I Don't Trust Nograles-RRD

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said he is not willing to work together with 1st District Representative Speaker Prospero Nograles regarding the Balikatan problem of Dabawenyo homeowners.

"I don't trust him," Duterte said. "I will never ally or join him in any undertaking kay wala ko'y tiwala kay Nograles," her added.

The Balikatan problem started when the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation sold the housing debts of the homeowners to the Balikatan Corporation who later announced it will foreclose the houses whose accounts have remained unpaid.

Duterte said the Balikatan problem could not be resolved in the local level and it is the national government that can solve the problem. "Balikatan is a universal problem (meaning all over the Philippines) and not just here in Davao," he said. The mayor recently met with the Balikatan people but he said it is difficult to come up with an agreement saying "mas mabuti pa i-class suit na lang natin ito."

He said if the Dabawenyos affected by the Balikatan problem thinks Nograles can help them solve their problems then he is willing to return the problem to him since "he said he has handled the problem before". Nograles is said to be willing to handle the Balikatan problem if Duterte is willing to work closely with him.

Nograles Got P3M From Fertilizer Fund-Duterte

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte yesterday said even 1st District Congressman received P3 million from the fertilizer fund of Jocelyn Bolante, former Department of Agriculture undersecretary who is under the hot seat today for the alleged fertilizer scam. Nograles was however quick to defend himself saying they dod not receive money but only fertilizers, which were properly distributed to the recipients.

Duterte, during the Sunday morning program "Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa", said newspaper reports indicate that Nograles got P3 million from the P728 million fertilizer scam. An investigation is being conducted on the alleged scam due to allegations that the funds were used to fund the Presidential campaign of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during last election.

He admitted that the city were offered the fertilizers during that time but he refused saying "wala man kaayo nagatanum diri ug bugas asa ko man gamiton ng fertilizer (no one is really planting rice here so where will I use the fertilizer).

Basi sa mga dalan naadto ang fertilizer ni Nograles kay tambok man ang mga dalan sa first district (maybe Nograles' fertilizers went to the first district roads that's why they are fat) he said. He added Nograles keeps on building road but failed to construct canals thereby causing floods in the city.

Duterte said a quick look at the house of Bolante will reveal how rich he is. He said Bolante resides in the posh Alabang subdivision which only the very rich can afford.

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.

Will Nograles be The First Mindanaoan Speaker Of The House?

It's barely three hours before Monday, February 4, 2008---a day when Mindanao might finally be given the chance to boast of having its very first Speaker in the House of Congress.

Davao City 1st District Representative Prospero Nograles could be having sleepless nights trying to muster 120 votes to outseat Speaker Jose de Venecia.

While not all politicans like Nograles personally and professionally, he might be the only chance Mindanao has of getting that very important seat which can spell boom not only to Davao but to the whole island of Mindanao in terms of project and budget allocation. However, there is doubt as to the cohesiveness of the Mindanao bloc.

Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab said they have agreed to vote for a Mindanaon if the speakership post is declared vacant. The Lower House has 239 members so 120 votes would mean the Speakership. Rumors has it that Nograles has already gathered the support of a hundred people.

Nograles said he is not a traitor because he has supported de Venecia all the way. However, a lot of people have offered him the position if it is declared vacant and it would be stupid and impratical not to accept it. "It is something that needs to be done," he said.

Mini Firetrucks For Cito Beltran

The recent controversy involving government firefighters and private volunteer firefighters brought to light how ill-equipped and how inept this supposedly safety and prevention agency we call Bureau of Fire Protection. The BFP once again got entangled in this messy word war with a private volunteer fire fighting group on the issue of water.

The inability of the BFP was the issue in Cito Beltran's January 8 column in the Philippine Star. As Cito said, "why should we pay for their services when there are volunteer groups that are more efficient in providing firefighting skills?" One of the reasons cited by the BFP for its failure to immediately respond to emergencies is the state of our roads. "If the roads are narrow then why can't they get smaller firetrucks to get in" Beltran added.

This reminded me of the tiny firetrucks of Davao City 1st District Representative Prospero Nograles. The teeny weeny firetrucks have been the butt of jokes and sarcasm here in the city but come to think of it, isn't this what Beltran was referring to?

Of the P52.61 billion budget allotted for the Department of Interior and Local Government for 2008, only P4.88B will go to the BFP. Unfortunately, the agency's budget seems not enough to pay for additional firefighting equipment and protective gears for the firefighters who are facing their lives on the line every time they respond to an emergency.