparting the all important skill in welding: the eye – hand coordination. A steady hand is an ultimate necessity if a worker intends to produce high quality welds. But the prohibitive cost of consumable welding electrodes, mild steel plates for practice and the cost of electricity could drain funding and eventually stop the training program, a situation more costly and will deprive those who wish to learn the trade and thus, making their dreams of becoming a shipbuilder unrealized.

The opportunity is within reach but the stumbling block appears insurmountable that as a leader, Coun. Piano must think fast and come up with an effective yet cost-efficient solution to the problem.

He utilized today’s latest tool to look for solution… the internet, and learned that advanced nations are now using a VIRTUAL WELDER TRAINOR. An offshoots of flight simulators which already saved hundreds of lives not to mention immeasurable cost savings to both the airline industry and the military.

But the Virtual Welding Trainor invented in the U.S.A. was so expensive that only the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army were able to afford it.

Ed Piano studied the concept behind the US invented virtual welder trainor and using his long years of experience in the trade (himself started as a welder in the Ship Repair Facilities (SRF) of the former US Naval Base), adopted a local version at minimal cost but with the same effectiveness as proven by the more than eight thousand trainees who have used it.

As Chairman of the Committee on Labor and Employment, he crafted ordinances to establish skills training centers and personally provided welding skills training to 9,712 unemployed and out-of-school youth at minimal cost to the government. He helped find employment for 8,802 of them, thereby providing economic security and enhancing the lives of thousands of families not only in the city but nationwide as well.

Authored legislation that computerized city government transactions with the public, thereby improving the delivery of public service.

Authored Information Communication Technology (ICT) - related legislations which ended the monopoly of one telecom provider in Olongapo City, promoted competition, improved service, and brought about competitive rates; eliminated long distance charges for phone calls between Olongapo City, Zambales and Subic Bay Freeport.

His effective management of the City Skills Training Program has been acknowledged by TESDA. Olongapo City Skills Training Center was a TESDA Kabalikat Awardee, the center under the directorship of Mr. Piano was chosen as a regional and provincial winner and was a runner-up for the national category

A former Subic Bay employee who championed the rights of his fellow Filipino workers, Edwin Piano is one of the pioneer volunteers who protected and preserved Subic Naval Base when the Americans left seventeen years ago. He was one of the pillars who fought for the creation of the Subic Bay Freeport and eventually served as Administrative Officer of the Transportation Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

First elected into office as city councilor in 2001 he was voted back by the local electorate in 2004 and 2007, proof that Olongapo residents are satisfied with his performance. Mr. Piano displayed an uncanny ability to detect the needs of the times and demonstrated ability to respond in ways that will benefit his constituents.

His concern and his vision for the welfare of his city and its people are clearly manifested in the Resolutions and Ordinances he filed in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, whether principally-authored by him or co-authored with a colleague. Mr. Piano presently holds the record of having authored the most number of significant Resolutions and Ordinances (259 Resolutions and 35 Ordinances) in Olongapo City Council. He also have the most number of committee chairmanship such as ways and means, telecommunications, organization development and personnel matters, labor and employment, and information technology. www.tocp.sangunian.com

FULL SUPPORT: Olongapo City Mayor James Gordon, Jr., Zambales Vice-Governor Anne Marie Gordon, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, NGOs and local Jaycees represented by Atty. Lito Orozco for JCI-Olongapo and JC Senator Rudy Dalluay for JCI-Subic gives a "thumbs-up" sign showing support to Councilor Edwin J. Piano on his nomination to the 2009 Search for the Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines

The search for The Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines (TOCP) emphasizes the vital role that local governance plays in nation building. It is a joint project of the Junior Chamber International-Philippines, the Philippine Councilors League and the Office of Senator Edgardo Angara.