Officials

Oscar “Richard” Serag Garin, Jr. is a Civil Engineer by profession and public servant by passion.

The eldest to siblings Representative Sharon, Vice Governor Christine and Mayor Jennifer, he is the only son to former Congressman and Mayor Oscar “Oca” Garin and former Congresswoman and Mayor Ninfa Serag. He is also husband to former Health Secretary and Congresswoman Doc Nanay Janette Loreto and father to Rica Jane, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Economics at Boston College.

With over 3 decades of public service, he started as Municipal Federation President of the Kabataang Barangay, a Mayor, a Provincial Board Member, a Vice Governor, a two-term Member of the Philippines’ House of Representatives. His two terms in office as Congressman of the First District of Iloilo is a hallmark of hard work and dedication, particularly on his advocacy for health, social services and education.

As a legislator, he pushed for comprehensive and affordable health and social services programs for the people, and the expansion of technical and vocational education for the youth. Most significantly, anyone familiar with the southern part of Iloilo will readily attest that during the past six (6) years a frenzy of government project implementation swept over the First District, not only in infrastructure but also in social services, health, poverty alleviation and education.

Responsableng Gobyerno, a catchword among his constituents, is a declaration of his solemn desire to see government work for the people. He is author to legislations providing social pensions for indigent senior citizens who are at least 70 years old, and the establishment of independent high schools in the country.

He has several bills filed in Congress, among the most significant and important are House Bills 2147, 3417, 3418 and 3420. When he was Vice Governor of Iloilo from 2010 to 2013, he also promoted similar social legislations, like the Senior Citizens Ordinance of 2012, Person with Disability Ordinance of 2012 and the Solo Parents Ordinance of 2013.

For three years, he as been a private citizen unrelenting in his advocacy for citizen participation not only in policy making and governance. It is true however that servant leaders always intend to serve others. In 2022 he was given a fresh mandate as Municipal Mayor of Miagao when he decided to prioritize other people’s needs over his own. Oscar “Richard” Serag Garin Jr., son, brother, husband, father, public servant and a leader.