NOW, FORMER President Rodrigo R. Duterte is changing his tune insofar as his rather vague position on the reported plan of her daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s possible run for the presidency in 2028.
The former President, who is presently detained in The Hague prison in the Netherlands, issued a statement that if VP Sara is really intent on gunning for the top position in the land, then she (we) should save up. Her political group and those manifesting support for her should now start generating resources.
Now, how else should the former Chief Executive’s words be interpreted? Clearly, he now makes it obvious that, after all, seldom can there be a father who will deny her daughter or son the opportunity to run for President.
And even when he was still President and was verbally manifesting his supposed opposition to a Sara candidacy for the Presidency, claiming he had first-hand knowledge of the rigors of the position, many believe that then President Duterte did not really mean what he said.
But, of course, we agree fully with the former Philippine leader. That is, Sara and her political organizations should now save up with whatever financial resources there are in their possession.
Also, the detained former President was right. VP Sara and company must now start efforts to mobilize resources from those who are known supporters of hers, be they persons or corporations, who feel they have a better opportunity for existence under a Sara Presidency.
But perhaps it is worth reminding the VP that in the efforts of her groups to raise election money, there has to be no instance that in the process those who will be tasked to undertake the mobilization must not in any way compromise the welfare of the greater mass of the Filipinos.
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Here is some good news: many people from Davao City and travelers from both the south and north areas of the Davao Region have long been expecting to hear.
We are referring to the official announcement of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region XI that the south-bound tunnel of the Davao City bypass road is “nearing its breakthrough phase.”
Yes, when the tunnel, both northbound and southbound, is fully completed and all the other attendant parts of the bypass road project, like the bridges, the overpasses and underpasses, box culverts and intersections, are fully done, then it would now be easy to imagine the substantial improvement of mobility in the entire Davao Region.
And Davao City, being the center of trade in this part of Mindanao, will likely be the most benefited by the bypass road project.
Meanwhile, if the construction of the Samal Island-Davao City Connector bridge project is hampered by some legal impediments, then the nearby island city will also develop to the maximum, especially given the potential for becoming a top tourist destination.
Now, Davaoeños and residents from nearby provinces and cities may no longer be so eager to see the promised Mindanao Railway System go beyond its blueprint state.
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It is our take that newly assumed acting Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Director Col. Mannan C. Muarip’s strategy of consulting the community leaders, including those of the Indigenous Peoples, is a step in the right direction.
Yes, the responsibility of maintaining peace and order in any community is not just the job of the police. It should be a joint endeavor among civilian, police officials, and the people who stand to gain if a peaceful and orderly community exists.
Yes, the officials of the local governments, like the mayor and the police, should take the lead in all efforts to attain such an objective. But the community leaders in the districts down to the barangays and villages have their own vital responsibilities too, in seeing to it that the peace and order program is brought to the people’s consciousness.
Say, people in the rural areas must be observant of any suspicious activities of residents as well as report their observations to the officials of the barangays, who shall, in turn, brief the nearest police station of any presence of suspicious characters and their activities.
And from where we are perched, we are certain that this scheme of cooperative endeavor is one that the new DCPO acting director could have presented to the community leaders.
We are certain as well that with Colonel Muarip’s grassroots approach, he will surely get the cooperation he needs to fulfill his commitment to acting mayor Baste to maintain the peace in Davao City.
