Satorre vows ‘no politics’ in Daly City planning body
DALY CITY, California — Working 16 years as budget officer and planning director at Malacañang Palace is not the only experience that qualifies longtime business owner Ray Satorre to the Daly City planning commission. An earlier six-year stint in the same role makes him a veteran on the board.
An economics graduate of the University of the Philippines, Satorre was first appointed to the planning commission by then-Mayor Mike Guingona in 2003.
Council member Guingona moved for Satorre’s current three-year term during the council’s January 12 meeting.
“I am excited to be serving the people of Daly City again, for this second time,” Satorre told Manila Mail after his oath-taking February 3 at City Hall.
“I hope to accomplish economic and social growth and development through the infrastructure progress of the city’s plan, and seeing to it that I actively participate in the deliberation.”
The planning commission advises the city council on the city’s general plan and on the formulation and administration of its zoning map and ordinance. It also reviews specific development proposals.
Daly City’s Citizen of the Year awardee in 2011, Satorre is perhaps best remembered as the Fil-Am leader who courageously fought for the political rights of minorities in San Mateo County.
That year, he joined community activists Bradley Roxas, Joseph Otayde and Mario Panoringan along with two Latino plaintiffs in a discrimination suit against San Mateo County.
Assisted by the Asian Law Caucus, the Fil-Am activists alleged that the county was violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 with its at-large voting practice.
In an at-large election, county seats such as supervisor posts are won by top vote-getters rather than any local district’s leader of choice.
San Mateo County settled on the discrimination suit, and district-based elections started this year in the county.
“After 2012, Measure B was passed by a majority of voters to rewrite and hard code the county charter to create district elections. The county finally capitulated and created a process for redistricting. Asian and Latinos finally overcame the San Mateo supervisors’ resistance,” Otayde, Jefferson School Board trustee, told Manila Mail.
Satorre believes that consensus building is important in tackling challenges. “We have to compromise for the welfare and interest of Daly City.”
Noting that a public office is a public trust, he said: “You have to be transparent and should never lose your cool behavior, as being a public servant is oftentimes a thankless job. People expect a lot from you with so little time.”
Satorre, who is also a California State Board Member for professional engineers, land surveyors and geologists, has been a resident of Daily City for 25 years. He looks forward to serving in the council where “my colleagues have different personalities and backgrounds but are equally capable of handling the mandate as a commissioner on planning”.
“Let me say this to the pundits, that I have no political plans now or in the future. I am happy to serve pro bono and to live with my family happily forever by God’s grace.”
