OLONGAPO CITY – Multi-faced businessman, showbiz impresario and Doctor of Dental Medicine Arnold Vegafria launched his mayoralty bid here with the filing of his candidacy at the Olongapo City Comelec office today, Thursday, October 7, 2021,
Headlining the recently established Anak ng Gapo coalition, Vegafria’s bloc includes former three time congresswoman Mitos Magsaysay for congresswoman and Barangay Captain Lester Nadong for vice-mayor, with a councilor slate that includes actress Claudine Barretto, Pocholo Galian, Vic-Vic Magsaysay, Ian Vegafria Bautista, former actor/Mr. World Philippines 2018 JB Saliba, Kap Joe Madria, Derrick Manuel, Dr. Macky Alonzo, Oliver Guerrero, and Iska Tablan Villegas.
With their battlecries “Bangon, Olongapo” and “Sana Olongapo” Vegafria hopes to bring back the glory days of the Olongapo City that he knew as a child. He envisions a radical transformation of the city’s skyline and major infrastructures with the goal of revitalizing the city’s long-dormant tourist industry and its other key economic and industrial zones.
“I welcome this new challenge with open arms,” asserts Vegafria. “It’s my way of giving back to the city that nurtured me during my formative years.”
“I know that it won’t be an easy task, but I’m confident that with our team’s strategic alliance with key players in business and industry, we can rebuild this city and bring back the economic and tourist boom that it enjoyed decades ago.” He adds.
Aside from having established himself as one of the most respected pillars in the entertaining, lifestyle and sports industries, Vegafria also carved his niche as an advertising/PR guru, events specialist record/film/TV producer, entrepreneur, business manager and political adviser- with his extensive experience as Senator Manny Pacquiao’s business manager, as well as the PDP-Laban’s deputy campaign manager during the 2019 senatorial elections.
In 2018, Vegafria also spearheaded the launch of Pacquiao’s grassroots basketball tournament, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, which has since gained a loyal following. During this period, he was appointed President of the MPBL.
Because his creative vision, Vegafria finally fulfilled one of his fervent wishes: to start his own film production company: ALV Films. To date, the movie production outfit has already bankrolled its roster of offerings for 2018.
In a bid to further advance his academic pursuits, Vegafria enrolled in a post-graduate executive program in Digital Advertising in Boston University, as well as a post-graduate diploma degree in Innovation and Creative Enterprise in Thames International.
Aside from these, he also beefed up his entrepreneurial investments with such companies as CCTGI (Consolidated Contractors and Trading Group Inc., a contractor supporting the government’s several PPP (private public projects, including Bus Rapid Transit, Pasig River Rehabilitation and the construction of oil refineries), ALV Food Inc. (Shawarma Food Chain), Moderno Sistema Technology Developer Solutions (technology developments contractor) and also invested in the Singapore-based Global Cryptocurrency Offering Exchange (GCOX) company
One of his most recent acquisitions for the 1st quarter of 2019 was the recently-reformatted MTV Philippines (music television) franchise. He also acquired the local franchise owner of Viacom, the TV/cable channel which owns the rights for Paramount Pictures, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.
He was invited as guest speaker in the 2013 United nations World Forum on the Diaspora Economy held in New York City.
He had also been invited as a juror in the Soho International Film Festival in New York City for five straight years since 2012.
With his extensive management/leadership experience and people skills culled over the years, Vegafria is more than ready to make his foray into public service.