Hon. Arvin Amatorio is an exemplary public servant, having displayed the resiliency of the Filipino people in the performance of his duties both as Mayor of Bergenfield, New Jersey and as a man of the law.
The two-time councilman and first Asian American elected Mayor of Bergenfield steered his fellow public servants in efforts to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus in his constituency. Within days of the pandemic, he mobilized his Office of Emergency Management, recommending the closure of schools in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. He had also initiated the first-ever drive-thru municipal COVID-19 testing in Bergen County despite opposition pushback, becoming a model for other cities in the country to follow. He concurrently expanded food pantry operations to cater to the lack of basic goods caused by workers’ loss of employment due to the country-wide economic shutdown. All these efforts have resulted in the gradual recovery of the town–one of the hardest hit in their area.
As a lawyer, he recognizes his role in ensuring Filipinos' dreams to live and stay legally on U.S. soil. As such, he has been representing Filipino clients facing immigration issues for over 15 years, aiming to unite them with their families for good. One such instance was his defense of the Sentosa 27, who were illegally recruited as nurses and imprisoned for alleged dereliction of duty.