The latest fire to occur in Davao City was the one that destroyed some 13 classrooms at the Bustamante National High School in Tibungco, Bunawan district the other day.
So, that was the 16th to hit Davao City since January 1 up to yesterday, January 16, 2024. That certainly is a record for the city.
We wonder how many more fires will happen in this Southern Mindanao metropolis up to the month of March, the period declared as the Fire Prevention Month in the country.
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It seems drivers and operators of public utility jeeps in Davao City are extremely silent on the issue of the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program. The Regional Office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is similarly silent as to whether or not the drivers and operators have already consolidated themselves into either as cooperatives or corporations.
While some of them may have joined or are joining protest rallies against the program no one of the organized drivers and operators’ groups have made any announcement as to the status of their consolidation even until now.
Will the LTFRB XI please come up with a statement on the status of the modernization program in Davao City?
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We join the Roman Catholic community in the whole of the Archdiocese of Davao for the death of Archbishop Fernando Capalla who was buried the other day. He was the amiable head of the archdiocese of Davao for several years until his retirement. The remaining years of his life were spent at a retirement house inside the compound of the St. Francis Major Seminary in Catalunan Grande.
The company that we used to work before had supported some of the Archdiocese’s charity projects through the Department that we used to head – the Corporate Social Responsibility department.
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Classes in all levels in public schools in Davao City were again suspended yesterday on orders of Mayor Sebastian Duterte. The reason was the bad weather condition all throughout Davao City that started early afternoon of Monday and was still prevailing up to the time of the writing of this column yesterday morning.
The mayor was possibly thinking of the possibility that students would be stranded should floods happen if the rains grow stronger and become continuous. And the predicament of those who will go out of their houses to go to school or work in their offices and worksites could also be exacerbated by the lack of public transportation when drivers use the bad weather as excuse for not plying their routes.
The decision to suspend classes and give employers – government or private establishments – the option to have a work-from-home arrangement is a welcome move.
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Some groups and individuals are reacting adversely to the so-called “People’s Initiatives” as a way to amend the 1987 Constitution.
Personally we believe that it is not the procedure that is being abhorred. There is no doubt that what those who are expressing resentment are against (?) is the way with which the signatures are solicited – dangling cash in exchange for the signatures.
We are, however, certain that many of those who are claiming they are not in favor of the “cash-for-signature” drive could be “grieving” for the possible loss of opportunity to gain easy money.
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