CONG. JOY MYRA SALVADOR TAMBUNTING

Homegrown

Joy Myra Salvador Tambunting witnessed the development of the city she now serves. Born in Parañaque on April 28, 1963, she is the first child of Atty. Orlando Lapitan Salvador of Camiling, Tarlac and Jovita Ramos Salvador, a social worker from Davao City. Joy recalls how Parañaque today is a far cry from when it was still a municipality of the province of Rizal.

When Joy was six years old, the Salvadors established their residence in United Parañaque Subdivision II (UPS 2), Brgy. San Martin de Porres. The Salvadors were one of the first residents of UPS 2. She fondly remembers watching airplanes land in the airport from the roof of their home, a view she could enjoy because there were barely any other houses or buildings around.

A Lady with Big Dreams

Joy finished her elementary and high school education at St. Scholastica’s College Manila. In 1984, she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts, Major in Communication and Broadcasting, from Assumption College San Lorenzo.

Joy was media savvy. She loved reading books, watching television and movies. Hence, pursuing a broadcast career post-Martial Law was the most exciting thing for her at that time.

“It has always been my dream to be in broadcast, television, film— any of those when I was younger,” Joy recalled.

She first landed a job as a production assistant for the popular game show “Spin-A-Win.” There she honed her skills in television production. It was also there where she met the young Gus Tambunting, whose family was in charge of producing the game show and whose aunt Jeanne Young was the host of the show. It was during the days of “Spin-A-Win” that the relationship between Gus and Joy blossomed.

A Force Behind the Camera

When the Lopezes came back from their hiatus in 1988, Joy applied for a job at ABS-CBN and got accepted. Her experience working for the weekend program “Spin-A-Win” gave her an edge that allowed her to rise through the ranks. She soon became one of the pioneer producers of the network, rebuilding and recuperating after its tumultuous experience during the Marcos dictatorship.

Joy’s bosses were former ABS-CBN Presidents Freddie Garcia and Charo Santos-Concio while her contemporaries include the likes of Cory Vidanes, the current Chief Operating Officer of ABS-CBN. During her career in ABS-CBN, she headed shows like Tawag ng Tanghalan, Going Bananas, Pep Talk, Sports Inside Out, Loveliness, Tonight with Dick & Carmi, Kalatog Pinggan, Good Morning Manila, and Triple Treat.

Known for her excellent organizational and management skills, Joy became a sought-after producer for the shows of ABS-CBN, as she was usually assigned the top-rating shows or the shows which the network wanted to boost.

“When I planned a show, it’s always an org chart from the start. I was very particular.
I really learned a lot because I’m so particular about being organized. The orgchart is my bible. So, getting into politics, sabi ko sa asawa ko, getting into politics for me is one big show. You treat it as one big show,” Joy said. 

Love or Career

Joy had a brilliant career. But like in romance movies, she had to face a fork in the road: to make a choice between continuing a successful broadcasting career or settling down to start a family of her own.

“Sobrang hirap tanggapin, pero alam mo kasi, siguro in love na in love ako. Siguro din, he’s convincing me. I know naman that I spent so much time, energy and effort and so much of my talent on being a producer for ABS-CBN. So much and always he would tell me, ‘Is it worth it?’ He would ask me, ‘Is it worth it?’”

In the end, love prevailed. She resigned from ABS-CBN to start a family. On June 29, 1991, Joy married Gus Tambunting, who was then a Councilor of the then Municipality of Parañaque. Ever since Joy was a young girl, it was her dream to become a mother and have children of her own.

“I love children. When I was younger, I used to teach ‘pag Sundays. In Church, I would teach its Sunday school. When the parents went to church, there was a class where they could put their young children while they attended the service. I was in-charge of taking care of those children, giving them Bible lessons, reading to them Bible books and stories. I love children and the only way I could have children was to have a family of my own,” Joy shared.

Unfortunately, her first two pregnancies resulted in miscarriages.

Pag-asa ng Kabataan Foundation

Moved by the first two unsuccessful pregnancies, Gus and Joy decided to put up the Pag-Asa ng Kabataan Foundation in order to “adopt” children from all across Parañaque. The couple achieved this by providing them with scholarships. Through the years, Pag-Asa ng Kabataan Foundation has supported thousands of children, with some of its scholars graduating with honors and many more finding employment here and abroad.

“I felt that if the Lord would not grant me children, at least let me adopt all these children in my own way. We put up a foundation and we looked for scholars and l put up programs that will enable us to assist orphans in any way,” Joy said.

Through God’s grace, Gus and Joy were eventually blessed with three children: Isaac Emmanuel, Marielle Chelsea, and Mateo Jacob.

Juggling Motherhood and Business

While raising her children, Joy used the management and leadership skills she honed as a television show producer in the various business endeavors of the Tambunting family. She served as Vice President for Systems Analysis of the company Superior Maintenance Services, Inc. (SMS), one of the country’s largest janitorial and maintenance firms. Through her help, SMS has provided jobs for thousands across the country.

Married into the entrepreneurial Tambuting family, Joy always had her hands full as the general manager of all her husband’s businesses.

While keeping up with the demands of the businesses she was running, Joy also made sure to be on top of her role as a mother to her children.

“Everything about being a mom is fulfilling. So, my children are always with me. Even during their growing up days. They came with me every day. I brought them to school. I picked them up from school. They studied in the office with me. We all went home together, I never left them with their yayas,” Joy proudly recalls.

From Mother to BFF

Apart from running several businesses and being a full-time mom, Joy is also the Executive Director of Marymount Academy, a private school for preschool, elementary, high school, senior high school, and special education students across three campuses: BF Homes, San Antonio, and Betterliving.

Admittedly, Joy did not have any formal background on education. But with an innate love for children and the willingness to learn, Joy took on the job.

Joy’s leadership of Marymount Academy brought about a new age in the history of the school, making it one of the fastest-growing schools in Parañaque City. Joy is known to the school’s students as their “BFF” (Best Friend Forever) as she treats the school’s students with a motherly affection.

“I wanted them to immediately feel that they could come to me. I’m open for any of them to be accommodated and the school is like family to them. That’s how the BFF thing started,” Joy said.

A Public Servant in the Making

Even without a political title, Joy had her fair share of service to the community.

She continued to share her love for teaching by conducting read-along activities in which she read to daycare students across Parañaque City. Through these activities, Joy also taught students the importance of recycling and protecting our environment.

Joy served as the First Ann of the Rotary Club Palanyag-Parañaque when Congressman Gus served as its President from 2000-2001. During her term, Joy helped in the implementation of the club’s socio-economic projects, such as the Rolling Snack Bar.

Joy also supported Congressman Gus in his work as a public servant in various capacities, from being his Chief of Staff to his Campaign Manager. Her leadership and organizational skills have empowered the staff of Congressman Gus to work efficiently and effectively for the benefit of Parañaque City.

In her time as the Second Lady of Parañaque City from 2007-2013, she helped facilitate a warm family atmosphere among the various offices of the Vice Mayor, the City Council, and the City Council Secretary through organizing get-togethers and Christmas parties. Her motherly affection and care for detail have improved the working relationship among the staff of these offices.

The First Elected Congresswoman of Parañaque City

In 2019, Joy was elected as the first woman to represent Parañaque City in the House of Representatives. She won with a record-breaking 103,967 votes versus the roughly 12,000 votes received by the nearest opponent.

“My running for Congress was very incidental. My husband filed for his third term as congressman in October, but he asked me to run in his place in December. We switched because it was his time to take some time out to take care of his parents and his lola. So, this was the time. Ako naman, I’m a perfect shoo-in as his replacement because I have served alongside him. I can put in my own advocacies aside from his,” Joy said.

With this historic first, Joy is working as a voice for women empowerment in Congress. At the same time, she fights for the welfare of the youth, families, senior citizens, and the urban poor.

In the 18th Congress, Joy served as a Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Games and Amusements and the Committee on Information and Communications Technology. In addition, she is a member of the House Committees on Appropriations, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Higher and Technical Education, Labor and Employment, Metro Manila Development, Public Works and Highways, Social Services, Ways and Means, Welfare of Children, and Women and Gender Equality.

She has maintained her perfect attendance record in the sessions of Congress and ranks 7th in the top ten list of lawmakers with the most bills or resolutions authored and filed. From the beginning of the 18th Congress up to the present, Cong. Joy has authored a total of 422 bills and resolutions.

Her Legacy

Her journey as an elected official may have just begun but she has lived a life of service to others from her career in the broadcast industry, to her invaluable contributions to her schools, businesses, and advocacies and serving alongside her husband.

When asked about her plans for running for office in the next elections, she leaves it to the leading of the Lord.

But one thing is for sure, she will continue to serve alongside her husband in whatever capacity she can, may it be as Congresswoman or just simply, the BFF of Parañaque.

“The legacy that I want to really leave for us women is, yes, we go for what we want to go for. However, it’s not a hindrance to also manage it with the person that we love or to accomplish something with the person that we love. It’s not something that we should always say na, kaya ko ‘to on my own. It could be kaya ko ‘to because nandyan siya, kaya ko ‘to because nandyan ‘yung mga anak ko at saka yung asawa ko,” Joy said.

“This could also be a legacy that I can impart with everyone because ayoko ‘yung sasabihin kong, ‘Kaya ko ‘to dahil babae ako.’ Gusto ko lang sabihin na, ‘Kaya ko ‘to, babae ako, at dahil kasama ko ang pamilya ko,” she added.