GUSTO NG MGA NEGOSYANTE ANG KAMAY NA BAKAL

by: Raymond Burgos | Abante Online News

Nagpahayag kamakailan ng pagkabahala ang mga nego­syante at mangangalakal sa Minda­nao na makakaepekto sa itatayong Bangsamoro entity ang naganap na pagmasaker sa 44 na commando ng Special Action Force sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao.


Nangangamba ang mga negosyante na dahil sa mabuway na peace and order sa dating Auto­nomous Region in Muslim Minda­nao ay malamang na magsiatrasan na ang mga nagpaplanong mamuhunan at magtayo ng negosyo sa nasabing rehiyon.


Kasabay ng pangamba at pagka­bahala ng mga negosyante sa Mindanao ang pagkadismaya sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino dahil sa kawalan nito ng direksyon at matigas na desisyon laban sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front at Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters na siyang mga nasa likod ng pananambang sa mga miyembro ng SAF noong Enero 25.


Kaya nga ikinatuwa ng mga taga-Mindanao ang pagsulpot ni Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte bilang posibleng kandidato sa pagka-pangulo sa 2016 at hindi nakakapagtakang suporta­do ng mga negosyante ang kanyang kandidatura.


Matagal na naging alkalde ng Davao City si Duterte at sa ilalim ng kanyang pamamahala ay nakamit ng syudad ang kaunlaran sa ekonomiya dala na rin ng kanyang istilo ng pamumuno na “kamay na bakal”.

Hindi naman maikakaila na peace and order ang unang inatupag ni Duterte kung kaya nalinis agad ang Davao City sa mga masasamang elemento gaya ng mga drug pusher, kidnapper at mga magnanakaw na siyang naging dahilan kung bakit naideklara ang syudad ni Duterte bilang “most livable,” “ most peaceful” at “most child-friendly city”.


Wala ring anomalya sa Davao City Hall sa ilalim ng admi­nistrasyon ni Duterte at mga negosyante na mismo ang magpa­patotoo na ang mayor’s permit ay nakukuha ng mga nego­syante sa loob ng 72 oras at walang lagay o padulas na ibinibigay sa mga opisyal ng city hall.


Si Duterte rin ang nagpatupad ng total ban sa mga paputok lalo na pagsasapit ang Pasko at Bagong Taon at lahat ay sumunod dito dahil batid nilang para ito sa kaligtasan ng mga bata at mga residente ng Davao City.


Mahigpit ding ipinapatupad ng Davao City ang speed li­mit na hanggang 60kph lang at ang liquor ban partikular sa mga menor de edad. May curfew din ang mga night spots at night club sa syudad ni Duterte at ito ay hanggang alas-dos lang ng madaling-araw para maiwasan ang sobrang kalasingan na nauuwi sa mga away at basag-ulo.


Maaaring totoong hindi pa desidido si Duterte sa pag­takbo sa 2016 bilang pangulo ng bansa. Ngunit sa natatanggap niyang suporta sa kanyang paglilibot, at dahil na rin sa mga problema ng bansa na kailangan ang isang matapang at may paninindigang mamumuno, malapit-lapit nang bumigay ang alkalde ng Davao City.


Hinahanap ng marami nating kababayan ang “kamay na bakal” na ang ibig sabihin ay pagkakaroon ng matigas na posisyon ng Pangulo sa MILF at ang kagyat na pagtugis sa mga BIFF na hindi kabahagi sa usapang pangkapayapaan.


Kailangan ng bayan ngayon ang “kamay na bakal”. Kaila­ngan ng Pilipinas ang kagaya ni Mayor Duterte na may kamay na bakal sa mga kriminal at malambot na puso sa mga mahi­hirap at biktima ng mga sakuna at pang-aapi.


Hindi sapat ang “tuwid na daan” ng administrasyong Aquino na salat sa pagkakaroon ng matibay na paninindigan at pagiging mapagpasya sa panahon ng krisis gaya ng insidente sa Mamasapano.


source: Abante.com.ph

Davao and Cagayan de Oro mixed on competitiveness rankings result

DAVAO CITY, Philippines 
— Mindanao’s two most highly urbanized cities, Davao and Cagayan de Oro, are listed among the top ten most competitive cities in the country in data released Thursday by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), but the news was received differently by the respective local governments and business sectors.
For Davao, its fourth-place ranking was no reason to celebrate because the city government believes it should be at a higher position.

"Davao is underrated at No. 4. I still believe Davao should be up there in the top 2," said Ivan C. Cortez, Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief.

Mr. Cortez also criticized NCC’s data collection process, which placed Davao at number 81 in the first survey last year.

This year’s list is based on NCC’s second survey covering 136 cities using 28 indicators.

Mr. Cortez said the city was ranked low last year because of a "miscommunication" among the agencies that handled data submission and the NCC.

"Despite this, the evaluation committee did not validate the lack of information they had and just placed a score of zero in most categories so Davao ended up at the lowest rank," he said.

For Davao’s private sector, meanwhile, the ranking is not an entirely accurate reflection of the city’s competitiveness as an investment area.

"We have to strive to be number one in government efficiency because that’s the true measure of governance. If you have good governance, then you become very competitive," said Vicente T. Lao, chair of the Mindanao Business Council.

Mr. Lao noted that the city’s rank was driven by indicators under the infrastructure category, where Davao was number one, and this could largely be attributed to private sector investments.

Davao City was number one in terms of infrastructure with a score of 16.29, besting Cagayan de Oro, Marikina City, Makati, and Cebu at second to fifth.

In government efficiency, the city ranked thirteenth.

"Government has very little control over infrastructure while government efficiency is totally controlled by the local government unit," Mr. Lao said.

The NCC’s infrastructure category includes ten indicators: road network, distance between city/municipality center to major ports, tourism-accredited acccommodations, health infrastructure, education infrastructure, basic utilities, annual investments in infrastructure, information and communication technology connection, number of automatic teller machines and number of public transportation vehicles.

Aside from infrastructure and government efficiency, the NCC uses economic dynamism as another category.

On the other hand, Alex V. Buenaventura, president of One Network Bank, a rural bank with 92 of its 102 branches in Mindanao, applauded Davao’s ranking: "To be Top 4 is great for Davao in terms of inviting both local and foreign investors, attracting more tourists and attracting more migrants to reside in Davao resulting to economic growth rate higher than the nationwide GDP (gross domestic product)."

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
Meanwhile, in Cagayan de Oro, which dropped to second from first last year, both the local government and the business sector welcomed the city’s sustained position within the top 10.

Centrio Mall (Ayala Malls CDeO) photo courtesy of  Agoda.com

"We are elated by this report and the recognition is an affirmation of the kagay-anon’s (referring to locals) firm and conscious resolve to make this city not just a city but a great city," said Jerome R. Soldevilla, CdO Chamber of Industry president and spokesperson of STEAG State Power Inc. (SPI).

For the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc., former president and now trustee Rodolfo L. Meñes, said, "All sectors have worked hard to fulfill its (Cagayan de Oro’s) potential due to its strategic location as a hub."

Cagayan de Oro is the regional center of Northern Mindanao.

Local Economic and Investment Promotions Officer Eileen Canoy Escobar-San Juan said while the city suffered from the impact of a bombing incident at a popular commercial center in July last year, recovery is evident in terms of real estate investments and the influx of tourists.

"It (the bombing) was very felt by the tourism industry... Conferences and events were cancelled. But now tourism is picking up again. We are actually hoping for a major convention facility that can really house events. This would drive visits to the city," Ms. San Juan said.

The local government is also developing a "cultural village" in the southern part of the city along with new tour packages for the region to attract visitors in Northern Mindanao, with Cagayan de Oro as the jump-off point.

The government is also institutionalizing a one-stop shop for business registration to hasten the issuance of permits.

Major investments in real estate development are also being poured in, according to Ms. San Juan, particularly for condominium projects.

"People start coming in, bringing their families," she said.

In anticipation of population growth due to urban migration, Ms. San Juan said the city administration is prioritizing health and education facilities. "There will have to be basic services that can accommodate them," she said.

Five cities in Metro Manila were in the top 10 with Makati as first. Naga City in Bicol Region was the only one in Luzon outside the National Capital Region to be included at 3rd. Iloilo and Cebu in the Visayas were sixth and seventh, respectively. -- Marifi Jara, Carmencita A. Carillo and Louise G. Dumas

source: BusinessWorldonline