It’s a good thing the Davao City Council decided during its latest session to scuttle the revision of the city’s revenue code proposing for the acquisition of business permit for delivery riders. Instead the local lawmaking body is imposing an annual occupational permit fee of P125.00. This means the delivery riders will be spared of the P3,000 to P5,000 in business permit fee had not the revenue code amendment ben shelved.
We believe that the Council’s decision to not pursue its plan to have the delivery riders secure business permit could be the product of what Mayor Baste Duterte earlier said that the proposal was again subjected to serious review as to its legality. Think of this, delivering items purchased by customers from suppliers is simply like doing some errands for a fee – specifically some kind of a commission based on the value of the items or merchandise bought and sought to be delivered.
Of course it is a totally different story if the riders organized themselves and have their organization enter into contracts with the suppliers or sellers to deliver to the buying person/s the merchandise they procure.
With the Sanggunian’s decision not to pursue its desire to have the delivery drivers secure business permit it is clear that some legal minds may have given inputs to the councilors with regards to their ill- prepared amendment proposal.
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So Davao City is looking forward to having a budget of P14.3 billion for 2025? The amount is certainly gargantuan.
The question is, where will the bulk of the budget be spent? What major infrastructure projects are in the pipeline which may be implemented starting next year? Will there be more new flood prevention projects to be done starting 2025? Or, farm-to-market roads perhaps? There is no certainty as to the above infrastructures. But what is certain, as certain as the sun rising at the east, is the 10 percent of the budget to be allocated for the Mayor’s discretionary fund. And how much is that amount? Anyone interested to know can always refer to his or her calculator.
Then there is the now controversial confidential and intelligence funds coming from the national government, all at the disposal of the city mayor. The amount is not mandatory subject for liquidation unless official complaints are lodged relative to the matter.
We now doubt that the so-called “yellow pad payroll” be charged against these funds?
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Will the two impeachment cases now lodged in the Lower House be acted favorably by the said Chamber?
We personally are dead certain about it. What with most House members having self-interest driven loyalty to the current House leadership.
Yes, these Congressmen will definitely kowtow with the House leaders headed by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez because they are desiring to get every possible favor that the House Speaker can dispense for their own self-interest and secondarily for their constituents in the district they represent.
Besides, all that is needed for the Lower House to have VP Sara impeached is a measly 106 votes from the total members or one third of the people’s representatives. So, whether or not Malacanang has a say on the VP’s impeachment the House will surely get its way.
The next question however, is, Will the Senate whose now 23 members will be sitting as judges when the impeachment is transmitted to the Upper Chamber decide to convict the Vice President? If only to give our readers an idea what could happen when the impeachment is deliberated by the senators sitting as judges, let us look into the possible stand of some Senate member. And let us remember that in order to convict the VP on her impeachment case, sixteen or two thirds of the now 23 Senators will have to vote in favor of the House impeach rap.
Of course there will be question as to how many votes is two thirds of the remaining 23 senators. Had the 24 members remained the Senate needs sixteen to convict VP Sara. And if she gets 9 senators thumbing down her impeachment then she will remain as VP. With the 23 remaining how many votes in her favor will she need to escape conviction?
And who could possibly be Sara’s allies in the Senate? Our hunch is this. The triumvirate of Senators Ruben Padila, Bato dela Rosa, and Bong Go, will definitely be all out for the VP. Alan Peter Cayetano could also be hers, What with Cayetano’s closeness to the VP’s father. Then we believe that the Mother and Son tandem of Sens. Cynthia and Mark Villar will most likely be for VP Sara. Remember that the two are big-time real estate business persons and they have multi-billion investments in Davao City. They surely cannot afford to compromise their interests in the VP’s city. There, too, is Sen. Imee Marcos, who until these days, seem unable to distance herself from the Vice President despite her being the elder sister of the President whom VP Sara is at odds with.
Meanwhile, Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino was an endorsee of the former President and VP Sara’s father; so do with Sen. Jinggoy Estrada. And possibly former Senate President Migs Zubiri who appeared to suspect that President Marcos, Jr. was instrumental in his sudden ouster as Senate head and the assumption of now Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero. Zubiri may back Sara’s stay as VP.
The ten are possible pro-VP stay as the second highest official in the country. Perhaps many will be having the same hunch as we have that convicting VP Sara in her impeachment case is a remote possibility. And without doubt the members of the House of Representatives know that.
So, what then?
