Quezon City 5th District Councilor Alfred Vargas graduated as valedictorian of the Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) program at the University of the Philippines Diliman, dedicating the milestone to his manager of 21 years, Lolit Solis, who passed on days before the ceremony.
Vargas finished with the highest general weighted average (GWA) of 1.0288 among the entire DURP Class of 2025 and received the Dean’s Medallion, the highest academic distinction awarded by UP’s School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP).
During his valedictory address at the UP Film Center last Saturday, Vargas grew emotional as he offered the achievement to Solis. “Nay Lolit, para sa ’yo ang tagumpay na ito,” he said, tearfully.
for 21 years
He also thanked his wife, Yasmine, and their children—Alexandra, Aryana, Cristiano, and Aurora—for their constant support and understanding as he juggled public service, family, and academic responsibilities.
In his speech, Vargas emphasized that urban planning should be grounded in compassion.
“Hindi sapat ang ating mga kamay. Kailangan natin ng puso,” he said, noting that expertise alone is not enough to serve communities effectively.
He urged fellow graduates and new urban planners to integrate heart and kindness into their work, especially when confronting complex urban issues such as overpopulation, housing shortages, infrastructure gaps, environmental degradation, traffic congestion, poverty, and inequality.
“This graduation is meaningless if we choose indifference over kindness, if we prioritize ourselves over others, or if we abandon our principles and the fight for what is right,” he said. “Walang halaga ang ating pagtatapos kung hindi natin isasabuhay ang kabutihan at kagandahan ng loob. Simple pero totoo.”
Vargas highlighted how kindness is tied to good governance, social justice, respect for equality, and the recognition of every person’s dignity.
Drawing from his own experience, he cited the creation of the Quezon City Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PDAO) in 2011 as a product of listening to the PWD community, holding democratic consultations, and implementing participatory planning. Since then, over 25,000 PWD IDs have been issued and nearly 4,000 assistive devices distributed.
He also shared how the same inclusive approach helped him pass the National Integrated Cancer Control Act when he served in Congress.
Vargas closed his speech by encouraging his batchmates to lead with both competence and compassion.
“Let this graduation be a natural ending to our graduate course and the beginning of a new breed of Filipino urban planners who can lead with kindness, expertise, and character,” he stated. “Nothing is impossible and everything is achievable when we spread kindness.”
A committed public servant, actor, and scholar, Vargas completed the rigorous two-year, 26-unit DURP program, designed to equip professionals with tools to respond to complex planning needs. He earned his undergraduate degree in AB Management Economics from Ateneo de Manila University in 2002 and completed his Master’s in Public Administration at UP Diliman’s National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) in 2021.
He is now pursuing his doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning at UP SURP.
