Michael Eric Gonzales Cuejilo is serving his first term as Councilor of the 2nd Legislative District of Mandaluyong City.

From the time he was a toddler up till the present, Councilor Cuejilo is known to his family and peers as “BOTONG”, the nickname given by his grandfather, the late Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales.

Botong is a Licensed Architect by profession. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree from the University of Santo Tomas. He also took a Special Course on Urban and Regional Planning in UP Diliman in 2017.

Botong is no stranger to public service as this runs deep in the blood of the Gonzales family. Even while working in the private sector, Botong is at ease and fulfilled when it comes to working on projects that serve and give back to the people. Prior to his election, he was with the San Miguel Corporation, handling and managing all of the infrastructure projects undertaken by San Miguel Foundation Incorporated, the company’s corporate social responsibility arm. His work experience involved the conceptualization, implementation, and turnover of projects in the areas of social housing, education, scholarships, health and nutrition, medical mission, water and sanitation, environment, disaster relief, livelihood, drug rehabilitation, recreational and training facilities, and other community building projects such as schools, library, health and diagnostic centers.

Following the footsteps of his grandfather and his uncle, Congressman Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales II, Botong entered public service, and is focused on his governance advocacies:

• Education – literacy programs through scholarships, teachers training, supplemental feeding, and book donations;
• Empowerment of persons with disabilities (PWD) – assist PWDs in generating a steady source of income, the care of children with special needs;
• Environmental Awareness – build awareness for the need for ecological balance and conservation, and generate consciousness in establishing greener communities.
• Creation of sustainable communities – conduct trainings and seminars on livelihood, waste management, among others.

In these advocacies, Botong adheres to the principle embodied in the maxim, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime”. He envisions a citizenry that is empowered to do something for themselves instead of being dependent on the goodwill of others. He believes that through this, the people of Mandaluyong will be more involved in the ownership of governance and change, thus helping in the development of more sustainable practices and compassionate choices.

Councilor Botong Gonzales Cuejilo is the second of three sons of Myrna and Eric. He is married to Ivy, with whom he has three children. Outside of his “council time”, Botong is active with social volunteer work, loves to keep updated on technology, enjoys music and sports, and of spending time with his wife and kids.