CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Governor Lilia Pineda, some 17 Pampanga mayors, and provincial board members, including the department heads of the Provincial Government benchmarked the Davao City's best practices implemented by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
The Pampanga delegation, which made a two-day visit in Davao City recently, benchmarked the city’s solid waste management, environment protection and preservation, public safety and security, as well as peace and order practices.
City Administrator Melchor Quitain said the City Government led by Duterte was elated with the visit of Pampanga's top local government executives led by Pineda.
However, the city administrator reminded the delegates to refrain from smoking cigarettes as the city is actively implementing the Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance, which prohibits smoking in public utility vehicles, public buildings, enclosed public places or in any enclosed area outside of one's private residence within the jurisdiction of Davao City.
"If you will be caught smoking, you will be arrested," Quitain warned Pampanga mayors, board members and other delegates.
The city administrator said their biggest asset is their people led by Duterte whom, he said, has the political will to enforce laws and ordinances no matter what.
Nonetheless, he said the mayor has the heart, the capacity to lead and inspire his people.
On solid waste management, Davao City has its own sanitary landfill with a minimum budget of P300–million a year. They also invested on solid waste management equipment and vehicles in the amount of P600-million.
They religiously collect on a daily basis the garbage from the barangays, which is already segregated at source or at home.
Quitain said Davao City is business friendly, a favorite destination for trade, investment and leisure because of its responsive local government, dynamic economy, human resource, infrastructure, and favorable business environment.
He said the City Government through the local police ensures the peace and security of every law-abiding citizen.
"Davao City's crime rate still remains among the lowest in the country. This has earned for Davao City the distinction as the Most Peaceful City in the East and Southeast Asia for a number of years already," he added.
They have a state of the art traffic system similar to the system of highly developed countries like the USA.
He said the mayor requires all vehicles to set their speed limits to 30 kilometers per hour (kph) within the territorial jurisdiction of the city for public safety.
The city has an integrated emergency response system similar to that of the United States and Canada with its Central 911.
"Central 911 responds to all kinds of emergencies; medical, fire, police assistance, natural and man-made disaster. Its services are absolutely for free and totally subsidized by the city government," said Retired General Francisco Jose Villaroman of Davao City's Public Safety and Security Command Center.
Villaroman said the City Disaster Coordinating Council has been cited as the best-prepared disaster coordinating council in the country.
Duterte ordered all shopping malls and commercial centers to install, operate and maintain high end and high definition closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all entrance and exit points of their premises.
The City Government has a Public Safety and Security Command Center that monitors through CCTV cameras the day-to-day activity of the city and its people.
Pineda amazed with Davao City’s best practices
In response, Pineda said they were amazed with the programs, projects and accomplishments of the City Government under Duterte.
She said that as much as they want to imitate the best practices of Davao City but they could not do it abruptly considering the limited budget of the municipalities and cities of Pampanga.
But one thing is sure, the governor said, what the local officials will try to do and imitate is the heart and determination – the political will of Duterte in enforcing laws and ordinances that may result to the greater benefits of the Kapampangans like what happened to the people in Davao City.
The delegates were also treated for meals and toured at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ's Prayer and Glory Mountain located in the foothills of Mt. Apo in Barangay Tamayong this city and in other places like in Eden Resort and Nature Park.
In the Central Office of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a memorandum of understanding for the sisterhood of Davao City and Angeles City was signed anew by Duterte and Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, as witnessed by Governor Pineda and other Pampanga mayors and board members.
Davao City Tourism Officer Lisette Marques and Princess Requilme welcomed and guided the Pampanga delegation for the rest of their stay in the city.
The delegation was composed of Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, Porac Mayor Condralito dela Cruz, Guagua Mayor Dante Torres, Sasmuan Mayor Nardo Velasco, Bacolor Mayor Jomar Hizon, Minalin Mayor Edgardo Flores, Sto. Tomas Mayor Joselito Naguit, Masantol Mayor Dan Guinto, Macabebe Mayor Anneth Balgan, Apalit Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr, San Simon Mayor Leonora Capuli Wong, Mexico Mayor Roy Manalastas, San Luis Mayor Venancio Macapagal, Sta. Ana Mayor Rommel Concepcion, Magalang Mayor Romulo Pecson, Candaba Mayor Rene Maglanque and Arayat Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino.
Also included in the group were Board Members Crisostomo Garbo, Cherry Manalo, Joseph Anthony Torres, Arthur Salalila, Ferdinand Labung, Rosve Henson, Nestor Tolentino and Ricardo Yabut plus the department heads – Arwin Paul Lingat of ACTOP, Angie Blanco of the PDRRMO, Arthur Punsalan of PGENRO, Bessie Macabali of the provincial library, Amelia Bondoc of the HRMO, Luningning Vergara of PESO, Engr. Andy Henson of the Provincial Planning and Development Office, Atty. Cecil Andin of the Provincial Legal Office, Francis Maslog of the PMTC, Engrs. Andy Austria, Wilfredo Manalili, Olimpio Pangan of the Provincial Engineering Office, Nida Manalad of Provincial Budget Office, Edna Vitug, Frances Olga David Dizon of the Governor’s Office and staff of Provincial Information Office, among others. (Joel P. Mapiles/Pampanga PIO)