Below is the full transcript of her speech:
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Maayung hapun kaninyong tanan.
Allow me to give you the bad news first. An examination of the first State of the City Address reveals we
were not able to do four things: first, our district health centers are not yet PhilHealth-accredited as we are
still processing the requirements for accreditation. Second, we were not able to build the public library
because the site we intended for it will be used as a temporary office while the City Hall Annex building
in Pichon St. is under construction. Third, we did not push through with the privatization of hauling and
segregation of our garbage because we intend to do something better. Finally, we are still waiting for the
DepEd Division Office to move to their new building so that their old structure can be remodelled for our
Pasalubong Center.
On issues that plague our rapidly developing landscape:
I have issued Executive Order No. 18 creating the Task Force Drainage which assists the City Engineer’s
Office to monitor our drainage and flood concerns. Initially they reported a requirement of P91 Million
for 16 projects. We were able to fund 9 projects out of this requirement with a budget of P57.8 Million.
The task force is continually making an inventory of the existing drainage system in the city to establish
the drainage flow direction and implement the necessary engineering interventions.
On December 1, 2010, we began operations for our sanitary landfill. While we are truly in a better
condition than other cities because we have our own sanitary landfill, our CENRO has warned that we
may not be able to maximize our investment in the landfill if we do not implement other solid waste
management technologies. We are currently reviewing proposals and continue to check the technologies
available in the market.
Prior to the landfill, the average disposed volume of garbage in Lacson Temporary Disposal Facility ranged
between 500 to 700 tons per day. As of June this year, the volume decreased to 476 tons. With the full
implementation of the ordinance, the average volume of disposed garbage dramatically dropped to 359
tons per day. We aim to further decrease the figures and strengthen the enforcement of the ordinance as
well as synchronize our garbage collection.
On the issue on housing, we have 459 titled lots granted to relocatees in Brgy. Los Amigos. We have also
signed an agreement with the National Housing Authority for the construction of 200 units. Our architects
have also designed a tenement building for socialized housing. The challenge, however, is how to keep
the cost of medium rise buildings within the price range appropriate for socialized housing. Our Local
Housing Board is regularly meeting to address this concern.
I strongly urge the City Council to refrain from granting new urban land reform projects because time and
again our attention has been called regarding the failure to recoup and collect from the beneficiaries. Our
City Housing Office is putting up a system for the processing of ULRP back accounts which date back
several years and up to this date remains unpaid. We shall update you further if we have made progress
on this end.During my inaugural address we defined our direction with BAROG - Barangay Empowerment,
Academics, Resources, Peace and Order, and Governance. This is our way to stand firm as we
move forward and upward as Dabawenyos.
BARANGAY
In helping our barangay units: we continued conducting our Caravan of Government Services. It is our
target to visit all the 182 barangays within the year as mandated by the Local Government Code to ensure
that the offices in City Hall are within reach of the people and able to answer their concerns. The City Civil
Registrar’s Office has served approximately 3,000 for civil registration services, City Health Office catered
to more than 15,000 individuals for various forms of medical and dental services. The City Agriculture
Office has distributed vegetable seeds to 10,000 recipients. The CENRO and the TMC have been able to
conduct 3,805 waste segregation campaigns and traffic laws orientation. CSSDO assisted the Office of the
Senior Citizens in issuing 13,647 ID cards and 32,589 purchase booklets. The City Veterinarian’s Office
was able to immunize 67,716 dogs and cats with anti-rabies vaccine for free.
Our Food for Work program has been quite a positive endeavour. Our primary aim of de-clogging canals has
been successfully matched with volunteerism. The intent of slowly erasing our “dole-out” mentality have
been accepted warmly especially by the women. We were able to get enthusiastic community volunteers
for our clean-up. We have cleared approximately 19 kilometres of canals, riverbanks, coastlines and were
able to properly dispose 720.36 metric tons of garbage so far.
Our City Planning and Development Office conducted meetings with our barangay captains and
emphasized the need for each unit to create and/or update their barangay development plans from which
they should cull their priority projects. We were able to collate these projects for all 182 barangays most
of which were included in the annual budget for 2012.
ACADEMICS
We have strengthened our “Magbasa Ta” reading enhancement program which brings learning and literacy
services beyond the confines of our city library. This project has benefited 68,848 persons who borrowed
42,744 books for them to learn from.
I have issued Executive Order Nos. 19 and 27 creating the Educational Benefits System Unit to handle
all the education assistance projects of the city, including that of elementary and high school students
and our tech-voc skills trainings. Under the expanded Scholarship on Tertiary Education we were able to
accommodate 420 new scholars, a 119% increase from 2010 bringing the total number of STEP scholars
to 774. We have intervened in the form of allowance to 66 lumad college students studying in downtown
poblacion. Our CSSDO provided educational assistance to 1,303 children needing special protection and
indigent youths, 288 of whom are already in college.
Our Local School Board has been able to maximize the use of our Special Education Fund and assist
the Department of Education. At the start of this school year we hired 163 auxiliary-teachers intended
to improve the teacher to student ratio in our city. Our board has also approved the construction of
22 classrooms complete with comfort rooms, blackboard and arm chairs. The challenge now is how to
support the K+12 program of DepEd. We have sent resolutions to the Secretary Armin Luistro to enlighten
the LSB on the program so that we can make the necessary appropriations to support our kindergarten
classes.
RESOURCE
Early on, I already identified the focus industries for our city as Agriculture, Tourism and Information
and Communication Technology sectors. While export manufacturing and mining are the multimillion
industries to focus on, there isn’t much we can do to compete with manufacturing countries. Also, I
have already declared that mining is out of the question as it will bring more problems than solutions
and we can learn a lot just by a cursory examination of LGUs with mining areas. I have already made
representations with Secretary Ramon Paje and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to keep mining out of
Davao City, more specifically in the areas of Paquibato and Marilog.
Our City Agriculturist’s Office has identified agro-forestry, agri-business, agri-fisheries, and agri-tourism
as the areas to strengthen further. We have started agro-forestry projects by establishing satellite nurseries
in Marilog, Calinan and Baguio districts to produce the supply of endemic and other trees. We have
designated Engr. Elisa Madrazo to take charge of developing and executing our Urban Greening Program
and to collaborate with DENR for the National Greening Program to expand our forest cover.We provided farmers with appropriate upland technologies, agro-forestry crops and farm inputs.
And we enhanced their organizational and entrepreneurial skills through farmer-clustering, field
school, observation tours and farm peer exchange. We put premium on the propagation of Cacao
which can be grown under coconut trees, fruit trees, other crops and forest trees.
Last year, we inaugurated the establishment of the Cacao Agribusiness Zone Center facility in Brgy.
Talandang, Tugbok District through a Department of Agriculture — Cocoa Foundation Philippines,
Inc. investment partnership. It is the biggest in the Philippines.
Our Tourism Office has launched a training program for tour guides with 38 new graduates ready
to assist our growing number of visitors. We have constructed a Visitors Information Center at the
airport and will soon commence the remodelling of the building intended to be the Pasalubong
Center.
Tomorrow, we will be unveiling the new campaign of the city, with new materials and collaterals. I,
therefore, urge all our tourism stakeholders to support this campaign by carrying the collaterals in
all your promotional materials, and join our march towards capturing the top spot as the country’s
most-visited destination. We intend to localize the campaign so that Dabawenyos will always be
reminded of how we should give value to our city as our way of exemplifying patriotism.
Davao City saw an unprecedented number of recorded visitor arrivals. Our four major events
come-on for the city: Araw ng Dabaw, Summerfest, Kadayawan and Pasko Fiesta have greatly
contributed to increase the number of visitor arrivals. We hosted 62 meetings, incentive travels,
conventions and events or MICE activities through the initiative of our private sector partners. As
good news, I am glad to report that our strong partnership with the private sector was instrumental
in reaping the best booth award during the Philippine Travel Mart in Manila, aside from P1.5M
sales we have raked in. This golden partnership paved the way for the honor to host the 3rd
Philippine MICE Convention on 2013, besting the bid of CamSur.
Our Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is going stronger with the entry
of new BPOs and software developers that employed 10,985 full time agents in 2010 alone, an
increase of 41% from 6,480 employees recorded in 2009. These new ICT players are not limited
to call centers. We have new locators who are engaged into animation, data transcription and
design process outsourcing.
The number of dengue cases in Davao City has dramatically dropped from 2,107 in the second
semester last year to 238 in the first semester of this year. This positive performance is a result
of our distribution of treated curtains for elementary schools, soaking of nets, indoor residual
spraying, de-fogging, massive information campaign and our initiative to implement the 4 o’clock
clean-up habit at the barangay level.
Our Local Health Board and City Health Office were able to draft the Comprehensive Investment
Plan for Health, requiring approximately P1.5 Billion to provide prime health services to our
residents. As an initial output, we have appropriated P36 Million to construct a 4-storey building
in Pichon Street to house all our medical services and offices, including the chest center, the
animal bite center, medico-legal, dispensary, dental and the main city health office. We have
also allocated budget for the construction of the Agdao district health center with birthing facility,
which will be a model design for all other district health centers.
With regard to Reproductive Health services, the issue here is not whether or not population is
linked to poverty. We believe that progressive societies should have policies for the physical,
psychological, mental, social health of our families, thus, family planning services are made
accessible to our constituents.
Our City Social Services Development Office is working with the Committee on Women and
Children to come up with an ordinance for the holding facility of children who come in contact
with the law, apart from those in the diversion program. We have also made appropriations for
the improvement of Lamdag Home for Boys and the construction of a holding facility in Bago
Oshiro for children who are in need of intervention. We have strengthened our home-based ECCD
program with 99 centers. This program was a quick response to the increasing demand for daycare centers and the long travel of children in far-flung barangays.
We have strengthened our economic enterprises with alloted budgets for the improvement and
rehabilitation of the Davao City Overland Transport Teminal and the rehabilitation of the Wireless
Public Cemetery. Our Davao City Recreation Center is adopting new rates, further increasing its
viability as an enterprise.
Our City Treasurer’s Office was able to collect P552,832,436.61 from January to June for the
business taxes this year, or an 18.53% increase from the collection made last year. Our total
revenue collection from local sources is in the amount of P 1.09 Billion or a 17.79% increase from
the same period last year.
In our commitment to being a business-friendly LGU, we have conducted 19 one-stop-shop in the
issuance of permits, with a modified processing system in malls and other strategic areas of the city.
As a result, the number of our business establishments significantly increased by 24% or 30,000
from last year to 36,000 this year. Furthermore, investments registered with the Business Bureau
reached an all-time high of P 183.5 billion in terms of capitalization. Employment generated by
these investments increased by a staggering 66%, or from 177,175 in 2010 to 293,435 jobs for
Davaoenos.
With reduced registration requirements and a simplified system in place, Davao City is now the
second easiest city in the country to start a business and the first in processing construction permits,
both cited by no less than the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank.
However, I bear again bad news: the Department of Budget and Management released Local
Budget Memorandum No. 65 and 65-A with two advisories: that the 2012 IRA level is 4.8% lower
than that of 2011 and that the entry of judgment in the 16- cityhood case has the overall effect of
a corresponding reduction in the revenue allotment of all local government units.
With this reduction, the Office of the City Treasurer projects a 13% decrease in the annual budget,
or a staggering loss of P360 Million for the city. Our annual budget for this year is P4.3 Billion.
With a loss P360 Million, our budget 2012 budget will now only be P4.1Billion. We are aware of
the impact of cost-cutting on personnel services hence we are adjusting our debt servicing as this
option would not have the same damaging effect as the mass termination of personnel. We shall
try our very best to cushion the impact of this problem.
I hereby turnover to the Honorable Floor Leader the proposed 2012 annual budget for the council’s
consideration and favorable action. It is a budget best described as sustaining socio-economic
growth amidst challenging times.
PEACE AND ORDER
A report from the Davao City Police Office showed that the total number of index crimes has
decreased from 3,604 in July to December last year to 3,019 in January to June this year. From
July to December 2010, we have posted 1,177 or 57.60% crime solution efficiency, while from
January to June 2011, our crime solution efficiency increased to1,226 or 57.67%.
From January to June this year, 570 index crimes and 707 non-index crimes have been solved or a
17.83 percentage points increase in solution efficiency of the same period last year. Actions taken
to achieve this rapid increase are: the adoption of the Anti-Crime Incentive Program to police
officers, integrated patrol plan and more cooperation from witnesses.
We have zero-terrorist incident, mainly due to the hard work and vigilance of the Task Force
Davao. We, however, continue our target hardening measures to keep our city safe. We have
allotted budget for additional CCTV cameras in critical areas, government and vital installations
including checkpoints in barangays Sirawan, Calinan and Ilang.
Our City Peace and Order Council has updated and adopted our Local Government Security Plan.
We have responded to the needs of the Bureau of Fire Protection with the purchase 50 firemen
suits, 4 computers, 10 radio base and 20 handheld radios; the Bureau of Jail Management andPenology with the construction of their multi-purpose visitor center; the Davao City Police
Office for the repair of Sasa Police Station and the construction of Calinan Police Station.
From August 2010 to July this year, our Traffic Management Center apprehended a total of
31,484 erring drivers. We have emphasized that public utility drivers should police themselves
because public transportation involves public safety and interest. Since October last year,
we have conducted 44 traffic education trainings participated by a total of 16,212 drivers.
We exact strict discipline to our traffic enforcers with administrative sanctions for misdeeds and
making them liable for criminal actions. Two former traffic enforcers are now facing criminal
charges before the Regional Trial Court for extortion. Our traffic enforcers were also subjected to
random drug testing, four of whom were found positive and summarily dismissed from service.
GOVERNANCE
We have intensified our campaign against drug use in the workplace and have found 7 personnel
positive for drug use. We have terminated their service and recommended that they seek professional
intervention.
Our Human Resource Management Office developed and implemented 7 training and career
development programs with 36 sessions, including orientation sessions for the public assistance
counter desk officers to improve our engagement in public transactions. Technical teams were
created to conduct job analyses for pilot departments for the development and retention of a
highly competent and professional workforce.
Our Davao City Investment Incentive Board has created a technical working group among its
members to come up with recommendations on how the city can further increase its local revenues,
thus reducing our dependence on the internal revenue allotment. These recommendations allow
room to improve the city and sustain competitiveness. The group will also come up with strategies
on how the city can rationalize its expenditures.
Allow me to acknowledge the generous support of the private sector, our Chamber of Commerce,
the Tourism Alliance, the Chinatown Development Council and all Chinese communities, our
Muslim brothers and sisters and Lumad families, all other stakeholders in their untiring assistance
to our local government. Your generosity is something I can best describe as above and beyond
the ordinary.
Finally, I run through how your support has been the past year: our 1st Lamdag Parada during the
Pasko Fiesta gathered 40 contingents. Our Araw ng Dabaw parade was joined by 248 contingents.
And our Kadayawan floral float parade was joined by over 100 contingents with 22 competing
floats. These high numbers are testaments of the Dabawenyos commitment to our beloved city.
Ladies and gentlemen, these are just highlights of the state of our city. Rest assured, your local
government shall continue to work to improve our city and shall always be faithful to public service.Daghang Salamat
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