Winning orator urge dads:
“choose dev’t. without sacrificing env’t.”

“Please plan for Davao City’s development by considering development without sacrificing the environment,” was the plea of high school student Ernest Jan P. Mendoza during the culmination of the 2nd Jesus Z. Zozobrado Oratorical Contest held at the Mintal Gym last December 1, 2008.

“This will lead to more investors and increase our finances which will lead to progress and peace,” Mendoza said. The Sto. Nino High School student, who won the championship for his piece on “3rd District: Adopting Sustainable Land Practice For Ecological Stability”, went home richer by P5,000.

At present, he said, we see commercialism in the third district but there are only few industries established here and so far none is perceived to be harming the environment. “We like the 3rd congressional district the way it is,” he added.

He said the government should control the cutting of trees and the conversion of farms to housing projects. While the people wish for and welcome change, he said, we do not wish to see tall buildings rising here—modernization toppling the rural areas.

“The change we want is the transformation for a better agricultural system to help the farmers yet preserve the environment and the ecosystem to keep the whole of Davao City free from flood, land erosion and other natural calamities,” Mendoza said.

While we understand that Davao must provide food and shelter for its growing population as well as provide opportunities for its increasing workforce, he said, this should all be done using sustainable land practice to promote ecological stability.

“We do not want Davao to end up like Manila---polluted, dirty, overpopulated, an urban jungle,” he said.