In a post on Facebook yesterday pictures of vehicles wading in knee-deep waters somewhere in MacArthur Highway in Matina were very vivid.
When was that when we heard a politician saying that if he/she were the one tasked to implement flood control projects he/she will show the people the kind of projects appropriate for the purpose? It looks like what happened yesterday in Matina contradicted the politician’s claim.
And to think that yesterday’s MacArthur highway flood was triggered only by a strong rain that lasted for several hours unlike the previous floods somewhere else in Luzon that were brought about by rains as consequence of strong typhoons.
It is a good thing that Davao City is not located in a typhoon-belt area. Otherwise the concerned politician will have his/her hands fall explaining why the flood prevention projects he/she might have implemented appear to be not working.
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Well, what else could Davaoenos feel after knowing that one of their own has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the controversial purchase of some CoViD 19 pandemic test kits worth a whooping P4 billion?
Of course sad because the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Davaoeno lawyer Lloyd Christopher Lao, former Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service head during the previous administration indicates that there are substantial evidence to bring him to trial.
Lao was arrested by law enforcers at Ecoland reportedly on his way to the court to post bail amounting to P90 thousand. Unfortunately for him the lawmen were possibly monitoring his movement and when their opportunity came they snatched the former DBM-PS notwithstanding his purpose of proceeding to the court to post bail.
But has lawyer Lao really violated the anti-graft law of the country? It is up to the courts really to determine. But what is certain is that initial probers of the case filed against Lao and some other people, the almost doubling of the cost of some items included in the bulk purchase is too glaring to ignore.
Another thing is that why did Lao ignore the fact that there is a purchasing unit at the rightful agency that may have better knowledge of the items to be procured including the pricing because the agency – Department of Health (DOH) — had made some earlier purchases prior to the transfer of the funds and responsibility to the PO-DBM.
It was then that it became clear to us why former Acting DBM Secretary Wendel Avisado quit his post. We also had another friend who quit his well-established and high-paying job in a private company to transfer to the PO-DBM suddenly resigned shortly after the bulk purchase was consummated.
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The Philippine National Police (PNP) vows to go after Quiboloy’s “protectors.”
How far can the police possibly go? There is no doubt that some of those suspected to have protected the controversial Pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) Church still pack a lot of wallop despite their present status as private persons.
Of course with the police’s tenacity to go after the Pastor for a total of 16 days without easing a little, chances are that the PNP will also be showing similar toughness in its desire to run after the Pastor’s protectors.
But in doing so the police knows it is already into a different ball game.
So we have to again quote the late Davaoeno Senator Landring Almendras’ iconic phrase, “Let us to see.” In Cebuano, “Tan-awon nato.”
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Davao City Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain told media in a recent interview that the performance of the City Councilors is “satisfactory.” But that is, as far as their attendance to the Council sessions is concerned.
And finally we got what we wanted the people of Davao City to know about – the number of ordinances passed and approved under the present Council and what are those they claim to be landmark.
According to the Vice Mayor a total of 159 ordinances were passed between January to June this year. Of the 159 some 17 local laws were considered by them as landmark.
Of the 17 however, we have yet to thoroughly discern which one could effectively address the worsening degradation of the city’s environment including an ordinance that will strictly regulate the utilization of hillsides for development into residential housing subdivisions and other purposes like high-end memorial parks.
Yes, there is one that can possibly enhance a little the financial resources of the city. We are referring to the amended speed limit ordinance. The city can collect fines from violators thereof.
All other “landmark” ordinances are “expense” legislations for the city.
