DAVAO City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte thanked all the city hall workers for their unwavering support amid political attacks against him, vowing to keep fighting for what is right.
"Mapasalamaton ko nga nipugong mo, wala mo nausab ang inyong delivery sa inyong trabaho. Gituman ninyo ang inyong mga responsibilidad (I am very thankful that you stayed strong and that nothing changed in the way you deliver your work. You fulfilled your responsibilities)," he said during the first flag-raising ceremony held on Monday, January 6, 2025, at the City Hall Drive.
Duterte added that the local government functioned well due to the services of every city hall employee regardless of their position. He said that for a local government unit to function well and be accessible to everyone, its employees should serve the people regardless of their age, social standing, and religion. He said that the treatment of these people should be the same and offer the same services for all, this way the public will trust the government.
The mayor also revealed that he has been struggling due to his conflict with the current administration, adding that no matter how grave or serious the actions of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. are, he will continue to fight against them.
“Miska’g unsa ka grabe ug unsa ka bug-at ang mga binuhatan aning presidente nato nisukol man gyud ko ug musukol gyud ta sa hangtud sa hangtud (No matter how grave or heavy the actions of our president are, I resisted and continue to fight until the very end),” he said.
He expressed that his priority is the city government workers’ welfare and their mental health, noting that if they have a well mental health, they can provide better services to the Dabawenyos.
He also said that government workers should aspire to improve the city.
To recall, Duterte expressed his dismay with Marcos’ administration during his speech at the Hakbang ng Maisug rally on January 28, 2024, as he called on the president to resign. The mayor also criticized the administration for prioritizing politics over the well-being of the people and accused them of befriending enemies of the previous administration, citing the resumption of peace talks with insurgents as an example. RGP
