THIS IS news. According to a recent survey, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is among the top ten mayors of the country.
Of course, we cannot force everyone to agree. But that is definitely news for people in Davao City.
We, however, do not know the parameters of the survey. But for certain there must have been questions in the study that effectively drew out the good things the mayor may have done but escaped the perception or knowledge of the ordinary city residents.
Whatever these are, we hope that the answers made the mayor deserving of the recognition.
Congratulations!
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We had visitors from Switzerland last week. They stayed in Davao City’s leading hotels these days for at least five days. However, they went to a resort in the Island Garden City of Samal. Supposedly they were to stay in the resort for three nights. But we were surprised when they called the house to inform us that they were cutting short their stay on the island. Their reason is that the resort fell short of their expectations as hyped in its promotional videos.
According to our guests, the resort has a very erratic internet signal. They have to go down to the beach area to have one oftentimes weak signal. Then the resort, according to our visitors, does not have any nightlife or activities that would allow its guests to linger around while waiting for their sleeping time. And worst, our guests said, for the two days that they were at the resort, brownouts happened several times during the day and in the evenings making the resort guests’ lives almost unbearable. While a generator was run, the management shut it off if the power outage continued for hours.
Our guests told us further that while he has observed substantial infrastructure developments in the island city since the last time they were there some 15 years ago, the power situation, as they have noticed, seems to be worsening.
It is this kind of regression in that kind of service, according to our visitors from that tiny country in Central Europe, that might become a major hindrance to the island city’s push for its desire to become a significant tourist destination in Southern Mindanao.
These observations by outsiders should better not be taken negatively by the IGaCoS leaders as these may be a good basis for the island city’s officials to plan their next moves if they want to achieve the island city’s development objectives.
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Who is this politician described by Vice President Sara Duterte as “tambaloslos”? We are at a loss as to who this one is. Somehow, there is a seeming ambivalence in the posturing of the Vice President.
In one instance, we seem to read that she is aligning with former Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the reported plot to oust Speaker Martin Romualdez when she was seen with the former having a photo op with billionaire businessman Manuel Pangilinan. Then, shortly thereafter, VP Sara was seen with Sen. Imee Marcos, the President’s sister doing some TikTok moves and making fun of the “tambaloslos” politico.
In another intriguing photo that highlighted the news about the swearing of Arroyo’s replacement and the joining of several congressmen with the Lakas-CMD Party, the former President was seen with Speaker Romualdez, who made a gesture of respect to her by doing a “mano po.”
Does that mean “all is well that ends well” between the ousted senior deputy speaker and Romualdez, who was supposed to be her subject for quo data in the House?
Who then is the Vice President aligning with in the imbroglio at the Lower House? Are the scenarios unfolding in the House of Representatives enough to identify this “tambaloslos” politician?
Indeed in Philippine politics, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. And to quote our friend who is now in the US, former Undersecretary and one-time head of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) Virgilio Leyretana, Sr.: “It is frustrating that every leading politician in the country wants to have his/her own kingdom.”
What more can we say?
