IT IS all about an administration that will holistically meet the needs of all our constituents and a governance to provide paramount service to every Dabawenyo. After reading and understanding the whole address, I surmise that this very comprehensive administration can be a blue print for the administration of the whole country, Philippines, planned in a larger scale.
The Mayor used this acronym BAROG for governance. They are the following: empower Barangay, focus in education of Academics, strengthen Resources, provisions for peace and Order, and uphold a responsive Governance. These will entail programs, actions, activities, projects of sectors of society. Movement of goods and people in commerce and industry. Mass transport plan in the planning stage has not yet began but it will be started. Housing programs as tenement construction and socialized housing programs of the government had begun. Solid and liquid wastes materials' disposals are started with construction of scientifically workable landfills and proper waste water drainage systems are being constructed.
The programs on Literacy are very important. I have a bias for this since I am a verified educator for 45 years of my life. I will deal with this lengthily in detail. These programs will include Children and Youth, Education and Health. Davao got an award for the "Most Child Friendly City in the Country ". We are proud of this. We need the upgrading of the program on children's concerns to deserve this title. There are drop in centers for street children. The first village was built in Barangay Bago Oshiro in Tugbok district. There are rehabilitation centers for wayward street children.
Scholarships for children in schools are available and they must deserve these with good scholastic grades up to college levels. Local School Board manages the SEF - Special Education fund to construct more classrooms, to hire auxiliary teachers for far off places where indigenous tribes live.
School guards are employed to safeguard students and strengthen the Anti- drug campaigns, to prevent habitual offenders of laws inside the schools. Civil Registrars offices may have branches in schools to give valid birth certificates to pupils when enrolling if they have none yet. "Magbasa Ta Program " serves students in far off schools with the air-conditioned Mobile Libraries. An International Organization, "Beyond Access " serve students not only in reading books but advices on economic activities. DepEd with "Fit for School Inc." construct hand washing facilities, tooth brushing facilities, and regular deworming dates. Food for poor school children solves malnutrition problems. Regular basic medical examinations are given to detect sick pupils. Jollibee Foundation provides "Busog, Lusog,Talino" Programs. The City Health Office schedules visits to far off barangays to give routine medical examinations for students. HIV information campaigns are held up to testing students if they have HIV then treatment follows. Dengue Fever is checked, too, treatment follows and breeding places of mosquitoes are destroyed. Lastly, anti-rabies vaccines are given to dogs.
All children must be in schools since there are free tuitions. Parents must not tell their children to work as selling newspapers and bread to earn money. These parents are apprehended for such selfish practices.
Laws on "No smoking ", "No liquor", "No karaoke noise", "curfew time for minors" should be followed. Violators are apprehended as law breakers and prosecuted.
Solid and liquid wastes disposals are done in every community. Wastes are segregated into Biodegradable and non -biodegradable containers. Those that can be sold to junk stores may be done. Segregate then reduce, reuse, and recycle is the rule." May pera sa basura" is the slogan. Ban non- biodegradable plastics. Use the newly invented biodegradable plastics. No styro foams as food containers.
Traffic Management has been the perennial problem in major cities. The experiments are on- going to solve the problem. EDSA is the best example for this and sad to say it is not solved yet. Mass transport with the MRT and LRT are full of problems, too. We are patiently waiting for the solutions.
Safety and security are insured with the installation of CCTV cameras. This is effective and could be used in homes, malls, and parks. Body cameras are suggested to traffic officers to avoid corruption in receiving bribes.
Davao is famous for its exemplary facilities of its 911 ambulances of two kinds- crime emergencies and medical emergencies. We have observed the successes of their services to the citizens of Davao.
Tourism, economic and industrial opportunities were also mentioned in the SO CA of the mayor. We have been witnesses to the success of these endeavors. My space will not allow a detailed news about this but you, yourself, have witnessed these. When I said that the governance of the Davao City mayor can serve as a blueprint for the progress of the whole country, it is true. You did not read any of the bad news happening in Davao nowadays in my column today.
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