Duterte files CoC for Davao City Mayor

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has just filed his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) for mayor, far from the expectation that he will run for president now that his daughter Sara Carpio has given her blessing.

Duterte's  CoC was handed over to the Commission on Elections (Comelc) at 2:40 p.m. by his Chief Executive Assistant Christopher Lawrence “Bong”  Go and City Administrator Melchor Quitain.

Go's shirt carried Duterte's message to his supporters which read: “Sinabi ko na, ayaw ko. Ang titigas ng ulo niyo”.

A political strategist of Duterte earlier admitted the last-ditch efforts are being done by Duterte’s family, friends and supporters to convince him to run for president even after his latest public announcement that he has no ambition to become president.

“Yes, I am confirming that following the latest public announcement of Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte that his options were retirement or staying on as Mayor, there were frantic efforts by people close to the family to save the Presidential dream,” former Governor Emmanuel Piñol wrote in his Facebook account Tuesday.

Piñol said he does not want to raise false hopes “but I would consider myself extremely insensitive if I do not share with the millions of Filipinos the latest updates on the Duterte Presidency.”

“And the efforts appear to be paying off,” he said, with his daughter Sara posting positive lines in her social media account that seemed to endorse Duterte’s presidency.

He said that as of yesterday, it appeared that things were going smoothly and that the family could settle the question on who would take over the leadership of the city. While Duterte is pushing Sara to run for mayor, there is always a possibility that Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte would take over considering Sara’s continued refusal to be lured back to politics.

“Everything seems to be falling into proper places and even Duterte's bitter political enemies in the City, the Nograleses, appear to be helpful in resolving the problem,” he said.

Congressman Karlo Nograles, son of former speaker Prospero Nograles filed his CoC for Congress Monday, putting to rest rumors that he would challenge the Duterte’s hold at City Hall.

“The only issue that is going to be addressed now would be the question raised by Mayor Duterte himself when we were almost at the verge of convincing him to backtrack from his earlier pronouncements rejecting the Presidency and announcement that he was heeding the people's call,” he said.

He said Duterte was worried about the people’s reaction if “after saying twice (thrice including Monday's press conference) that I would not run for President, I suddenly face the people and say Ok, I'm running?,"

“I assured Mayor Duterte that the only people who would not like to see you backtrack from your earlier pronouncements would be the people who don't like you to become President," Piñol said.”I told him that there would be a greater number of Filipinos who would prefer that he changes his mind and declares that he was yielding to the call of the people,” he added.

Davao sends 60 emergency personnel, P8M to Leyte

photo courtesy of Pil Yong Gogo

Davao City is set to provide a total of P8 million cash assistance and send more than 60 disaster personnel to assist the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in the province of Leyte.

Duterte officially sent off Team A consisting of 50 people to Leyte at 12 midnight Saturday. A convoy headed by Central 911 officer-in-charge Emmanuel Jaldon left Davao midnight and will travel by land to Leyte.

“Naghangyo lang ko sa mga rebelde na ayaw hilabti ang convoy kay para man ni sa mga nanginahanglan sa Leyte (I am begging the New People’s Army rebels not to harm the convoy since they were sent to assist the victims in Leyte),” Duterte said.

Team B which will be headed by Duterte will be leaving for Leyte today (Monday). Duterte said the city will give P2 million to Tacloban, P3 million to Southern Leyte and P3 million to the province of Leyte.

Jaldon said Central 911 has been on standby even before the landfall of Typhoon Yolanda to assist those who will suffer the brunt of the typhoon in the city,. However, he added, we are ready to provide assistance to other areas as per approval by the Mayor.

photo courtesy of GMA's Una Ka Bai!

“Ang Central 911 equipment dili lang kini para sa mga taga Davao; para pud kini sa laing manginahanglan (Central 911 equipment is not only for Davao but also for others who might need it),” Duterte said.

Team A consists of rescue and retrieval operations, medical, engineering, police and military personnel. Some people from The City Social Services Development Office (CSSDO) also joined the team.

Among the Central 911 equipment ready for dispatch anytime according to Jaldon are six rubber boats with a capacity of seven people, two rigid hulls made of fibreboard with a capacity of 10 to 12 people and one kayak with a capacity of two to three people which is being used for immediate rescue needs.

Peaceful Elections in Davao

“Peaceful.”

This was the description made by Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Chief Sr. Supt. Vicente Danao, Jr. said after the polls closed at 3 P.M. yesterday. The same description was echoed by Chief. Supt. Wency T. Pascual, Philippine National Police (PNP) XI Regional Director even as he made his rounds early this morning of the different polling places in the city as well as in Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur.

“The election was fundamentally peaceful,” Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said after casting his vote at the Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School at 2 P.M. yesterday.

He said he is happy with the peace and order during the conduct of the election in the city and hopes it will continue even during and after the counting of the ballots.

While he could not say how many candidates he has supported during the barangay elections, he said he has a supporter in every barangay. “Mga 90% halos lahat sila personal choice ko,” he added.

“Si Angging (referring to former councilor Angela Librado Trinidad who was one of those seeking a barangay captain seat during yesterday’s election) personal choice ko yan,:” he said. I am a resident of this barangay so I have a right to my personal choice but I am not bringing the party into this, he added.

Pascual was concerned about the peace and order in some Areas of Concern (AoC) in the city specifically Barangay 23-C. However, Danao said even this barangay had a peaceful and normal election.

Davao City Mayor Duterte Resigns From NAPOLCOM Post

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday handed his irrevocable resignation as deputized representative to the National Police Commission after figuring in a verbal tussle with Commission on Human Rights chairperson Leila de Lima. De Lima was in the city Monday for the scheduled public hearing on the Davao Death Squad incidents.

Duterte's resignation was announced by city administrator Wendel Avisao who said Duterte has also relinquished his general operational control and supervision over the city's local police forces to Police Director SSupt. Ramon Apolinario to give the CHR a full reign in its investigation. He also terminated his relationship with Task Force Davao.

City Approves P25T Financial Assistance For today’s Mindanao Investment Conference

Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief Bobby Teo (left photo) welcomes participants to the MinICon.

The City government of Davao has approved a P25 thousand financial assistance for the two-day Mindanao Investment Conference which will open at the Marco Polo Hotel today.

“We are expecting up to 300 participants to join the conference,” Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) executive director Ednar Carlos Dayanghirang said. The organizers of the event said the Conference is doubly significant because it is not only the business sector that have signified their intention to join the MinICon but even peoples organization and non government organizations from various parts of Mindanao have confirmed their participation.

Dayanghirang said they are thankful for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s support for the Conference both in terms of promotion and financial assistance. He also confirmed the P25 thousand financial support from the city government.

The Conference will focus on seven agricultural products including seaweeds, banana, coffee, rubber production, honeybee, Pangasius and moringa or malunggay.

MinBC chairperson Vicente Lao, who presented the agribusiness opportunities (that will be tackled during the Conference) to the members of the City Council last Tuesday, said they are very excited about the prospects of the propagation of Cream Dory or Pangasius since this will clearly augment the region’s aquaculture production.

Pangasius, Lao said, is like a cousin to the catfish. However, Pangasius fish can weigh as much as 40 kilograms and can grow as long as four feet.

Lao said Pangasius growing is fairly new to the Philippine but it is a growing industry in Vietnam and neighboring Asian countries. Pangasius fillet is presently being exported by Thailand and Vietnam for around $3 per kilo.

This was confirmed by Vitarich marketing associate in Mindanao Elvin T. Millan who said there is a big demand for the Pangasius fish in the world market.

Vitarich is one of the companies that is already into the Pangasius business and they are exploring several business options including contract to buy, contract growing, contract processing, commercial growing and trading partner. Vitarich has prospective growers not only in Davao but also in General Santos City and the Cotabato Province. The company, he added, is now ready to disperse the Pangasius fingerlings to these growers.

Duterte Warns Balikatan Vs Christmas Foreclosures

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday warned the Balikatan Housing Financial Inc. from foreclosing housing units during the Christmas season if they do not want to face chaos not only from those who will be affected but even from those who will sympathize with them.

"Ayaw na i-foreclose karong December kay gubot na (do not foreclose the houses especially this December because there will be chaos)," Duterte said. He added Balikatan may have a point legally but it is not enough basis to kick the people out of their homes. "Asa man na ninyo sila papuy'on (where will they live if you kick them out from their houses), he added.

If Balikatan insists on foreclosing the houses, he said, the city government will be forced to go to court, sue them and get a restraining order. I have a lot of "fraternity" lawyer brods who can help in evaluating the contracts of these people, he said.

He said when Balikatan assumed the credits of these people from the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. it has also assumed the responsibilities of the housing developers. Most of those whose houses are to be foreclosed did not pay because of some deficiencies on the part of the developers most of whom used substandard materials for the housing units.

This, he said, is not just a legal problem but a social problem which will not be solved by foreclosures. It is best for both parties to renegotiate so they can come up with a win-win solution, he added.

Davao City Mayor Urge Enactment of Drunk Driving Law

DUI (driving under the influence) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) may be a common crime in the United States and if you are updated with Hollywood news then you are aware that actor Mel Gibson is facing criminal charges for the offense. It is thus surprising to note that such laws does not exist in the Philippines considering the increasing number of traffic accidents involving drunk drivers.

In view of this, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has urged lawmakers both in the city council and in the House of Congress and Senate to hasten the enactment of a law that will penalize drunk driving.

Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta said a resolution-ordinance that seeks to penalize drunk driving has already passed first reading in the Davao City Council. Acosta said she is pursuing the approval of this measure with the hope that it will discourage drivers from operating their vehicles while intoxicated.

Last year, Senate president Manny Villar has refiled Senate Bill 83 otherwise known as the Alcohol and Drug Testing Act. The bill seeks to criminalize driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. The bill seeks to penalize violators by suspending their drivers' license for a year and by paying a P1,000 fine for the first offense. Second and subsequent offenses will mean a five-year driver's license revocation and a fine of P5,000. The Bill is still pending in the Senate committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Duterte said it is imperative that a DUI or DWI law is enacted because under the present law, drivers who cause an accident while intoxicated only face a criminal negligence case no matter how many people they victimize in one accident.

Nograles Park In Mini-Forest Is Illegal-Duterte

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte reiterated the city government's contention that the Nograles Park along Mini-Forest Boulevard which was recently demolished by the City Engineer's Office is illegal.

The P7 million Park, which was completed in 2006, was built by the government using government money and was demolished by the government. Duterte said the demolition of the Park did not affect any private rights as it was owned by the government so the City Engineer's Office did not violate any right when it demolished the structure. He also questioned why government funds were used to finance a park named after a private person.

Duterte said the Nograles Park, which was named after Speaker Prospero Nograles' father, also violated the law because it was built without the authority of the City Council, a body which has the power to approve or disapprove the location where parks should be constructed. He added that public parks are usually named after government officials or persons who have contributed to the development of a certain area so the naming of the park should also be placed under scrutiny.

He said that all these aside, the Park was demolished because it was built on top of a canal which was impeding the flow of water in the area which was already prone to flooding.

Davao's Artica Dome Tops List Of White Elephant Projects By LBP

The Land Bank of the Philippines claimed to being very careful in approving loans applied for by local government units saying "mabibilang lang sa kamay" (that one can only count in his fingers)the local government projects financed by LBP that have turned into white elephants. This was the confirmation made by LBP senior vice president Delia Ladao during the press conference held at the Philippine Information Agency office last Saturday.

However, Ladao did not deny the fact that the P300 million Artica Sports Dome project in Maa this city is on top of the list of white elephant projects in the city with money coming from LBP. The project was initiated during the time of mayor Benjamin de Guzman but was halted by mayor Rodrigo Duterte for environmental and other reasons (including financial irregularities).

It can be recalled that the project's viability was questioned even before construction started considering that it was sitting on a site susceptible to landslides and earthquakes. However, de Guzman went on with the project, leaving the millions of Dabawenyos responsible for the payment of the loan.

The bank is very careful in the evaluation and approval of local government projects, Ladao said. The Artica Sports Dome has however become a white elephant project for reasons out of the control of the bank, she added.

Water Or Power?

WATER or POWER? Dabawenyos, particularly its local leaders, are faced with a dilemma as to which one of the two important resources to opt for.

The problem started when the Aboitiz-owned Hedcor (Aboitiz being the owner of Davao Light and Power Company) proposed the construction of a hydropower plant along Tamugan River in Calinan this city which was then debunked by the Davao City Water District for being detrimental to the city's water resources.

The National Water Resources Board has already given a permit to DCWD for its surface water development. Hedcor, on the other hand still has to get one. Just like Hedcor, the City Council is looking for a win-win solution to the problem whereby both Hedcor and DCWD can use the area for their individual projects. DCWD's Imelda Magsuci however said the area would no longer be feasible for the tapping of surface water for its project once Hedcor is given the go signal to build the hydropower plant.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has already stepped in and has given Hedcor until yesterday to defend its position. Otherwise, Duterte said he is more favorable to providing clean and pure water to Dabawenyos.

Hedcor claims the whole of Mindanao is faced with a looming power crisis if the hydropower plant is not put into place. However, a recently released study claims that Davao's water sources already contains contaminants as a result of the banana plantations operating in the area.

So which would you choose? Water or Power?

Ces Drilon, cameraman released by Abu Sayyaf

The release early this morning of ABS CBN reporter Ces Drilon and her cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion as well as Professor Octavio Dimampo was a relief not only to their families but to the Philippine media practitioners as well. Angelo Valderama was released ahead of them several days ago.

Indanan Mayor Alavarez Isnaji's son Jun said nothing was given to the kidnappers except the promise of livelihood projects for their families and the community. The kidnappers earlier asked for a P15 million ransom and even indicated a deadline yesterday morning.

This was not the first time that a member of the 4th Estate was kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf bandits but this was nevertheless a case in point to show the world why the government could not stifle a small bandits group hiding in a small area like Zamboanga. A lot of people are wondering why the Abu Sayyaf still exists even after the kidnapping and the death of some foreigners who were kidnapped in Patikul, Sulu several years ago. Even the US military was not able to do anything about the Abu Sayyaf despite rumors that they would be hunting down the bandits group. Funny because they were able to get the suspected target of a bombing incident in Davao City right under the nose of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

This incident has one again highlighted how dangerous the job of journalists are. Most journalist, especially those in the provinces (including Davao City) do not have insurance coverage and I wonder if the same earnestness to have the kidnap victims released would be shown had it been a member of the provincial media who was kidnapped and not the high profile media personalities like Drilon etal.

Duterte To Adarna: Secure Place Or Close Shop

"Secure your area or close shop", was the message of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to Queensland owner and President Teodorico Adarna. Duterte was however referring to the construction of Queensland Davao Baywalk and not the motel itself.

The Baywalk got the ire of local councilors and even the Philippine Reclamation Authority for the latter's reclamation project along Matina Aplaya without the necessary permits. The area has been declared a reclamation area as early as 1950s. The councilors are also blaming Adarna for incidents of drowning and stabbing within the area.

However, Duterte said the city government is willing to help Adarna get the necessary permits since a lot of Dabawenyos are benefitting from the project. He said Baywalk has provided Dabawenyos a place to relax for free. Families have made Baywalk a favorite destination since it presents a great view of the coastline. The Baywalk's windy atmosphere aside, Dabawenyos frequent the area more often now after Adarna introduced other features like a small zoo and a mini pool with sharks.

Duterte said he will not present any objection if the national government asks him about the city's stand on giving a permit to Queensland's Baywalk. However, Adarna has to get the necessary permits as well as provide security to the area. Or else, it will be closed down, Duterte said.

Mayor Duterte Ranks 3rd In Pulse Asia's Top Local Chief Exec Survey

Dabawenyos may be critical of some of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte's policies and governing methods but no one would surely doubt the veracity of a Pulse Asia survey where Duterte ranked No. 3 among the country's top local chief executives, performance wise.

Despite his ala-Clint Eastwood stance, Duterte has indeed made a difference in Davao. Compared to equally growing cities in Mindanao like General Santos City, Davao is clearly a standout. Under his management, Davao has been cited as one of the most livable cities in Asia. The number of national and international seminars and events held in the city last year is evident of the city's peace and order and attractiveness to visitors.

Duterte's no nonsense and iron-hand ruling in the City has made wonders for Davao, making it one of the top performing cities in the whole country. Now, if only those under the mayor can replicate his achievements in making the city a better place to live in.

RRD photo courtesy of Davao Today.