THE RIGHT MOVE
While maintaining relationships are already challenging as it is, couples working in the same office and even industry contend with twice the issues as more cases of breakups have been recorded among this group. That's why I find it inspirational to meet couples who work in the same field yet still manage to emerge stronger. One such power couple is Quezon City's Congressman Winnie Castelo and Congresswoman Precious Hipolito-Castelo.
Having known Winnie for many years now, I witnessed how he came to be known as the city's "Masipag Tumulong" and "BusyWinnie." In fact, when I started my personal distribution of ayuda, food and medical supplies in Metro Manila after the pandemic struck early 2020, Winnie was one of the politicians who helped me with QC. Little did I know back then that I will be joining him and his Malayang QC team as one of the candidates in District 6, and little did I know too that I would actually see first hand how he and Precious work together.
Contrary to popular belief that Precious got her first knack at politics after being married to Winnie who is from a long line of politicians in QC, she and Winnie first met at her inauguration as kagawad of Bgy. Nagkaisang Nayon.
"I remember being baffled who this guy in blue barong was as he kept on going back onstage during my Induction as kagawad, just to congratulate me! Afterwards, he started bringing me food until we became friends. I didnt have an idea he already liked me back then because he was just so blunt as he gave me pointers on how I can improve on my speech- so unlike usual suitors who always put their best foot forward! So even back then, I saw Winnie's genuine and strong character. But what really impressed even after 21 years was how efficient he was in implementing projects in our district," Precious reminisced.
When asked how they have made their marriage unassailable despite being in the same world, Winnie said, "I have always looked at Precious not only as the woman I love, but as my partner in the truest sense of the word. She's always been open to my ideas the same way I have been to hers and I think this open line of communication and trust solidifies our relationship," Winnie said.
Having a shared vision in their line of work has also strengthened the bond between husband and wife as both dream of a world-class QC.
"In our travels pre-pandemic, Precious and I saw impressive developments in other countries which we know can be replicated in our country, starting right here in our city given its ₱30 billion annual budget. But we must first empower QC's greatest asset- our people, starting off with free yet quality education which would translate to better job opportunities and consequently, economic growth. I think there's a wrong notion that "overly populated" cities have less chances to develop. Look at China and Russia- they're overpopulated yet their economic development is unquestionable. I have faith that under the right leadership, this can also happen in QC," Winnie said.
QC, with nearly 2.8 million residents, has the biggest population in the nation, and during this campaign I also saw first hand the great disparity between its socio-economic classes and its sectoral groups.
"It's not impossible to bring together our various sectors. We should initiate more public-private partnerships in infrastructure, health and education. We need to identify and utilize each sector's strengths to bring out the best in our city. When someone is brilliant, we celebrate it instead of wrongfully thinking that we have exclusivity to brilliance. This brilliance especially in ideas on how to make our society better come not just from one sector, but from everyone from all walks of life- something we saw as we have combed through all the communities in QC the past decades," Precious added.
With this shared vision for a world-class QC where Winnie and Precious have dedicated their lives to, they are even more inspirational because they have simultaneously kept their family intact.
"We make sure that no matter how busy we are, we spend quality time with our kids, Winona and Paulo, to check on them and how their day has been, and that they know their parents are always there to guide and support them," Precious adds.
"It has also been very important for us to teach our kids the value of hard work, and they wouldn't get everything they want on a silver platter. That's why we are so proud of them, not only because they excel in school, but because we see how they have grown up to be good people without any sense of entitlement," Winnie adds.
You and your partner may not be in politics together as Winnie and Precious are, but as we took a glimpse at their partnership beyond their marriage, it is comforting to know from their not so typical love story, that despite the data presented by studies on the subject, it's not impossible to find success in juggling careers and family life.