Congrats and condolence

Our planned farewell luncheon today to honor the Malaysian Consul-General here would not push through.

The senior member of the consular association in southern Mindanao, Japanese Consul-General Hiroshi Mitsuya, had to suddenly fly home to attend the burial of his father who passed away January 10.

Malaysian Consul-General Nik Mustafa Kamal was recently promoted to the rank of Ambassador and would report to his new post in Africa. He was among those seated at the front row yesterday at the lecture of Prof. Jose Ramos-Horta, president of Timor Leste and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1996, at the Ateneo de Davao University.

Consul, errr, Ambassador Nik Mustafa Kamal served here well during his short stint pushing to strengthen the bilateral ties between Malaysia and the Philippines. Among his tough tasks was coordinating the Malaysian contribution to the International Monitoring Team overseeing the Mindanao peace process.

The consular association here also includes the Consul-General of Indonesia and Honorary Consuls of the Czech Republic, Spain, Palau, and Papua New Guinea.

Congratulations and adieu to Ambassador Nik Mustafa Kamal and condolence to Consul-General Mitsuya.

Mock not medal

In spite of her loyalty and congratulatory letter to George Bush, the Malacanang occupant was not among those given medals as “true friends” by the outgoing US president.

She was among the first to enlist in the “coalition of the willing” in Mr. Bush’s war on terror and a staunch lapdog of US foreign policies. Unfortunately, she’s not in the league of the likes of Tony Blair, John Howard and Alvaro Uribe.

Possible explanations – the US sees RP as a colony and not a friend, or, like most Filipinos, the US sees Gloria as a total failure who deserves mock than medal!

Crime

I lost count how many times her administration declared war on drug abuse. Yet, everytime, the drug menace wins the battles.

Now, she has crowned herself as the “new anti-drug czar.” To what? Lead another losing war or take a piece of the action in the multi-billion drug trade, which includes huge pay-offs to authorities?

Expect Gloria’s initiative to go pppffttt!

Here is a news report that crime is gripping Davao City.

It has no source apart from police data and placed the population of the city as “more than half a million.” A clear factual error that escaped the Tribune editors.

This story was clearly manufactured in Manila as a demolition job on Mayor Rody Duterte.

Rebates for bad service

Kudos to Speaker Boy Nogie for proposing measures to protect and compensate consumers from erring public utility providers.

Read his proposal here and here is what they do in Australia.

I hope Nogie is serious on this idea. He has in the past floated many bright ideas but it appears they were only for pogi points.

Sports Council Meeting

The Davao City Sports Council, Inc. will hold its first meeting for the New Year on January 13 at 6 pm at Dencia’s Restaurant.

The Agenda includes:

Highlights of 2008

1st Quarter Activities such as the Araw ng Dabaw Sportsfest; 1st Vic Sai Sports Journalism Awards;and election of the new officers in April;

Other matters are the Arafura Games in Darwin on May 9-17; Repair of the Athletic Field at the Davao City National High School and Funds for sports actvities under the ADF.

Finally, Cebu Pacific cuts surcharges

In town today in Davao are the officers of the National Halal Accreditation Board of the Philippines, Inc. They are holding a team building seminar courtesy of the Department of Trade & Industry at the Waterfront Insular Hotel starting today up to Friday.

Also in town is Consul John Rivas from Northern Territory, Australia. Darwin, capital of NT, is hosting the Arafura Games this coming May 9-17. He is set to meet officials of the Philippine Sports Commission and the city government.

Welcome to all our guests.

Thanks to ICT Davao, Inc. for a post-New Year gig last night at Riverview in Maa.

And finally, Cebu Pacific has heeded our call to remove or reduce its fuel surcharges. We have been calling for this move since oil prices started to plummet a few months back.

1st City Council Session for 2009

Here are the items up for today’s first regular session of the City Council for this year:

Invocation – Councilor Diosdado Angelo A. Mahipus (2nd Distrct);

National Anthem; City March

Roll Call

Reading of the minutes of the December 15 and December 16 sessions;

Privilege Hour

First Reading – 8 items

Third & Final Reading – 2 Items

Second Reading (Deferred Items) – 6 Items, e.g. Item No. 1019 – Proposed take over by the City Government of the Tibungco District Hospital; Item No. 1511 PALC of Alsons for Norfolk Place located at Eden, Toril District containing an area of 9 hectares; Item No. 1596 PALC of Alsons for Northcrest Expansion located at Cabantian, Buhangin District containing an area of 40 hectares;

Second Reading (New Items) – 10 Items, e.g. Item No. 1298 Letter of Mini-Forest Homeowners and Neighborshood Association re award of parcel of land situated at Isla Verde; Item Nos. 1138, 1178, 1201, 1263 applications for accreditation as people’s organizations and cooperatives

Reversal of roles

The holocaust was a most horrible attempt to exterminate the Jews in Europe during World War II. Adolf Hitler’s “final solution” against the Jews was despicable and condemnable.

Many of those who survived this genocide settled and built what is Israel today.

Many lessons should have been learned from this malady to prevent its recurrence. Unfortunately, history is repeating itself. But there is now a reversal of roles.

The Israelis are now the Nazis exterminating the Palestinians.

The Gazans are today’s Davids fighting the Jewish Goliaths.

This Israeli apartheid is horrible, despicable and most condemnable.

Political dynasties

In his column today at the Manila Times, Marlen Ronquillo wrote about political dynasties. He asks “are they good or bad?”

He did not really answer his own question. Instead, he cited the proliferation of political clans from his native Pampanga spawning 2nd and 3rd generations of politicians and others spreading to many parts of the country.

Davao is likewise ruled by political clans. In fact, more than 80 percent of incumbent elected officials have relatives who were similarly elected in the past or have been in high positions. Here’s my initial list:

Mayor Rody Duterte/ Vice Mayor Sara Duterte/ Councilor Paolo Duterte – father/grandfather Vicente Duterte was Governor of undivided Davao and Secretary of General Services; brother/ uncle Benjamin Duterte was one-term City Councilor;

Speaker and 1st District Rep Boy Nograles – uncle Antonio Castillo was long-time City Councilor; uncle Pedro Castillo was 1971 Concon Delegate; brother Gerry Nograles served as one-term City Councilor

2nd District Rep Vince Garcia – father Manuel “Nonoy” Garcia was Batasan Pambansa Member and Congressman; grandfather was former Mayor Leon Garcia; a number of cousins are members of the City Council – Garcia-Monteverde-Bangoy-Reta clan

3rd District Rep Sid Ungab – father was Deputy Mayor; related also to Partylist Rep and former City Councilor Luz Calolot Ilagan;

Councilors:

Nilo Abellera – father was former City Councilor; brother was former OIC Vice Mayor;

Mabel Sunga Acosta –

Vic Advincula –

Wilberto Al-ag – brother and wife are Barangay Captains;

Dante Apostol, Sr. – father was appointed City Councilor; brother is Barangay Captain;

Leo Avila III –

Conrado Baluran – son is Barangay Councilor;

Samuel Bangoy – grandfather was former Governor; uncles and brother were members of the City Council; related with Garcia-Monteverde-Bangoy-Reta clan

Karlo Bello – grandfather was former City Mayor and Congressman; father served in many Cabinet posts;

Louie John Bonguyan – father was former City Councilor and Vice Mayor; uncle is Barangay Councilor

Pilar Braga – father was former Governor;

Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling – father is Barangay Captain; uncle former City Councilor;

Danilo Dayanghirang – relatives served in various posts in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley;

Edgar Ibuyan – son is Barangay Captain;

Peter Lavina –

Diosdado Mahipus, Sr. – brother-in-law was City Councilor;

Tess Mata-Maranon – mother was former City Councilor;

Bonifacio Militar – son is a Barangay Councilor;

Tomas Monteverde – father was long-time City Councilor; related with Garcia-Monteverde-Bangoy-Reta clan;

Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz – father and brother were City Councilors;

Susabel Reta – husband was City Councilor; brother-in-law is Barangay Captain; related with Garcia-Monteverde-Bangoy-Reta Clan;

Halila Sudagar –

Angela Librado-Trinidad – father and mother were both City Councilors;

Louie Villafuerte – father was City Councilor;

Rachel Zozobrado – father was City Councilor

The absence of genuine political parties in the country gave rise to these political dynasties. These clans played the crucial role in organizing the citizens, particularly their own relatives, provincemates and friends into potent political machineries. They have also invested resources in maintaining such political organizations in between elections. It is therefore not surprising if the same machineries would carry one of their own in the succeeding political contests.

So, are they good or bad? Your guess is as good as mine.

But judging from the sheer numbers, political dynasties must be acceptable to the electorates.

Cabinet men seeking Congress posts

Our New Year’s Day post is in the news today.

I would be back to my usual round of meetings starting today. At 2  pm at the Davao City Sports Council, Inc. to take up among others the 1st Vic Sai Sports Journalism Awards, and at 6 pm at the Dabaw Kaisa Foundation which is spearheading the Chinese New Year celebration in the city.

During the holiday break, I learned that a number of cabinet secretaries are planning to run for congressional seats in 2010. Is this a definite sign the Palace occupant is finally giving up hope for any extension?

Hhhhmmmm.,,

Among those reportedly seeking Congress posts are Press Secretary Jess Dureza and Cabinet Secretary Bebot Bello III in the 1st District and 3rd District of Davao City, respectively; Aggie Secretary Arthur Yap in Bohol, and PMS Head Cerge Remonde in the South Cebu District.

City Council Output

Here are some interesting stats on the performance of the City Council in 2008 (January to November). The four session of December were not yet included:

Total Number of Sessions – 47

Total Number of Public Hearings – 292

Total Number of Ordinances – 103

Total Number of Resolutions – 983

Total Number of Ordinances Published in Local Papers – 10

Total Number of Ordinances Posted in Public Places – 98

Total Number of Ordinances Translated into Local Dialect – 90

Total Number of Resolutions Translated into Local Dialect – 525

Resolution & Ordinance Tracking System (1956 – Present) – 63,686 Records – Encoded 89%; Proofread 73%

Countdown

Day 1 of the New Year and I guess I need to start the countdown to the end of my 3rd term in the City Council.

2009 would be my last full year in the City Council. My 9-year, 3-term stint at the local legsilative body ends on June 30, 2010.

There are still plenty of work to do and this year would indeed be a busy one. After taking it slow the past year to help me recover from my stomach ailment, I must now take extra effort to work harder and try to complete my legislative agenda.

January 6 is the resumption of the City Council session and I have already lined up three measures, namely, the extension up to January 31 the period for the renewal of business licenses, which is set by law during the first 20 days of the month; preparations for the Chinese New Year and inauguration of the second arch at Chinatown; and release of the balance of the city government Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) as a result of the Supreme Court decision declaring the conversion of 16 towns into new cities last year as illegal.

On the last issue, the city is supposed to receive P2.055 billion in IRA shares last year. But because of the creation of new cities, this was reduced to P1.861 billion. Instead of an increase of P263 million from the previous year, the city got only an additional P69 million, thereby losing about P194 million.

With the High Court ruling, the city rightfully deserves to receive the full share of the IRA. We need this money to help pump prime the local economy and provide more social services as we face the effects of the global recession in our city.

Thank you to the Christmas cheers from Franklyn Ong of Pasajero Motors, Johnny Martinez of Mantex and DCWD.