The purpose-driven Francis Zamora

MANILA, Philippines — Born and raised in San Juan City, Mayor Francis Zamora is driven to care for the welfare of his city and constituents. It’s a privilege he does not take lightly.

“Every day is an opportunity to change the lives of people. If I had the chance to live my life all over again, I would choose to do the same thing. I will never trade this for anything else. This kind of opportunity doesn’t come often in a lifetime,” Zamora says.

The 42-year-old progressive, energetic and dynamic leader made history in the recent mayoralty elections by beating a political family that had ruled the city for five decades.

After succeeding in the rigorous 45-day campaign season, Zamora now faces the daily grind of accomplishing the complicated and tedious tasks of running the progressive city of San Juan. He also attends meetings of the Metro Manila Council and the League of Cities of the Philippines, both of which he is an officer.

“My job is both physically and mentally exhausting,” says Zamora, who also shares that his current workload is a hundred times his responsibilities when he was a councilor and a vice mayor.

Father figure

Zamora considers himself the father of San Juan City and is confident that he is doing well in being one — thanks to his experiences as a father to his own four children. “Being a father enables me to become a good father to the city, to my constituents. If you love your children, you will do whatever is best for them. As the father of the city, I do what is best for my constituents with the objective of uplifting the overall quality of their lives,” he explains.

Just as he prioritizes his responsibilities as a leader, Zamora also gives importance to family time. Whenever he can, he takes his wife and children out to eat and go to the spa together. “After a long day, we have to relax and unwind,” he says.

Work-life balance

For him, spending an hour or two at the spa changes his physical and mental disposition. “We have to take a break every once in a while to recharge our energy and keep our pink of health,” he shares.

Zamora is very thankful that there is a BlueWater Day Spa near his home and office. He reveals that his family also appreciates the nice facilities and very professional staff of the spa center. “My kids and I take the same kind of massage, which improves our blood circulation. Overall, we feel very safe and comfortable,” he adds.

Being able to strike a balance between his work and family life is a gift that Zamora has and is fortunate to enjoy.