Here is one for the books.
According to reliable sources employees of the city government of Davao are strongly advised not to discuss with anyone, not even members of the family of city hall workers, how much they are going to receive as Christmas cash gift in addition to the 13th month pay.
According to our sources the instruction has to do with the City Mayor’s running as vice mayor this coming May 2025 polls. Perhaps this could be the reason. It is very likely that the amount of the Christmas bonus is definitely intended to benefit the candidacy of the city chief executive. But on the other hand bringing it out to the public’s knowledge could also create negative implication on the mayor’s 2025 run for vice mayor.
If the bonus amount is big, then linking the same to the mayor’s candidacy is definitely certain. That is, that the cash gift is kind of ensuring the city hall workers vote to its former and current tenants and it is hoped to draw other members of the families of the local government workers to support their benefactors, specifically the Mayor and the administration-aligned city councilors.
On the other hand, if the bonus amount is divulged earlier the possibility is that this could be used by the local opposition as an issue against the incumbent, perhaps even calling the grant as an obvious but veiled vote buying.
So, it is our take that the amount of the Christmas bonus the city government of Davao is about to release, if it hasn’t been released yet, has remained secret and known perhaps to only a few individuals including the members of the City Council that affirm the amount of the grant.
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Lawyer Karlo Nograles who is running for Davao City Mayor against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte is justifying his candidacy by saying that he is offering himself as the other choice for the Davaoenos. He also said that his run is intended to give Davao City residents the kind of change in governance they so rightly deserve.
Without doubt the Duterte camp can easily refute the change offer by the youthful Nograles lawyer. His political nemesis can immediately disparage Nograles by saying what more is there that needs to be changed in the city.
The local government administration can readily claim that Davao City is beneficiary to a number of big-ticket and certainly useful infrastructure projects like the multi-billion peso coastal road complete with bridges, the Bunawan-Sirawan by-pass road with over 2-kilometers of tunnel component, and hopefully, the Davao City-Island Garden City of Samal Bridge project now on its early construction stage.
Then the city administration can always proudly harp on the tag as the most peaceful and almost crime-free city resulting to Davao’s getting the distinction as the “Most Livable City” in the whole of Asia.
In all these distinctions attained by the city government, many among Davaoenos will certainly fail to see which one is worth the effort of lawyer Karlo to institute the much needed change. Even the young Nograles lawyer may not be aware which one requires change if it is for the betterment of the city on the whole.
We can only wish candidate Karlo to recognize this early which of the existing feats of the city needs to be instituted immediate change.
We are certain that if his advisers and political mentors can help him decipher the change needing ways of local governance that has been in place for the last three decades, then his team can already include in his campaign strategy the “hows, whats and the why’s” in making the change.
Actually, this proudly acknowledged accomplishment of the local government of Davao City has been prevailing for so long. But its existence is more felt than seen even as its perception satisfies many Davao City leaders’ egos.
Without doubt Karlo may be able to make good his mantra of providing Davaonos alternative leaders and means of governance.
And he may have the best opportunity to bring Davao City to a possible era of total development.
But as it is, change is still needed. And like a miracle that is actually with us all the time except that we are unable to perceive it, what needs to be changed in Davao City is also with us for some time. It would now be Karlo’s ability to see the areas needing change and do what is necessary to bring about the appropriate alternative.
