Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte's reply to Walden Bello.

Davao City, Philippines.

Vice Presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte's reply to Mr. Walden Bello's comment on mandatory youth military service.

"If only Walden Bello wasn’t so quick to jump the gun, he would know that my vision was not only to push for mandatory military service for the youth.

And an 18-year-old is definitely not a child. 

Only the likes of Mr. Bello would think of mandatory military service for its citizens as arming them and telling them to kill — instead of looking at it as something that inspires patriotism in the youth.

If only he wasn’t so quick to react, he would have realized that I also emphasized the need for the youth to be prepared for disasters and become proactive community partners in rescue operations and in aiding victims of calamities.

The youth, I also said, should also play active roles in advancing their own welfare — particularly in the aspect of health, education, gender equality, and reproductive issues. I wanted them to be able to stand on their own, help themselves, help the communities, and help the nation.

If only Mr. Bello did not stop at what he has been so stuck in over the past many years — dictatorship in the Philippines, something that we know is a lie in the present time — he would have a better understanding of what I truly stand for.

The obsession over dictatorship in this country is as ancient as the belief that the youth have no actual important role in building a nation that is progressive and peaceful.

I truly hope that our youth do not grow up to be a Walden Bello — an ungrateful citizen who sleeps peacefully at the comfort of their homes, unable to say a prayer or a silent ‘thank you’ to the men and women who became martyrs while countering violent extremism, insurgency, and terrorism."

Sara Z. Duterte

January 19, 2022

source: Philippine News Agency

Photo: PNA 

Mayor Sara Duterte to VP Leni Robredo on Honesty issue

Davao City, Davao

Leni Robredo should avoid commenting about honesty and integrity. Her honesty has been questioned since day one of her term as Vice President. She is not called fake VP for no reason. She has tried to copy her late husband but has failed at every turn. She is facing an electoral protest for massive fraud during the 2016 elections. 

She has refused to answer allegations of her relationship with a married man. She may or may not get away with these but we all know she is not forthcoming in everything. The reason why good moral character is not a requirement to run for Vice President is because we have so many Leni Robredos in this world. 

And if she insists in saying that you have to be honest to run for public office, then she must say goodbye to her dreams of becoming President.  — Mayor Sara Duterte

MINDANAO LEADER'S SUMMIT ON FEDERALISM

By Manny Piñol

Former CDeO Mayor Reuben Canoy

Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte and over 300 delegates from all over the country today pushed for a Federal form of government saying this could address the problems confronting governance in the Philippines.

Duterte declared his support for a Federal form of government for the Philippines during the one-day 1st Mindanao Leaders Federalism Summit held at the Grand Men Seng Hotel in Davao City today.

Citing the inequitable distribution of wealth and resources and the massive corruption in the Central Government, Duterte said the time is right for a shift from a Unitary Presidential form to a Federal Parliamentary system.

He said it will also provide a sustainable and long-lasting solution to the Bangsamoro problem in the Southern Philippines which he said could collapse in view of what he feared as rough sailing in the Supreme Court where the Bangsamoro Basic Law could be scrutinized for Constitutional inconsistencies.

Bukidnon Gov. Joe Zubiri, Zambales Gov. Jun Ebdane, Cong. Bebot Bello, Davao Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla, former Presidential Peace Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, former Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmena, Anti-crime crusader Dante Jimenez, representatives of both the MNLF and MILF, and other delegates supported the Federalism advocacy which was presented by former Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Reuben Canoy.

Cor Jesu College of Law Dean and former Integrated Bar of the Philippines lawyer Israelito Torreon explained that the Federal form of government could only be implemented in the Philippines through the revision of the Constitution.

Delegates from all over the country, including a delegation from Bicol led by Bicol Autonomy advocacy Dante Jimenez, also voiced their support for the shirt to a Federal form of government.

Former Press Secretary Jess Dureza emphasized during the synthesis he presented said that the delegates agreed the next President of the country should be involved in the advocacy to establish a Federal form of government in the country.

Duterte is the only presidential material, among the six or seven names consistently mentioned as possible presidential materials, who carry the Federalism advocacy.

At the end of the Summit, Duterte and the other delegates signed the Manifesto of Support for the Federalism Advocacy.

The Federalism secretariat head Mayor Jun Ebasco of Maribojoc, Bohol said there will be other Federalism meetings in other parts of the country.

(Photos show Philippine Federalism advocate former Mayor Reuben Canoy and Party List Cong. Silvestre Bello III.)

source:  MannyPiñol.com FB

BIGGEST FEDERALISM MEET SET IN DAVAO CITY MONDAY

By Manny Pinol

The advocacy to decentralize governance by creating Federal States in the different regions of the Philippines takes a giant leap Monday, Dec. 1, when several big names in the country's political, social, religious, civic and ethnic groups will meet for a Federalism Summit at the Grand Men Seng Hotel in Davao City.

Among those expected to attend Monday are former President Fidel V. Ramos, former Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmena, Archbishop Fernando Capalla, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Ateneo de Davao President Fr. Joel Tabora and several incumbent Governors, Mayors and Congressmen from all over the country.

Bangsamoro and Tribal leaders along with representatives of Left-leaning groups are also expected to be present including members of the academe who will serve as reactors.

Unlike the unitary form of government which the country has now, the Federal system of government calls for the creation of states all over the country which will be defined not only by geographical boundaries but also cultural and socio-political commonalities.

While there are already two autonomous regions in the country, namely the Cordillera Autonomous Region and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the governance powers have largely been limited and decision making, especially budgeting, is still made in Metro Manila.

The foremost example of a federal system of government is the United States of America which is composed of 50 States headed by State Governors with their own legislature, Supreme Court and State Police.

Each State, while covered by the American Constitution, could enact laws which are only applicable in their territory, the example of which is the passage of the law allowing same-sex marriage in several states while conservative states have rejected it.

The advocacy for Federalism recently gained more support following the discovery of massive misuse of government funds by national government officials highlighted by the Napoles Pork Barrel Scam and the Malampaya Gas Fund Anomaly.

The inequitable distribution and sharing of the national wealth and resource have also contributed to the growing demand to decentralize governance.

The one-day Federalism Summit will end with Davao City Mayor Duterte, one of the prime movers of the Federalism movement, delivering a keynote speech in the afternoon.

Duterte defends rave party organizer Kat Dalisay of losing business permit

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, photo courtesy of CIO.

DAVAO CITY, Philippines
— Mayor Rodrigo Duterte came to the rescue of an embattled rave party organizer, whose license and permit were recommended for revocation by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) on Tuesday.
“I will not allow anybody to stop the young from partying,” Mayor Rodrigo Duterte told reporters at the Seda Hotel here Wednesday evening.

Katrina Dalisay, owner of the rave party outfit Manic Nightings, started earning the ire of city councilors here after she called them “hypocrites” on her Facebook page.
Dalisay’s comment was in reaction to supposed sharp criticisms by councilors of skimpily clad teenagers joining rave parties held in the city.

On Tuesday, members of the city council grilled Dalisay and accused her of violating city ordinances, such as the liquor ban after midnight and the smoking ban.  They alleged that she has not been paying the correct taxes.

City administrator Melchor Quitain, who testified before the session, said Dalisay even misdeclared the number of tickets sold during her events.

For three hours, Dalisay stood and regularly broke into tears before the city council.
Despite her profuse apology for calling city councilors “hypocrites,” the hostile city council recommended to the city mayor that her business permit be revoked and her special mayor’s permit for the Kadayawan Invasion rave event she planned for the upcoming Kadayawan, be denied.

After the three-hour questioning made under suspended rules, the city council passed a resolution recommending to the city mayor not to grant a special mayor’s permit to the organizer and to revoke her business permit to prevent her from holding similar gatherings.

But Mayor Rody Duterte said the recommendations were too much.  “Discipline her, yes, let her pay the right taxes but for God’s sake, give her another chance,” Duterte said of the recommendation.
Duterte said Dalisay had already apologized.

“As a mayor, I tell her to ask forgiveness, pay her taxes and start all over again,” Duterte said.  “Now that she has apologized, what else do you want? It’s not good to kill the energy of the young,” he added.

source: Inquirer.net

Davao City and the Leadership of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte

This is the kind of leadership Mayor Duterte is known for.

1) No Smoking
You can't smoke in hotels, malls, offices, business establishments, sidewalks, markets and any public places around Davao City.

2) Total Firecracker Ban - Including Christmas, New year and Chinese New year
Your money are well spent for noche buena and gift-giving rather than wasting money for firecrackers, which also produces pollution and injuries. Zero casualties for more than a decade now.

3) No to Kotong Cops
Eliminated Kotong Cops, Davao City has been winning and consistently a contender for the Most Outstanding Police Office in the Country.

4) No to bora bora ( noisy mufflers ) , Loud Vehicle Sound System

5) You can sleep peacefully at night, motorcyle borabora and Loud sound system are just a nuisance especially at late night and dawn. Run a borabora around davao, you risk yourself cited and bike impounded. You just have to respect other people's rights.

6) The apprehension of Drunk Drivers and puts them in jail
There is no law against that in the Philippines, Mayor Duterte is stepping up because drunk driving causes a lot of accidents and lost of lives.

7) Strict implementations of Speed Limits.
Pedestrians are no longer afraid of being run over by speeding vehicles, less vehicular accidents - statistics now shows 90% less fatal accidents since strict implementations. I myself got the ticket last Jan 30,2014

8) Strict Implementations of Traffic Laws
Traffic is very orderly in Davao. No beating the red light. Vehicles not allowed to step on pedestrian lanes. Also Police visibility is excellent, discouraging traffic offenders and as well as criminality.

9) Strict Implementation of Gambling Laws
Illegal gambling is not allowed.

10) Strict implementation sa 2/3 - 1/3 sidewalk clearances
Pedestrians always have a sidewalk, motorist always have roads and the vendors have a place to make a living.

11) Transform Davao into an award winning city over the years
Cleanest and Greenest highly-urbanized City in the Philippines, Most Competitive city to do business, Most Gender responsive LGU in the Philippines, Hall of Fame, Best Peace and Order council in the Philippines, Most Outstanding Local Government Unit, Top government withholding agent, 1st in overall Tax payments, Top tourist destination in the Philippines, Most outstanding Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines and in Asia Pacific Region, Most outstanding KBP Chapter in the Philippines, Cleanest air in the world - Member of Clean Cities Coalition, Most Culture-Friendly City in the Philippines, Most Child-Friendly City in the Philippines, Best City Police Office in the Country, Most Outstanding City Library in the Philippines, Best City to Implement Food Fortification Program, One of Only Three Areas in World to have the Integrated Emergency Response System, Most Liberal Political Climate in the Philippines, National Literacy Awards 2013 Hall of Fame under the highly urbanized city category, Best Quality of Life by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Most Prepared Emergency Response System in the Philippines. One of the Top most livable cities in Asia. The City Mayors Foundation ranks Davao City as the 87th fastest growing city in the world, and it has been listed by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine as the 10th "Asian City of the Future". Highest employment rate in the Country. Many more and expecting more to come.

12) No to Drugs
Very seldom or very little drug pushers around. Gone are the old ones and new players are testing the waters. But will fail time and again.

13) No to Criminals
Davao City was once the worst (No mans land) to become the safest city in the country,in fact, 4th safest City in the world. What a turnaround. A City not safe for criminals, but very safe for its residents.

14) Taxi drivers are not allowed to do contract fare, only meters are allowed or risk loosing franchise and vehicles impounded.
As a result, Davao has the most honest, very courteous and friendliest taxi drivers. No scammers. Always give change to the last centavo.

15) Best environmental protection. Strict Implementation in Protecting the water sheds
Best potable or drinking water in the country and one of the best drinking water in the world.

16) Anti-discrimination law implemented.
Considering Davao City is in Mindanao, a conflict driven area. But under his leadership, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Npa, Mnlf, Milf, Foreigners all live harmonously in Davao City.

17). Discourages graft and corruption
Eradicated most of the Corrupt officials under his jurisdiction in the City of Davao.

18). Advocates the Safety and Wellness of his constituents.
People of Davao enjoyed the services of Davao 911, the first and only one in asia. Its an Emergency Computer Aided Dispatch service with combination of police, emergency medical services, fire auxiliary, K9 units, urban search and rescue. To top of it all, its FREE. And you shoud see them in action .

19) Economic Boom and Job Creation
Davao City is now booming economically, that people around nearby provinces are moving in to Davao City, some from Visayas and Luzon are joining the bandwagon. New buildings are sprouting. A very different world as how Davao used to be. Now its population has ballooned to around 2.0M , Metropolis Davao is not so small after all. Mayor Duterte should be tough to manage a City this size.

20). The Mayor has always led by example
Since the mayor is doing his job well, and the people under him will be ashame if they will not do the same. This is how he gets the love and respect that he had from the People of Davao. You wont find his name and pictures on city projects, ambulances, bridges, basketball courts,electric post and so on. He never grandstand. He is very approachable, humble and down to earth. If you have some issues and go to him, expect it will be solved right in no time. Expect some action.
Again, Davao City was one of the worst before and have risen from chaos and anarchy.

Currently, it is safest city in the country and 4th safest city in the world. I bet each and every Filipino wants the same. So, no matter how much the media portrays how bad the Mayor is, the results of his leadership style stands and speaks for itself.

If Peace and Order is advocated. Graft and Corruption curtailed.

Guarantee, Progress and Development comes next.

And now, another milestone for Davao City.

Davao City has the highest employment rate in the country.

Davao City also has the highest satisfaction rating nationwide for businessmen in terms of policy and advocacy.


source: https://www.facebook.com/AEMS.Institute