JUST HOW exactly do Davaoeños feel about the governance of the city now in place for about four decades by the Dutertes?
If we have to gauge people’s perception by the massive outpouring of warm bodies during the recent solidarity and supposedly prayer rallies held to manifest sympathy to the jailed former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, we can safely say that a huge majority of Davaoenos believe the Duterte governance is possibly close to perfect.
But again, the estimated 150 thousand people who came to attend the solidarity rally cum birthday celebration of the former President is far from being even at 50 percent of the city’s voting population. In other words, there are still a good number who are not in accord with the way the city is run, but they just prefer to be silent.
Now that the local election is fast approaching, will the silent Davaoeño opposition to the Duterte governance be brave enough to have their resentment felt? Is Mayoralty candidate Karlo Nograles able to correctly pinpoint the weak components of the Duterte rule?
Based on the platforms of Karlo’s candidacy as written in his campaign leaflets, it is clear that the main opponent of the former President, who is running for Davao City Mayor again, sees three areas of local governance under the Dutertes that need to be further enhanced.
With City Hall as Karlo’s main focus, we assume that he finds the ills of the long Duterte rule etched in the various services emanating from City Hall. Thus, he offers the following as his main platforms:
- a City Hall you can see;
- a City Hall that can be heard by Davaoenos – and hears them, too; and
- a City Hall that every Davaoeno can feel.
Just how candidate Karlo proposes to bring about a City Hall “you can see?”
Well, per his platform No. 1, he intends to bring City Hall and the government services closer to the people so they can avail of the services they need without going to the city’s downtown area where they will be forced to spend more for food and transportation.
He also intends to institutionalize the Quick Response Teams of the city to address urgent infrastructure and other services in real time.
Another is that he wants to institutionalize law enforcement visibility to discourage those who threaten the peace and tranquility of the city. Another is by illuminating further the city’s many roads since more lights mean less crime.
Lastly, Karlo has this commitment: free uniforms and school kits for students in public schools. And what about “A City Hall Davaoenos can hear – and hears them too?”
Well, the young Nograles committed to “improve network coverage and establish free wifi and hopes to eliminate “dead zones” in cooperation with the telecommunications firms operating in Davao City. His administration, should he win, will set up a City Hall social media action updates. Another commitment is to further improve the city’s Calamity Prevention and Response system. And hoping to have a City Hall that is easily reachable by the common man, Karlo plans to set up a communication COMPLAINTS LINE, “Isumbong Mo Kay Karlo for immediate response to urgent concerns, especially when the problems have to do with public utility services.
On his third alternative platform of “A City Hall that every Davaoeño can feel,” the youthful opposition to FPRRD looks forward to having under his administration a Safer Davao City with a comprehensive peace and order program that will engage largely the communities.
Hel also looks forward to a highly digitalized City Hall to hasten city government transactions. He also plans to set up a much improved health care system for all and make medicines accessible to all those who need it.
Another commitment that Karlo intends to fully address is the recurring flood problem in the city. He also looks forward to putting up traffic mitigation measures.
We are certain, though, that the Duterte supporters will strongly disagree with these perceived services still needing major improvements. After all, these services or areas of governance, the present local administration can claim are all well in place. So they could totally debunk Karlo. They can even ask the young Nograles what more can he propose to enhance when all of these are in place and effectively functioning.
Of course, we will know if the majority of Davaoeños agree with Karlo or with the Dutertes as to these areas of governance still need enhancing if the result of the May 12 elections will back either the challenger and the challenged.
“Let us to see.”
