IN HIS first State of the City Address (Soca) at the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Friday morning, July 28, Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte didn't hesitate to call out a government official for his alleged actions. During the speech, he addressed a "councilor" who had reportedly conducted a private forum and spread false statements about the Office of the City Building Official (Ocbo), claiming that existing problems still persisted.
Duterte asserted that he had already resolved the Ocbo issue within three months of his term. He directly addressed the "councilor," asking if they were on the same team and open to communication.
"Aha man ka? Kauban ta? No. Nangutana ko, kauban ta? Kang kung di ta kauban ingna ko. Dali ra man ko kaistorya (Where are you? Are we still together? No. I asked, are we together? If we are not together, tell me. I'm easy to talk to)," the mayor said while looking towards the direction of the said councilor.
After receiving confirmation that they were indeed a team, Duterte exposed the past corruption at OCBO, where bookkeepers and contractors used to pay fixers to process their documents illegally.
He further emphasized the importance of maintaining a beautiful city, warning that if the area becomes ruined due to unchecked construction, no one will benefit, and the blame would fall on the residents.
In addition to addressing the issues at Ocbo, Mayor Duterte highlighted the digitalization of local government processes in compliance with the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 (Republic Act No. 11032). This move allows Dabawenyos to access several government services online, reducing the need for in-person transactions and congestion.
Some of the services now accessible online include the business permit licensing system, online payment for real property tax, online application for community tax certificates, online building permit applications, the Davao City cockpit operations management system, and the Education Beneficiary System Unit's (EBSU) e-scholar app.
Duterte's administration achieved significant strides in employment, hiring 21,254 individuals through the Public Employment Service Office (Peso). Additionally, over one year in service, the mayor's team assisted around 21,365 clients during the Caravan of Government Services from July 2022 to June 2023.
The mayor also proudly acknowledged the city's accomplishments, receiving 37 awards and citations since July 2022. Notably, Davao City was recognized as the local champion for the Marine Litter Action award from the United Nations (UN)-Habitat of the Philippines. It also received the bronze award for livable cities in LivCom 2023. (RGP)
