LYNN ― Candidate for Ward 3 Councilor Coco Alinsug moved to Lynn from the Philippines 19 years ago and one of the first things he did was volunteer as a caretaker for Goldfish Pond.
His first apartment in Lynn faced the pond ― which he said was very calming and relaxing ― and he would wake up in the morning, have his coffee, and stare at his neighbors: the turtles, ducks, and geese.
“It is one of Lynn’s hidden gems,” Alinsug said. “Even though I don’t live as close to the pond now, I kept my membership with the association, continued my service with the
neighborhood, and currently serve on the board of the Goldfish Pond Association.”
Nearly 20 years later, Alinsug is following in the footsteps of his family members, who have been involved in politics in Consolacion, Cebu in the Philippines over the past 100 years.
His father, Ember Alinsug, is a vice mayor; his grandmother, Felisa, was the first woman in Consolacion to be elected city councilor, in 1950; and her father ― Alinsug’s great-grandfather ― was also a councilor. Alinsug’s great-great grandfather, Gregorio, was the first councilor in his family, elected in 1920.
Alinsug has a long history of working in the communities he lives in, starting when he was 14 and growing up in the Philippines. He said he rallied his neighbors to build a youth center, since the government could not afford to build onet itself.
When he was 18, Alinsug was the youngest staff member to the president of the Philippines at the time. At 22, he was the youngest delegate sent to represent the Philippines at the United Nations, marking his first exposure to the United States.
Alinsug said that experience made him fall in love with America, and so, at age 23, he moved to the United States with no plan and only $200 in his pocket.
Since Alinsug’s move to Lynn, he has attended various events at the local mosque, churches and synagogues, and has become a fixture at local neighborhood activities.
“It is very interesting to see people from all cultures talking in different languages, as if I’m attending a UN convention,” Alinsug said. “It’s cool to taste and try different kinds of food, experience different traditions and customs. I just love the diversity of this ward and this city in general.”
As a first-time candidate, Alinsug said he promises to always listen to the concerns of Ward 3 residents and to work tirelessly to resolve issues and update constituents on actions
taken by the city.
“I will be honest with the residents at all times; I am a team player and a consensus-builder,” Alinsug said.
Spending the past seven months of his campaign walking every street in Ward 3 and speaking with hundreds of people, Alinsug said he has learned that the concerns of the residents include isolated flooding problems in some areas of the ward, trees covering stop signs and other signs, potholes, trash, and the need to rehabilitate Kiley Park.
The largest issue he has come across is the smell and pollution problems at Kings Beach.
As a City Council member, Alinsug wants to be a part of the task force created to resolve the issue with King’s Beach, and plans to collaborate with leaders in Lynn, Swampscott, and the state in order to do so.
“The ultimate goal is to find a permanent solution to this problem,” he said.
Alinsug said he plans on providing regular updates about the city to constituents through newsletters and social-media outlets; conducting semi-annual ward meetings in rotating precincts to discuss concerns, and updating constituents about current city projects; appointing precinct captains to monitor and respond rapidly to the specific needs of each precinct; and hiring a volunteer intern to interact with City Hall as a liaison officer for Ward 3.
Alinsug said he also plans to implement safety improvements to the ward in the form of better lighting, clearing blocked traffic signage, and working toward improved street maintenance.
In regards to city initiatives, Alinsug plans to work with the objective of not raising property taxes in the near future; work with city and state officials to help create more affordable housing for seniors, veterans, middle- and lower-income residents, and municipal employees; explore the use of additional grant writers to find new revenue sources for the city; and empower youth, senior citizens, and others to help each of them achieve his/her fullest potential, regardless of age or ability.
Alinsug is the first Filipino-American candidate in Lynn history, and if elected, will be the first openly-gay candidate for ward councilor in the city and the first Filipino-American city councilor in New England.
