Duarte County’s Dagupeña mayor is home

By October 25, 2015Headlines, News

6- DUARTE COUNTY DAGUPENAMayor Belen Fernandez presents city council’s resolution honoring Duarte Mayor Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, a Dagupeña.

UNKNOWN to many, the first and the only Filipino-American elected mayor in Duarte, in Los Angeles county, California, USA is a Dagupeña, and she came home with her family after 34 long years to be reunited to her Filipino family. 

The petite, 43-year-old Mayor Tzeitel Paras-Caracci, arrived in Barangay Bonuan Gueset this city Sunday night, with her American husband, K.C. Caracci and their only child, Jack who is turning two years old in January. Her dad, Lino Paras, is from Bonuan Gueset.

Caracci told The PUNCH in an interview Thursday night at the Dagupan City Hall where she was met by Mayor Belen Fernandez, Councilors Lino Fernandez, Alvin Coquia, Marvin Fabia and Joey Tamayo, that she arrived Sunday night in the middle of the windy and rainy weather with flooding brought by strong Typhoon Lando.

She said her hectic schedule prevented her from having a long overdue homecoming for a long time.

“When my friends said have a good trip, have good vacation, I told them I was going home,” she said.

The US mayor, known to her relatives and close friends as Jinky said she missed her family here, her barkadas, the sari- sari stores.

She said she also rode padyak (tri-bike) while her son loves the jeepney.

“It’s been a wonderful experience for me and my family,” she said.

Caracci has served as mayor for two terms since in 2006 and is on her third term. The mayor’s term is one year with no term limit and is voted from among the five elected councilors. Their term of office however in the council is four years, she said.

She has been in office for 14 years.

Caracci said she speaks Tagalong to her son.  “We can sing a little bit of Bahay Kubo and he can say isa, dalawa, tatlo,” she said proudly. She also teaches Jack Filipino values about the importance of family, respect and integrity.

“Regardless of how well you do and well off you are, you always think of people because you didn’t get there by yourself, you are supported by some people. Some people did sacrifice for you to have a better life,” she added.

While on vacation here, she joined Mayor Fernandez to visit evacuees affected by Typhoon Lando relocated temporarily at the Dagupan People’s Astrodome, with her family and Mayor Fernandez 

She distributed some candies and snacks to kids.

She said when she goes back to her other home in the States next week, she said she has a much deeper understanding of the values of being compassionate to all levels of society.

“Back to my council when we have difficult issues, I think I’d love to humble them and see what some of the major issues that here in the Philippines, here in my city of Dagupan, are challenged every day,” she said.

She admired how her home city had overcome odds, especially that it was heavily devastated by a powerful 1990 earthquake but became progressive over the years.

“It’s grown significantly. I’m very proud of what it has become,” she said
Mayor Fernandez told her of the city’s wish to have sisterhood ties with Duarte, similar to that relationship that Dagupan has with Milpitas City, headed by another Dagupeño, Jose Esteves. (Tita Roces)

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