Rodrigo
R. Duterte, who has taken his oath of office as Davao City Mayor for the 7th
time Sunday, has unwittingly identified the five focus areas of his
administration for the next three years including peace and order, environment,
informal settlers, corruption and tourism.
While
he mentioned the successful programs of the city in terms of the firecracker
ban, smoking ban and curfew, Duterte reiterated the need to maintain the peace
and order in the city by going after drug pushers, and other criminals.
“You
can stop or leave the city vertically or horizontally,” was his warning to
criminals.
Duterte
said while the people could not fight and prevail against nature, he said
Dabawenyos should take a deliberate action by de-clogging the canals, acquiring
the needed rescue and weather monitoring equipment and continuing the conduct
of barangay-based education campaign to prepare people.
“We
should put a stress on the management of solid waste because these clog our
canals and drainage systems resulting to floods,” he said.
He
said the city has acquired relocation sites to accommodate those who live in
danger zones. “There is no other option, you have to leave the place,” he
added.
However,
he said that relocation of informal settlers will only be allowed when the site
is ready for habitation which means the people’s sources of livelihood should
be accessible.
He
said they plan to ask the business sector to relocate their businesses along
these areas. Environment-protection and economic development should complement
and not clash with each other, he added.
While
he made mention of his plan to continuously promote Davao as a tourism
destination, Duterte said he is deadest on stopping corruption in the city.
He
asked the Ombudsman to fasttrack the appointment of a city Ombudsman to
investigate corruption issues in the city. Duterte asked everyone to create a
city where “opportunities abound and where every house is secured and every
person is safe.”
