News report: The relieved police station commanders in Davao City could possibly be reinstated to their previous posts.
Well and good. Should it happen the likelihood is that the strong suspicion that their relief was a consequence of the present political dynamics between the previous President and incumbent administration would be slowly erased, if at all.
To most Davaoenos however, the negative impact of the relief has already sunk deeply in their minds. Therefore even a reinstatement of all the relieved station commanders will be done, already the hurt could already be beyond healing. What with the continuing mudslinging in the social media by the supporters of both main personalities in the political war.
Unless and until the main protagonists in the ongoing squabble will decide once and for all to settle their differences in a professional and sober manner – that is come to the table, lay their cards and set aside their emotion while arguing for their causes, the flame of the enmity will keep on burning to an even hotter degree.
Everyone knows the incumbent President and his immediate predecessor were former the best of friends before they parted ways on issues still unclear to most people. If they would give the country and the Filipinos a chance to progress as they both committed when they assumed office, maybe the best option is for the two of them to be friends again.
We can be certain that moves like frequent relief from command of police officials, replacing security personnel, non-release of intelligence fund from the national government for the mayor’s use, and the likes will not be suspected of ill motives.
If we have to present a concrete example of what trustingly opening up with each other in dialogues can do to ease up perceived tension, the recent courtesy call by Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Director Col. Hansel Marantan on City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is one.
Without doubt their dialogue have produced positive results, one of which could be the possible reinstatement of the relived police station commanders.
Of course, setting aside personal pride and ignoring intrigues done by persons with personal interest in both contending groups, play an all too important role in realizing any heart-to-heart talk.
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It is good to know that despite Davao City being flooded every now and then, it still can afford to be benefactor to other local government units badly hit by the recent massive flood in Luzon.
Yes, over the last few months the city was also hit with flood especially in its low-lying areas like the stretch of C.P. Garcia Diversion Highway in front of La Verna Hills subdivision, and the plains at the Bago Oshiro and nearby areas, But thanks to the substantial calamity funds in the city’s coffers the local government was on its own, comfortably able to meet the needs of the flood victims.
Now Davao City is assessing its finances for calamities to be able to give cash assistance to several LGUs in Luzon if only to help them tie over their extreme needs for support at this post disaster time.
Davaoenos though, are one in praying that the city will not be hit by calamities of similar or even bigger magnitude as the one that brought a large area in Luzon to its knees recently; or the most feared of them all – the so-called “Big One” that could bring devastation to the city to the maximum.
It is for this reason that the people are hoping that appropriate flood prevention projects will be in place, and construction of high rise buildings would only be allowed if the designs are earthquake resilient.
We had been aware of how scrupulous building owners and construction firms connive to violate the building code and deprive the local government with the correct building permit fees.
One example is a structure along J.P. Laurel built a year or so back. The plan presented to the City Engineer’s Office and the City Building Official was for a 3 storey edifice. But the building is a 4-levewl structure.
The possibility here is that the safety of future building occupants is put to risk, even as the city is denied its rightful due.
As to the likelihood that a major flood would inundate the city proper, both local and national government regulators are the most knowledgeable on this. They are the ones who allow the hills to be flattened, the mountain sides to be scraped to give way to posh residential enclaves, to have large coconut and rubber plantations levelled to the grounds both for low-cost and middle income housing subdivisions use, or for corporate farms establishment, and scraping river banks for aggregates and boulders extractions.
In other words the policies they craft and implement are also abetting such disaster as flood. Therefore, they should not be allowed to escape the people’s blame.
