Who’s who – TEODORO RODRIGUEZ ALONZO

TEODORO RODRIGUEZ ALONZO (1937-1997) was the 26th mayor of Balanga. He was initially appointed as mayor of the capital town in December 1979 until January 1980 due to mass purging of local officials during the later years of Martial Law. He was formally elected to the same position during the January 30, 1980 local polls. He served until March 1986. He is best remembered for establishing the Balanga Arcade in 1985.

After college, he was employed as process operator at the former Bataan Refining Company (now Petron Bataan Refinery) in Limay. He resigned from his job at the oil refinery after being offered a dealership by the Mobil Philippines which enabled him to put up a Mobil gas station in Balanga, at the corner of Calero Street and Bataan National Road in Barangay Ibayo. Later on, he got involved in the gasoline hauling business in Olongapo City and Manila.

In 1979, while serving as director of the Bataan Electric Cooperative (Batelco) now Peninsula Electric Cooperative (PENELCO), Engineer Alonzo was called on by Governor Efren B. Pascual (1972-1986) to replace erstwhile Balanga Mayor Celso V. Valdecanas in late 1979. During the 1980 local elections, Alonzo ran for the same position against Valdecanas and won at the polls by 200 votes.

Observers were one in saying that Alonzo ran the local government unit of Balanga hands-on, like a private enterprise. Every morning, he would show up at the public market to make sure that the place is clean and being run smoothly by the municipal emloyees. He was able to improve the financial standing of Balanga which qualified it to become a first class municipality. He also initiated the establishment of the Balanga Arcade at no cost to the local government unit. It was patterned after the Agora market of then Mayor Josph Estrada of San Juan City, Manila. The arcade (now site of the Galeria Victoria Mall) was inaugurated on December 12, 1985. For his accomplishments, he was adjudged as one of the three most outstanding mayors of Bataan in 1985.

Despite his outstanding record in governance, Alonzo was removed from his post as a result of the 1986 EDSA Revolution. He was replaced by Atty. Teodoro O. Camacho III, former Balanga mayor. He returned to managing his business venture, the TRA Haulers and General Contractor, until his death on July 24, 1997.Engineer Teddy R. Alonzo was married to Letty Tuazon-Alonzo with whom he had two sons and two daughters.