MAYOR Sebastian Duterte delivered the city’s accomplishments in his second State of the City Address (SOCA) on Tuesday, August 6.
Compared to his first SOCA last year where he delivered his SOCA inside the Sanguniang Panglungsod building session hall, Duterte addressed the residents in Rizal Park, San Pedro Square.
He explained his change of venue is for him to be close to his constituents.
Digitalization
Duterte shared that the Anti-Red Tape Authority has recognized the city for implementing the electronic Business One Stop Shop (e-BOSS) system, which eases the process of business permit applications.
Duterte said this has been instrumental in the city’s thriving business environment encouraging people to do business here.
He reported that 50,969 establishments have applied for and renewed their business permits from July 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024, a significant increase of 1,469 applications from the same period last year.
Apart from streamlining business, building permit applications were also brought online through the Online Building-Related Permit System (OBPS), which increased the Annual Inspection Fee collection to P17,090,425.50 in 2023.
Launched in January, Supreme Court and Professional Regulation Commission licensed professionals can now secure their Professional Tax Receipts (PTRs) online rather than doing over-the-counter payments.
On transparency, he announced the launch of the new document-tracking system for procurement-related transactions to ensure faster turnaround times for these activities within the city government.
He also lauded the 20th Davao City Council for modernizing their legislative process through the less-paper session system where all city council session agendas, committee reports, and other correspondences are easily accessible online through the Legislative Information Support System Project (LISSP).
Peace and order
Duterte lauded the relentless efforts in anti-terrorism and counter-insurgency of the previous administration under his sister, then mayor now Vice President, Sara Duterte as the city celebrated the 2nd Anniversary of insurgency-free status last March.
He reported that 14 former rebels completed their elementary and junior high education through the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education.
“This initiative empowers them to restart their lives, contributing to sustained peace within our communities,” he said.
From July 2023 to May 2024, Task Force Davao apprehended 113 illegal drug couriers, with an estimated combined street value of P16,978,059. Also from July 2023 up to the present, TF Davao recorded no terror-related incidents.
“This is why Davao City has been successful ever since nagkasinabtanay tang tanan nga motuman tag balaod, importante kaayo ang disiplina ug sense of responsibility,” he added.
The mayor lauded the DCPO as the city also ranked 1st among all the city and provincial offices of the Police Regional Office XI in the Unit Performance Evaluation Rating in CY 2023.
Tourism Development
Duterte said the city has been recuperating with its tourism industry since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The city logged 1,296,928 tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to 897,406 in 2022.
“The Davao City Tourism Operations Office continues to support our local tourism industry for our tourism-related establishments,” he said.
About 2,140 primary and secondary tourism establishments and service providers secured their certifications and licenses in 2023, a 7.81% increase from 1,985 in 2022.
Duterte also shared the successful launching of Duaw Davao, the newest addition to the lineup of the city’s annual activities. He vowed to have a bigger Duaw Davao next year.
From June 2023 to May 2024, the city hosted 4,105 Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) events, nearly doubling the 2,156 events from the previous year.
Economic development
As of July 2024, over P1.08 billion in investments from three major companies spanning manufacturing, agri-business, and technology have been approved, and an additional P3 billion in investment pledges for sectors including health, BPO, tourism, social enterprise, manufacturing, and agri-business.
Duterte also reported that the city has currently 14 local and five international sister cities.
According to PSA 2021-2022 data, the city has contributed the biggest share to the Davao region’s Gross Domestic Product with 51.8%.
It has also accounted for the largest share of the national GDP among highly urbanized cities outside NCR in 2022.
Employment
Duterte said the DOLE and PESO Davao City awarded a P1-million grant to the Ata Women’s Association in Pandaitan, Paquibato District for their livelihood project, which includes a Bread and Pastry Products skills-training program for 25 IP women beneficiaries.
From July 2023 to May 2024, 1000 beneficiaries from various sectors received livelihood assistance, starter kits, and skills training.
In the same period, PESO Davao City also conducted 30 job fairs with 39,731 vacancies.
Poverty Alleviation
Duterte reported that 1000 beneficiaries from different sectors have received livelihood assistance city through its Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurship Program.
The Cooperative Financial Assistance Program has released a total of P12.5 million to 41 coops in the city.
Magnegosyo ta Day-Conduit Cooperative also continues to provide start-up capital assistance of P10,000-P20,000 for livelihood projects.
A total of 138 distressed OFWs and left-behind family members received psychosocial assistance from CSWDO.
Duterte emphasized the importance of bringing the government closer to the people through initiatives like the Caravan of Government Services and Barangayan Serbisyo Publiko.
“Mao nang ginatuyo nako, thats why you dont see me in the office often kay mas ganahan nako mosuroy sa barangay ninyo,” he said.
From July 2023 to June 2024, 124 Barangay Caravans and 14 Barangayan Serbisyo Publiko were conducted, serving 24,166 clients and addressing 1,526 helpdesk concerns.
Agriculture, Agribusiness, Food Security
Duterte reported there are 500 rainwater catchment systems in the Calinan, Paquibato, and Marilog Districts to cater to the farmer’s irrigation needs, which can also double as fingerlings storage.
The Davao Food Terminal Complex has cold storage and dry storage to address post-harvest losses.
Seeds, fertilizers, and other agricultural essentials provided totaled 15,757 bags to 1,322 corn farmers covering 800 hectares.
Last May, an aqua park in Sitio Paraiso, Tapak, Paquibato District was established to address fisheries in the indigenous community.
Some of the facilities inaugurated include the P7-million storage facility for seeds and fertilizers in Malagos and the P3.5-million Bio N Laboratory mixing plant that produces fertilizers.
He highlighted agricultural achievements, including the increase in Durian exports in 2023, reaching around 8,998 metric tons shipped to China.
The city also remained a key player in cacao production, contributing 41% of the region’s total output and exporting over 3,000 metric tons of cacao products in 2023.
Health
Duterte highlighted the CHO’s Population Division in promoting responsible parenthood and family planning.
The city offers free ligation, IUD, and implants, with 169,423 Dabawenyos having already availed of these services.
The mayor also stressed the role of male participation in family planning. Since July last year, the free No-Scalpel Vasectomy program has been accepted by 127 individuals.
From July 2023 to May 2024, the Lingap Program has granted assistance to 198, 804 clients.
The city has also opened 11 Botikas ng Bayan has served more than 1.3 million clients, from its opening in 2018 until the present.
Infrastructure development
The Davao City Housing Office was also established as a stand-alone department to address housing backlogs in the city and for people living in hazard-prone areas.
The city currently has 19 City-owned Relocation Sites, 62 settlement sites under the Urban Land Reform Program (ULRP), and six settlement sites under the Slum Improvement and Resettlement (SIR) Program.
Additionally, 2 new proposed relocation sites are in the process of land documentation.
To meet housing demands, the city is now focusing on vertical housing solutions to maximize land use and support more beneficiaries.
From July 2023 to April 2024, the city completed 441 infrastructure projects including 169 buildings, 168 road networks, 88 drainage systems, 13 water systems, and three electrification projects.
The city has now 26 public parks with the Dona Vicenta as a new addition, which opened in August 2023.
“We intend to put up more parks because it improves the well-being of the people, and helps the city more livable,” he said.
Duterte said the Bypass project and Davao City Coastal road construction continue.
Sustainable Environment
The mayor emphasized the importance of the responsibility of Dabawenyos in solid waste management, tree preservation, and animal protection.
From July 2023 to April 2024, the Bantay Dagat and other volunteers have collected 22,161 sacks of waste.
Meanwhile, he stressed the city has no room for mining activities, though he did not elaborate on the matter.
Duterte appealed to the national government’s help again to support the city’s plan to establish a Waste to Energy Plant.
“Unta ma [trabaho] na na kay mahurot atong lugar mag-sige tag himo og landfill,” he said.
He also questioned the “idealistic” argument that there should be zero waste since there is always a by-product, and the goal is to minimize that through technology.
Meanwhile, the master plan for the wastewater management system of the city is still ongoing.
Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation
Duterte highlighted a major achievement of the Davao City Central 911, as the latter has been inducted into the Gawad KALASAG Hall of Fame for Best Government Emergency Management and Response Team, by the NDRRMC.
Additional equipment for early warning systems, including 4 sirens, river cameras, and coastal cameras have been procured to aid monitoring and disaster preparedness.
Meanwhile, two evacuation centers in Lois Amigos are ready for use, while in Mahayag, Bunawan, and Catigan are scheduled for completion.
The city continues to implement the City Ordinance No. 0246-23, series of 2023, or the Preemptive and Emergency Evacuation Ordinance, to prevent loss of lives during calamities.
Transportation and Traffic Management
Duterte emphasized the city needs to modernize mass transport due to its growing population, however, political tension tends to influence the decision of the national administration for the projects in the city.
Given the context, he said the city will have to wait for the national administration’s next moves as the city cannot afford to fund the project.
In the meantime, eight Peak Hours Augmentation Bus Systems (PHABS) buses continue to address demand for public utility vehicles during rush hour.
Education
Duterte highlighted the city’s Educational Benefits System Unit (EBSU) in supporting students’ education.
For the 2nd semester of SY 2023-2024, 2,368 students benefited from scholarships, while for the school year 2024-2025, there are 368 new STEP scholars.
He noted that the EBSU’s programs were able to produce 3 Summa Cum Laude, 17 Magna Cum Laude, and 16 Cum Laude, along with 16 new Physicians and 8 new lawyers from the Medical and Law Education Assistance Programs.
He also stressed the city’s commitment to free education with the City College of Davao welcoming 320 new freshmen, bringing the total of 640 students.
In 2023, 40 infrastructure projects were allocated for enhancing schools, including new classrooms and renovations, nine of which are already complete, while eight are currently under construction.
For fiscal year 2024, the Special Education Fund was approved with an appropriated amount of P851,402,529.43.
Dabawenyo Disiplinado
Duterte concluded his SOCA by highlighting the Dabawenyo DCplinado campaign launched in March to foster a “Culture of Discipline” among the citizens.
“Ang success sa landmark legislations such as the Smoking Ban, Liquor Ban, and Speed Limit Ordinance, reflects the discipline of Dabawenyos,” he said.
He lauded the passage of the ordinance implementing the Dabawenyo Dciplinado Program and integrating it into the Deped Davao curriculum.
He called on the residents to continue reporting issues and suggestions to Davao City Reports to be addressed promptly by the appropriate agencies.
Over the past year, Davao City Reports successfully addressed 4,235 concerns raised by residents.
“Samtang naa ko diri molaban ko unsay tama, sakto para sa kadaghanan. Bisan unsa pa man kadako sa atong gina-atubang kahibawo ko nga di ko nila makaya kay ang Dabawenyo naa sa akong likod,” he said.
Photo: Bing Gonzales
