Goodbye “Charles”…Goodbye Fiscalizer…

Councilor Jesus Zozobrado may have been one of the loudest voices in the City Council especially when it comes to issues against corruption and yet, his death came like a whisper in the night.

“He died peacefully at 6:20 this morning,” daughter Atty. Rachel Zozobrado said yesterday.

Not too many people knew that he was called Charles by his close friends mainly because Charles Bronson was his idol. And like Bronson who fought evil in his movies, Zozobrado fought hard against corruption in the city council in the same manner that he fought hard against his illness. He did not die without a fight.

It may be coincidental or perhaps, Zozobrado knew he would not live long because he did what only a few politicians would do---risk his political career by sponsoring a law that would affect the “masa”

This, he did, when he authored City Ordinance 0189 regulating the use of single motorcycles by limiting the number of passengers to only two persons including the driver. The ordinance received a lot of flak from habal-habal drivers who were used to ferrying as many as five passengers to their detriment. The law also required motorcycle drivers and passengers to wear the prescribed helmet which was really aimed to prevent death resulting from motorcycle accidents.

But Zozobrado did not waver and instead became steadfast in having his resolution approved by the city council. This despite the danger of voters turning against him come the next elections.

There are a lot of politicians but only a few can really be called honorable---Zozobrado was definitely one of them. Aside of course from unproven black propaganda against him , which were clearly a product of the fertile minds of his political enemies and which was done amateurishly with bogus receipts and all, there was nothing corruptible that can be pinned down on him.

He was not the traditional politician who would call on the members of the 4th estate just to get good exposure. However, he was a sought-after interviewee because his words were fearless and he walked where angels feared to tread. He did not care who he was treading on in the city council, for as long truth and justice be heard.

This may be the reason which endeared him to the good graces of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who vouched for his credibility as a city councilor.

The last time I interviewed him he was lawyering pro bono for hundreds of people who could no longer get their educational investments from CAP.

But looking at his background, his personality as a city councilor may have been formed by his past experiences as a Barrio Captain in Mintal in 1968, acting regional director of the Board of Transportation, City and Regional State Prosecutor for almost 7 years, Regional Trial Court Judge and Undersecretary of the Justice Department.

His employees said he was a no-nonsense guy who expected only the best from them. In fact he did not tolerate mediocrity and did his job well as chair of the council committee on Transportation, Franchising and Public Utilities.

Who can forget his fiery privilege speeches related to the passage of the 2005 Annual Budget of the City Council which earned for him the title Fiscalizer? Or how about his melodramatic speech which started with “Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away…”He may have stepped on silver toes then but he has survived and would have made another try for the council this May election if not for his malady.

Incidentally, his daughter Rachel who is a lawyer, a former prosecutor and law professor is running for council instead of him. A closer look at his family would give one the impression that he may have been a fulfilled man already considering that all his children are professionals, three of them lawyers in their own right. However, he did not stop there and spent the last years of his life in public service.

The Dabawenyos may have lost a good leader but Zozobrado’s contributions to the city will remain forever etched in the minds of the people. His humanity may not be depicted like the expensive statues in front of the SP building but his advocacy and audacity in fighting for the truth will hopefully serve as a good example to future generations.

Goodbye Charles or should I say, fight on!

Pacquiao for Congress?

I can still remember how life in the Philippines took a standstill during that day when Manny Pacquiao beat Eric Morales in a much-awaited and much-publicized boxing match. Pacquiao was the unifying factor of the whole country. That day, all activities seem to have stopped. Traffic in Metro Manila was miraculously light because all drivers and commuters were inside establishments watching the boxing match. Even the executives of top corporations in the country were cooped up in their air-conditioned offices or mansions with their own 30-40 inch wide flat TV watching Pacquiao sweat it all out. Politicians from both the administration and the opposition were united for a day wishing that Pacquaio would get the belt. The whole Philippines society, the left, right and the middle came together to chant for Pacquaio.

Yes, Pacquiao, that former fish kargador from General Santos City who managed to change his fate 360 degrees because of the power of his "kamao". He was treated like a hero, rather royalty when he came back to the Philippines. I could have argued with that because despite his constant chant that he is fighting for the country, Pacquiao was indeed fighting for P5 million or was it more than that? He was fighting for Pacquiao, Incorporated.

Pacquiao has declared his intention to run for Congressman representing General Santos City. I am from that city and I am already gritting my teeth because of the way the city has deteriorated economically and peacefully every since Mayor Pedro Acharon became top honcho. Gensan used to be a very progressive city. Today, all it has to show are the remnants of bombing activities of still unknown and uncaught perpetrators.

I was planning on going back to Gensan maybe to work there or to start my own business. This despite the poor leadership of Acharon. Well, I was counting on the fact that I would transfer there when he is about to finish his term and there would be a new mayor who would be more adept in managing the city's peace and order just like Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

If Pacquiao wins the election what will happen to Gensan? With Acharon for mayor and Pacquiao for Congressman---Gensan is going to the dogs!

I am against Pacquiao because he is not qualified! The main responsibility of a congressman is to enact laws. How can Pacquiao enact laws when all he knows is gamble his winnings away? One day he losses P300,000 in a billiard match in Davao. Next day he lost P300,000 in a sabong in Gensan.

I am at a lost. Politics in the Philippines is so stupid. Now I’m wondering if I should start packing my bags and getting those forms ready for the Canadian Embassy.

DCCCII to demand status quo from PCCI

The Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Incorporated may remain on its own and may never go back under the wings of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry unless the latte agrees to revert to status quo.

This was divulged by new DCCCII president Atty. Domingo Duerme who said the Chamber Board still has to meet in January to discuss the proposal of the PCCI for their re-affiliation.

“The demand of the Board of Trustees even before negotiations were made is to revert to a status quo or the prevailing situation before the controversy,” Duerme said.

Status quo would mean reverting to the original eight Mindanao Chambers prior to the reconfiguration. It would also mean a negation of the result of the election for PCCI-Mindanao governors.

Former DCCCII president Atty. Bienvenido Cariaga earlier said the local chamber’s decision on the controversy will depend on the decision of the new Board of Trustees.

Only three of the 15 Chamber Board members are new while the other two members are re-electionists and have been with the Board when they decided to disaffiliate from the PCCCII.

The new Board members are Lenny Castillo, Myrna Valdez and Andre Fournier. Also elected to the Board are John Y. Gaisano, Jr. and Simeon Marfori II.

“We could not determine whether the new Board will decide for the re-affiliation or will stand pat with its earlier decision to disaffiliate,” Duerme said Some of the Board members may have changed their minds but we will only know that when we meet next year, he added.(lovely .a carillo)

6-year old jin wins Taekwondo gold

“Huwag ka umalis kasi di mo makita ang gold ko (Do not go because you might not see my gold medal),” six-year old James Paolo Ancheta told me when I was about to leave lunchtime during the 2006 Regional Taekwondo championships held at the Entertainment Center of SM City Davao last Sunday.

He was right. James did win his first gold medal during last Sunday’s Taekwondo championship. While I did not see him win the championship, I saw him win the first round of the game and was he fast! He was considered too small for his age but apparently his speed and leg reach made up for his skinny physique.

I was able to interview Alan de Francia, his coach, a week before the championships and he said he was betting on the members of his Values Team particularly Ancheta to win the gold. “Mabilis yang batang yan, maliit pero maliksi,” de Francia said.

Ancheta, who is an incoming Kinder at Values, started his official training with de Francia as coach only last July when Values School Matina offered Taekwondo for their pre-school and grade school students. However, he has been practicing Taekwondo albeit informally and playfully since he was five years old.

“Ay di ko nga sana payagan yan na pasalihin sa tournament kasi natatakot ako (I would not have allowed him to join the tournament as I was scared),” his mom Joy Ancheta said. However, when they decided to join the tournament, his mom Joy and Tita Flor were very supportive of him, and were always with him during practice which sometimes ended late at around eight in the evening.

I have always thought of him as a sumo wrestler since his father was Japanese. But joking aside, he became interested in Taekwondo, a hard martial art which originated in Korea. But I was not wrong at all since Taekwondo is in fact a combination of Japanese, Chinese and Korean styles of fighting. The word “Tae” to strike with the foot” while “kwon” means to strike with the hand. Thus, a Taejwondo jin should have fast hands and feet as well.

This tournament may be James Paolo’s first, and his gold medal, his very first. But definitely, it will never be his last tournament and gold medal.(lovely a. carillo)

Seoul-Manila-Davao flights to promote Davao as golf haven

Davao City’s tourism sector is cashing in on the emerging Korean and Chinese markets by promoting the city as a golf destination.

“We have been promoting the city as a honeymoon destination especially for Koreans but our golf facilities is one thing that the city can be proud of,” Davao Tourism Association president Art Boncato said.

He said Davao is one of the preferred golf destinations in the Philippines because of the general peacefulness of the area and the lack of traffic compared to Manila and Cebu.

Japanese and Korean golfers who find Japanese courses very expensive trek to the city because of its golf courses.

Davao has six golf facilities including the Andrew’s Driving Range in Shrine Hills, the 18-hole Apo Golf and Country Club in Dumoy and Lanang Country Club in Lanang, the Davao City Golf Club in Matina, Ranchos Palos Verdes in Buhangin and Golf Masters Sports Club in Maa.

Boncato said golf is one of the major attractions of Davao City especially for the Korean market but it has not really taken off because of the lack of direct flights between Davao and Korea.

The launch of the Philippine Airlines flight between Seoul, Korea and Manila with connecting flights to Davao City on December 16 this year will bring in the Korean tourists to the city’s golf clubs.

The Seoul-Manila (connecting Davao) flights is on its trial run and will be serviced by PAL’s Airbus 320.

A charter flight courtesy of Air Macau will also service the Macau-Seoul-Davao destination. The charter flight will start on January 3, 2007.(lovely a. carillo)