Hagedorn, also an environmentalist and anti-mining advocate,[1] served as city mayor of Puerto Princesa for two decades, only interrupted by a year since the Constitution set the limit at three consecutive three-year terms.

[8] Hagedorn, had been an environment advocate since the 1980s,[6] started his political career in 1992[9] when he was first elected mayor of Puerto Princesa[7] and served three consecutive terms until 2001.

[10] Initially seeking the vice mayoralty post, he eventually decided to run for mayor, defeating the incumbent Feliberto "Bert" Oliveros Jr.,[6][11] who had been in office for about 27 years.

[17] While in office, Hagedorn served as vice chairperson of Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD) and member of Consultative Assembly,[7] both were among the now-defunct transitional bodies created by President Fidel Ramos (Executive Order No.

[19] On July 7, 2005, Hagedorn was appointed by President Gloria Arroyo as concurrent "anti-jueteng czar"[7] to handle the government's initiative against corruption and illegal gambling.

[8][7][21] The city was transformed into the country's safest, with the lowest crime rate, mainly due to decrease of smuggling and illegal logging,[8] both related to his advocacy of environmental activities.

[7] He was also responsible for another law in which the city's move of declaring a state of calamity without the president's announcement was eventually adapted nationwide,[9] thus allowing local government units to do so, which was enacted to support his initiative of stopping kaingin (slash and burn).

As mayor, he had to use the calamity fund to provide alternative livelihood for affected farmers, the subject of later criminal charges which was then dismissed upon enactment of the said law.

[11] It was also during his term when the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) was declared as a national park, and later, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[11] Among others, the city was also named in 1994 the country's best managed local government;[6][8] while he was given in 1997 the Global 500 Roll of Honour award by the United Nations Environment Programme.

[24][25] In his attempts to regain the mayorship, Hagedorn, had been under Liberal Party, lost twice to incumbent Lucilo Bayron:[26][27][28] in another recall election in 2015, organized by his camp;[29] and in 2016.

[31] Sometime during his first years in office, Hagedorn was charged of graft and corruption for supposed misuse of public funds, in connection with his initiative to stop kaingin; the case was later dismissed upon enactment of a law allowing local government units to declare state of calamities in their areas.

[11] Another graft complaint against Hagedorn was filed by a group of vendors in connection with the planned privatization of two public markets and a slaughterhouse without bidding.

He was arrested, but cleared, for accusations of murder; while his trial for forgery was canceled when records for his case were among those destroyed in a fire at the city hall.