Councilors on leave

FIVE city councilors were not present during the session of the 18th Davao City Council Tuesday, February 12.

On domestic leave were councilors Victorio U. Advincula, Jr., Danilo C. Dayanghirang, Marissa P. Salvador-Abella, Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr., and Carmelo Clarion.

In an interview during the Pulong-pulong ni Pulong (PPP) Tuesday, floor leader J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. called on other City Council members to always attend the weekly session despite their hectic campaign schedule. The campaign period for local candidates will be from March 29 to May 11.

“Even during campaign period, mag-session ‘yan every Tuesday kay mao na ang balaod. You have to have four sessions in a month. No exemptions ‘yan. It’s not because it’s campaign period, dili na mag-session (Even during campaign period, the session should be made, that is every Tuesday because that is the law. You have to have four sessions in a month and there’s no exemptions on that),” Quitain said.

He said there are developmental projects lined up that they need to discuss and it should not be delayed just because they cannot have a quorum during sessions.

Meanwhile, Davao City Vice Mayor Bernard Al-ag said, “Even during campaign season, we are mandated by law to attend session four times a month and to respond to the needs of the public through legislation.”

“I am reminding the members of the council to remain committed to their promise to serve the public by attending our sessions every week,” he added in an online interview with Sunstar Davao Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Councilor Diosdado Mahipus gave his assurance that the city council members will not miss out a session because it is a good platform to address concerns from their committee.

“The most opportune time to ask for favor to the councilors is during campaign season because no one will say ‘no’ anymore. This is also the most harmonious moments of the council, everybody is supporting each other’s advocacy and proposal,” Mahipus told reporters yesterday in the same event.

On Monday, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio reminded government employees to make sure that those personal activities such as political campaigns should not overlap with their work in the local government.

“May I remind city government employees to review election laws and make sure that their personal activities do not overlap with their work in terms of partisan politics,” she said.