rachel zozobrado

2009-11-26T05:18:00.000+08:00

Importance of basic traffic rules training stressed

Davao City motorists should undergo regular seminars on the basic traffic rules and regulations so they will be able to update themselves on the latest laws and avoid violating them later on.

“A lot of road accidents happen because of drivers who do not follow traffic rules and regulations,’ councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. In most cases, she said, traffic violations lead to accidents and even deaths that could have been prevented had the drivers followed the basic traffic rules.

She said accidents do not only occur in the downtown area where there is more vehicular traffic. Unfortunately, road accidents also happen even in isolated areas in the third district primarily because of the increasing human and vehicular traffic in the area.

“But more than those reasons, it is the apparent ignorance of the drivers or just plain hard-headedness in following traffic rules that is the culprit,” she said. While basic traffic rules are already being tackled before a driver gets his license, she added, it is also important to keep them constantly aware of the basic traffic rules so they can apply this in their daily driving activities.

The defensive driving seminar conducted by the Land Transportation Office XI in Mintal, Tugbok District yesterday is thus good news for the residents of the area. Aside from basic driving skills, LTO’s Allain Lloyd Cahilog also informed the participants on the penalty updates under Department Order 2008-39.

Zozobrado said accidents and deaths involving motorcycles are on the rise. And since this is the most common form of transportation in the third district, it is important that drivers should be constantly reminded of their responsibilities not only to the legal system but also to their passengers and the pedestrians.

2009-11-13T05:32:00.001+08:00

Youth’s role in 2010 elections is focus of speech gab

The role of the youth in the 2010 elections will be the main issue tackled by various orators from the different public high schools of the 3rd District of Davao City during the ongoing 3rd JAZ Oratorical Contest.

The JAZ Oratorical Contest, which is an annual oratorical contest named after the late councilor Jesus A. Zozobrado has just concluded the first elimination round last Wednesday at the Lower Tamugan High School Gym for Marilog contestants.

First place is Geneva Etchoros from Tamugan National High School, with coach Ms. Cherry May Acebu; second placer is Judy Ann Pardillo from Saloy National High School, with coach Ms. Joseph Claire Celerinos and third placer is Joan Bastatas from Marilog High School of Agriculture, with coach Ms. Lanie Figueroa.

“The pieces delivered by the student orators are actually very inspiring and mirrored their perception and thoughts about the coming 2010 election,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. While the contest aims to discover the oratory skills of high school students, it is also a way of getting the youth involved in the issues that will help set the stage for their future, she added.

Zozobrado said adults really have a lot to learn from the young people and by listening to them who knows we will be able to do the right thing for the next generation. The theme for the elimination round is “My Future is in my hands, a clean and honest 2010 election has my hands printed on it.”

The 1st and 2nd prize winners will advance to the Grand Finals on Dec.7, 1PM at Mintal gymnasium. The next elimination for the 3rd JAZ Oratorical Contest will be held today, Friday at Calinan National High School AVR.

There are two other sub-district eliminations scheduled on November 16, 3PM at the Sto. Niño National High School for those coming from Tugbok District, and another elimination on November 19, 3PM at Doña Carmen Deña National High School for those coming from Toril District.

Criteria for judging will be 50% Manner to include mastery, diction and gesture, and 50% Matter to include relevance of the piece to the theme. All entries to the Contest must be original and have not been published in any forms of media. For more details please call the Office of Councilor Rachel Zozobrado at 2220855 local 426 or 226.

2009-11-01T19:14:00.000+08:00

Dabawenyos urged to reuse waste water

Dabawenyos may still be enjoying abundant water supply but this will not be for long considering the looming water shortages all over the world. It is thus a good idea to educate the people in reusing their waste water.

“There are reports that more than half the nations all over the world will face freshwater shortage by 2025 and it is important that Dabawenyos are aware of this blessing and also of their own responsibility towards conserving water,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

This report was validated by researchers at the US-based Sandia National Laboratories which provides technology solutions to global threats to peace and freedom. Sandia water experts Mike Hightower and Suzanne Pierce also predicted that as much as 75% of the global population will face freshwater scarcity by 2050.

Zozobrado said the Dabawenyos should support legislations and activities that encourage the reuse of water. She said it is always a good idea to reuse water and the Dabawenyos should already start practicing this even without the government’s prodding.

The latest city council legislation that seeks to reuse water is the Rainwater Collection Ordinance which was authored by councilor Leonardo Avila. “This is an idea that should be followed not only by Dabawenyos but also by people throughout the country if we want to mitigate the effects of water scarcity,” she said.

She said while the marginalized sector may find it financially challenging to put up a real rainwater collector, they can however invest in a small and affordable tank. There are lots of farflung areas in Marilog that do not even have accessible water sources so saving up rainwater and using this for washing their clothers and for other purpose other than for drinking would be a good idea, she said.

“There is always a way to all the challenges that we think will hinder us from reusing water but with determination and simple logic these are easily surmountable,” she said. You do not even have to rely on the rain to reuse water, she added, because you can just collect whatever it is you use for washing the clothes and then use it for cleaning the floor or other parts of the house.

Governments all over the world are already rethinking their water management programs considering that economic development depends a lot on the availability of water. “The industries that power our economy-- including agriculture, mining and energy production---will all compete for our limited freshwater resources and we should prepare for that eventuality,” she said.

2009-10-29T04:56:00.003+08:00

P1.6M IP dormitory at DMC opens

Indigenous Peoples and their relatives from far-flung areas of Davao City now have a place to stay while waiting for the discharge of their patients from the Davao Medical Center with the inauguration and blessing of Balay Dangpanan yesterday.

“The P1.6 million Balay Dangpanan is a halfway home for indigenous peoples and their watchers who have no place to stay here in the city while waiting for their discharge from DMC,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Also present during yesterday’s inauguration are Vice Mayor Sara Duterte as well as councilor Teresa Mata Marañon.

Zozobrado, who spoke on behalf of Duterte, said the local government will continue to extend assistance to DMC through their Lingap Program. She said the vice mayor has also discussed with Committee of German Doctors Country Director Dietmar Schug, the possibility of extending the city’s support for Balay Dangpanan.

Duterte, through Zozobrado, turned over several household appliances for the home including a refrigerator, rice cooker, folding bed and the likes, for the use of indigenous peoples and other Dabawenyos who would be using the halfway home. Zozobrado’s office also turned over several kitchen appliance and wares for the halfway home.

“Balay Dangpanan is very timely considering the plight of the IPs and the other residents from the third district who have to loiter along the hospital corners when they are waiting for their patients to be discharged,” she said.

DMC Chief Dr. Leopoldo Vega said Balay Dangpanan is really a dream come true for him since it has been a long time dream to fill in the gaps and the lapses in the country’s health care. People from far away areas in the city especially the indigenous peoples don’t know where to stay when they have patients here in the city so this is a solution to their plight, he added.

Vega said the structure was intended for doctors and nurses but since they already have houses in the city, he suggested that the structure be turned into a halfway house for marginalized IPs who does not have a place to stay while waiting for their patients to be discharged.

He said the Schug was very receptive to the idea so he pushed through with the proposal even if DMC has to pay for the maintenance of Balay Dangpanan.

2009-10-28T14:02:00.001+08:00

Gwangyang City seeks sisterhood with Davao

Yet another Korean City is seeking close partnership with Davao City, in line with its goal of developing a global network with the world’s foremost port cities.

“No less than the mayor of Gwangyang City of the Republic of Korea wrote City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to suggest the setting up of a mutual, cooperative and friendly relationship between the two cities,” International Relations Committee chairperson councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

A few months ago, Davao City signed a Letter of Intent with Uijeongbu City of the Republic of Korea in time with the visit here of a 16-man delegation from the city

Zozobrado said it is interesting to note that while Gwangyang is among the top three Free Economic Zones and Free Trade Zones in the Republic of Korea, the city is focusing on Green Growth and seeks to become a highly-developed but eco-friendly city.

She said we need all the help we can get to keep our development in line with the objective of keeping our environment safe and sound, and this city is a good model for such development.

Gwangyang City Mayor Lee Sung-Woong, in a letter to Duterte, said “we are presently working towards creating a global network with the world’s foremost port cities with the vision of constructing a free trade in North-east Asia.”

“With this in mind we are seeking your interest and truly hope to establish an international relationship that makes for friendship and mutual cooperation and development between our two cities,” he said.

Zozobrado said Gwangyang is a port city and just like Davao, it has a beautiful coast and surrounded by mountains and rivers.

“Davao can learn a lot from the development plans of Gwangyang City and we should look forward to the signing of a sisterhood agreement with them if only to be able to build closer ties with a city that is very similar to Davao in terms of its geographical make up and economic growth,” she said.

The POSCO Gwangyang Steel Works, a global steel company, has been the main driving force of Gwangyang City’s growth since 1986. The company has produced 17.45 million tons of steel in 2008.

2009-10-17T10:22:00.001+08:00

Eliminations for 3rd Zozobrado Oration Contest Underway

Eliminations for the JAZ Oratorical Contest are underway and high school students from public schools in the third district of Davao City are encouraged to participate.

The JAZ Oratorical Contest, which is an annual oratorical contest named after the late councilor Jesus A. Zozobrado, in now on its third year. Zozobrado was known for his fiery speeches in the halls of the City Council as well as his advocacy for serious and meaningful legislation when he was still alive.

“We actually aim to make the JAZ Oratorical Contest a yearly event to celebrate my father’s passion for the youth,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. The activity itself, she added, aims to showcase the speaking skills of high school students in the district.

The sub-district eliminations for the 3rd JAZ Oratorical Contest will be held starting November 11, 2009, 3PM at Lower Tamugan National High School Gym for participants from Marilog District. Those from Baguio and Calinan Districts can join the elimination scheduled on November 13, 3PM at Calinan National High School AVR.

There are two other sub-district eliminations scheduled on November 16, 3PM at the Sto. Niño National High School for those coming from Tugbok District, and another elimination on November 18, 3PM at Doña Carmen Deña National High School for those coming from Toril District.

The Grand Finals for the 3rd JAZ Oratorical Contest will be held at Mintal Gym on December 7, 1PM.

Zozobrado said participants during the sub-district eliminations will be asked to deliver an oration piece with the theme “My Future is in my hands, a clean and honest 2010 election has my hands printed on it.”

Criteria for judging will be 50% Manner to include mastery, diction and gesture, and 50% Matter to include relevance of the piece to the theme. All entries to the Contest must be original have not been published in any forms of media. For more details please call the Office of Councilor Rachel Zozobrado at 2220855 local 426 or 226.

2009-09-30T08:50:00.002+08:00

Reciprocal visits between Davao, Mersin City eyed

An exchange visit between the officials of Davao City and Mersin City in Turkey is being eyed in view of the sisterhood agreement being planned between the two cities.

Former Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Bahnarim Guinomla said Philippine Honorary Consul in Mersin Mr. Sukru Diyab recently met with the Metropole Municipality of Mersin Director of Culture and Fairs Department Mr. Suleyman Cengiz to discuss the procedures that have to be followed to make the sisterhood agreement between the two cities a reality.

“This is a welcome development considering that we have been trying to follow up the sisterhood agreement between the two cities for months now,” Council committee on International Relations chair councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

She said it was Ambassador Guinomla who communicated to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte the possibility of forging a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City. However, she said, they have encountered some hitches in following up the agreement since Guinomla is now back in Davao City as the assistant secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Mindanao.

Zozobrado said Guinomla has been helping the committee in facilitating the sisterhood agreement.

“I was told that the procedure in forging a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City in Turkey could take about three to four months depending on how fast both sides work on it,” she said.

She said the possibility of exchange visits between the officials of Davao City and Mersin City was also mentioned during the meeting between Diyab and Cengiz. This, she added, will hopefully fast track the forging of the sisterhood agreement.

The Philippine Honorary Consul Diyab said October would be an ideal time for the Davao officials to visit Mersin City since it would coincide with the 2nd Logistics and Transport Fair of Mersin City. Zozobrado said the city could then invite officials from Mersin City during the Araw ng Dabaw 2010.

Zozobrado said the proposed sisterhood with Turkey aims to foster mutual understanding through people to people exchanges, tourism promotion as well as trade and investment activities.

2009-09-22T14:45:00.002+08:00

Strong local governance cited as Dinagat
Islands seek sisterhood with Davao City

Davao City’s efficient local government and vibrant business sector is attracting a lot of cities and provinces, both locally and internationally, the latest of which is the Province of Dinagat Islands.

“The province has indicated their intention to form a sisterhood agreement with Davao City and we welcome this as another manifestation of Davao’s growth both socially and economically in the past years,” Council Committee on International Relations chair Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Davao City has been active in forging sisterhood agreements mostly with international cities like Manado and Bitung, Darwin, Uijeongbu and with local cities like San Juan.

The Province of Dinagat Islands is virtually a neighbor as it used to be part of the province of Surigao del Norte’s First District. However, Republic Act No, 9355 or the Official Charter of the Province of Dinagat Islands paved the way for the separation of Dinagat Islands, which is now known as the country’s 81st Province.

Zozobrado said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of Dinagat Islands formally informed Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte about the proposal, through Resolution No. 08-768 sponsored by councilor Merlinda Lagroma, which indicates their intention to establish a “sisterhood relationship and alliance to the City of Davao.”

“The resolution requested Dinagat Islands Governor Geraldine Ecleo-Villaroman to establish a sisterhood agreement and alliance with Davao City in view of the tried and tested local governance of the city,” Zozobrado said.

The resolution indicated that “the province craves for support on technological advancement on legislative approaches and executive management”, the formula of which seems to have already been tried and tested in Davao City under Duterte’s administration.

Zozobrado said the sisterhood proposal from the Province of Dinagat Islands should be a source of pride for Dabawenyos considering that it came from a neighboring province which was previously part of Surigao del Norte in Region Xiii, Northeastern Mindanao.

”This is actually a vote of confidence that the local government of the city has done its job well and continues to do so, for it to be able to inspire nearby areas to forge a sisterhood agreement with us,” she said.

The Province of Dinagat Island is historically known as the site of the Battle of Surigao Strait during the Second World War. It was on the shore of the Municipality of Loreto where the first American flag flew on the Philippine soil. And just like Davao City, It is known for its bountiful harvest of agriculture and marine resources.

2009-09-09T09:26:00.002+08:00

Davao promoted as premier destination during Int’l. gab

The focus of the International Sister City Summit may have been Baguio City but the Davao delegation headed by Vice Mayor Sara Duterte, along with councilors Rachel Zozobrado, Susabel Reta and Louie John Bonguyan were able to promote the city as a premiere destination not only in Mindanao but in the whole country.

The three councilors, who were directed by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to represent the city in the Baguio Centennial Sister City Summit last August 31, were able to meet with the different foreign and local sister cities of Baguio.

“The Davao delegation made waves during the presentation of the cities’ best practices as we took turns in presenting the beauty of the city and the reasons why they should visit the city,” Council Committee on International Relations chair Rachel Zozobrado said.

The local and foreign visitors to the Sisterhood Summit were however impressed with the landmark legislations of the city. Among the legislations presented by the councilors are the Firecracker Ban, the Watershed Code, Tourism Code, Women Code and the No Smoking Ordinance.

“Several local and foreign delegates expressed their desire to visit the city after they were apprised of the city’s peace and order situation,” she said.

It was really a learning experience for all of us, she added, not only because we were able to establish contacts with other local and foreign cities with which we could form a sisterhood agreement with in the future.

“We were even surprised that some of the fruits and vegetables being sold in Baguio supermarkets came from Davao City,’ she said.

Zozobrado said the Davao delegation including the vice mayor, who wore an authentic Matigsalog tribal attire, participated in the Centennial parade. Duterte was escorted by Bonguyan, also wearing a Matigsalog-inspired top.

2009-09-05T10:09:00.003+08:00

Zozobrado says no to Watershed Code amendment

Times have changed and the priorities of the government may have changed but there is still a need to continuously protect Davao City’s watersheds.

This was the call made by councilor Rachel Zozobrado, who said the need to protect the city’s sources of potable water still exists despite the changing times. “Water is one resource that we can never bring back to its original state once destroyed and polluted,” she said.

Zozobrado walked her talk and led a tree planting activity at the Tamugan Watershed in Tamugan, Marilog District last month, together with the different mountaineering organizations in the city, the Barangay Council of Tamugan, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office and the City Engineers Office.

“I am not in favor of amending the Watershed Code; nothing has changed between the time it was unanimously passed by the city council and today because the Tamugan River still needs to be protected,” she said.

Zozobrado said she could not think of a justification that would support the amendment to the Code. On the other hand, she said, the current environmental crisis should be a learning experience for us and should teach us to be more careful and circumspect in out actions concerning the environment.

“When the Watershed Code was enacted it was precisely in response to the crisis and as its author, the city council believed that putting up structures within the protected areas would cause damage, thus the provision on its prohibition,” she said. Amending it now is like saying we were not thinking right when it was passed by the council.

Zozobrado said the Watershed Code is not even fully implemented so it does not make sense to even amend it.

She said there is still a lot to be done in terms of protecting the Tamugan River and planting trees is just one of those methods.

Among those who participated in the tree planting activity are: Steward of Nature (SON, Inc) from Toril District, Ateneo Mountaineering Club (AMC), Earth and Nature Mountaineering Club, LAYAK Outdoors from Calinan, SANDAWA-APO, Team 3/4 and Team EN ROUTE Mountaineering Organization.

2009-09-03T04:54:00.005+08:00

Tree Planting At Tamugan Watershed

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado once again made a pitch for the environment as she led a group of various mountaineering organizations in Davao City for a tree planting activity last August 1, 2009 at the Tamugan Watershed in Tamugan, Marilog District. The activity was done in cooperation with the Barangay Council of Tamugan, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office and the City Engineers Office.

Among those who participated in the tree planting activity are: Steward of Nature (SON, Inc) from Toril District, Ateneo Mountaineering Club (AMC), Earth and Nature Mountaineering Club, LAYAK Outdoors from Calinan, SANDAWA-APO, Team 3/4 and Team EN ROUTE Mountaineering Organization.

2009-08-29T11:36:00.003+08:00

Davao Dads To Join Int’l Sister City Summit

Three Davao City councilors are set to attend the Philippines International Sisterhood and Twinning Association (PHISTA) in Baguio City from August 30 to September 2, 2009.

“In connection with the Baguio City Centennial Celebration and the Sister Cities and Town Twinning Summit you are hereby directed to travel to Baguio City to represent the city government of Davao in the said activity,” Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said in a memorandum order directed to councillors Rachel Zozobrado, Susan Isabel Reta and Louie John Bonguyan.

Reta heads the Council Committee on Tourism while Bonguyan heads the Council Committee on Cooperative and People’s Participation.

Duterte has authorized the three councillors to join the PHISTA activity in Baguio considering it is an international event that will allow the councillors to exchange experiences with domestic and international officials in the areas of trade, tourism and international relations among others.

A total of 15 international sister cities and 18 local sister cities of Baguio City are expected to participate in the event. Duterte said the participation cost of the three councillors will be shouldered by the City Government of Baguio.

“This will be a very good opportunity to learn and share experiences with the other domestic and international delegates to the event since one of the scheduled activities is the sharing of best practices both for the domestic and international participants,’ International Relations Committee chair Rachel Zozobrado said.

She said Davao is very active when it comes to twinning agreements but the committee would like to see a more active agreement that will not only remain on paper, but which will also yield positive results for both cities involved in the sisterhood agreement.

The City Council of Baguio has unanimously approved a resolution 25 years ago on February 2, 1984 to invite Davao as a sister city. The visit could perhaps rekindle the interest to form a sisterhood agreement between the two cities, even if both cities are on the opposite ends of the archipelago and they represent different cultures, heritage and customs.

While Davao City has several sisterhood agreements with international cities, one of the latest and high-profile sisterhood agreements it entered into locally is the one with San Juan City.

2009-08-24T04:36:00.006+08:00

Exchange of medical services between Davao, Manado eyed

Patients from Manado, Indonesia will soon benefit from Davao City’s well-developed medical facilities and well-trained medical practitioners, once the sisterhood agreement between Davao and Manado is signed.

“This is possible considering that we have agreed to add Health and Wellness to the fields of cooperation between the two cities under the sisterhood agreement,” Committee on International Relations chair Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

She said the soon-to-be signed sisterhood agreement will also include other areas of cooperation including Human Resources, Science and Technology, Trade and Economic Developments, Education, Youth and Sports, Environment and Urban Management as well as Information and Communication Technology.

“We are actually very excited about the development of the terms of the sisterhood agreement and we are all hopeful that it will not only remain on paper, but will translate to actual programs and projects for both cities,” she said.

City Tourism Chief Rizal Giovanni Aportadera, who attended the International Relations Committee hearing, said during his visit in Manado, he was informed that cases which cannot be handled by the medical practitioners and facilities in Manado are being brought to Davao City for treatment.

“This would make the inclusion of health and wellness in the fields of cooperation for the Davao-Manado sisterhood agreement very viable,” he said.

This was confirmed by Indonesian Consul Lalu Malik Partawana, who said this is also the same case even for patients from Bitung, who are also brought to Manado or Davao City for treatment. He said there are a lot of possibilities with the inclusion of health in the sisterhood agreement.

Zozobrado said Davao City is very developed when it comes to its medical services and facilities. She said the health and wellness field extends even beyond the medical tourism field which is also being eyed for promotion by the city’s tourism sector.

“We have lots of well-trained medical personnel in the city and we are also proud of the medical facilities offered by government hospitals like the Davao Medical Center and private hospitals like Davao Doctors Hospital,” she added.

She said this will add to the traffic between Davao and Manado, and will hopefully promote repeat visits for residents of both cities.

2009-08-24T04:30:00.002+08:00

Soft loans to small investors in Tugbok, Talomo residents eyed

Microfinancing or soft loans are being eyed for the calamity-stricken districts of Tugbok and Talomo, to allow small businesses and farmers in the areas to rebuild their lives and businesses after the flashflood that hit them last month.

“We are requesting government financial institutions to grant soft loans to small investors in the areas declared by the city council to be under a state of calamity,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Zozobrado has passed a resolution requesting government financial institutions such as the Philippine National Bank, Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines, PAGCOR and providers of development assistance to grant soft loans not only to the small investors affected by the heavy rains and flashfloods last June 29, 2009 but also to marginal farmers and small entrepreneurs. The City Council also suggested the inclusion of Quedancor, GSIS and SSS to the list.

The City Council, which declared a state of calamity in the Districts of Talomo and Tugbok last July, also granted a total of P1,025,000 million to these areas.

She said the affected entrepreneurs and farmers are seeking immediate financial assistance from the government financial institutions to mitigate the impact of calamity to their businesses and to rehabilitate them as well.

“What they need are soft loans from government institutions and those that provide development assistant for small businesses to enable them to raise their income level and improve their living standards and to rehabilitate what was destroyed or lost by reason of the calamity,” she said.

Zozobrado said these small investors need to recover the capital they lost as a result of the calamity. By providing them soft loans, the loan providers will be able to help them start again, she added.

2009-07-28T21:45:00.002+08:00

Env’t and urban mgt part of Davao-Manado sisterhood

Both the cities of Davao and Manado in North Sulawesi Indonesia, are growing cities, so the soon-to-be-signed sisterhood agreement between the two cities will include environment and urban management.

“The reason why we amended the sisterhood agreement before its renewal is to make it responsive to the present developments being faced by the two cities,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado, chair of the Committee on International Relations said.

The original sisterhood agreement signed between the two cities was in 1993 and a lot of changes have occurred almost 16 years after the signing, she said. It is thus very important to review the terms of the agreement, she added, so we can make it tailored-fit to the signs of the times.

Zozobrado said she has discussed the proposed amendments with Indonesian Consul Lalu Malik Partawana and they have agreed to come up with a dynamic agreement that will mirror the present developments in both cities.

She said that while the amendments will still be reviewed by the Committee on International Relations this second week of August, both parties have agreed in principle, to include not only Information and Communication Technology in the agreement, but also the very timely issue of environment and urban management.

“Both cities are becoming the urban centers of their regions and we would like to be able to contribute to each city’s development by prioritizing environment and urban management issues,” she said.

The reason why cities encounter problems with traffic and other infrastructure is because of the lack of planning. By incorporating environment and urban management in the sisterhood agreement, she said, both Davao and Manado recognizes the need for proper planning to steer both city’s development to the right direction.

“This is in fact a very exciting sisterhood agreement because it is more proactive and considers the future demands of both cities when in comes to growth and development,” she said.

Zozobrado said the Consul has been very cooperative in negotiating for the new agreement. We are confident that we have a sisterhood agreement that will be of help to both cities in the long term.

2009-07-11T12:36:00.001+08:00

Five sisterhood agreements for Davao in the works

The realization of at least five sisterhood agreements being finalized between Davao City and other foreign cities is expected to strengthen Davao’s economy even in the face of economic recession.

“We are presently following up at least five sisterhood agreements between Davao and other cities and we expect some of these to become final before the year ends,’ Council Committee on International Relations chairperson Rachel Zozobrado said.

These agreements, she said, do not only promote exchange visits and tourism opportunities but also investments between the two cities involved in the pact.

Zozobrado said they are in the process of finalizing the renewal or the forging of sisterhood agreements with the cities of Manado and Bitung in Indonesia, Mersin City in Turkey, Darwin City in Northern Territory, Australia, Uijeongbu City in Korea and Tacoma City in Washington, DC.

The city is confident that some of these sisterhood agreements will be renewed or forged before the year ends particularly the agreement with the cities of Manado and Bitung in Indonesia.
“We already have the additional terms requested by the Indonesia side as provided by Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana who has recently been authorized by Indonesian officials to negotiate the sisterhood agreements between Davao and the cities of Manado and Bitung,” she said.

Davao City’s sisterhood agreement with Bitung and Manado has already expired and while the agreements are automatically renewed after expiration unless revoked by either parties, both Indonesia and Davao officials would like to introduce new provisions in the sisterhood agreement.

Zozobrado said “we have prepared the terms of the new sisterhood agreement but we are still enhancing the provisions so that the resulting agreement would be a dynamic one which would really make a difference in the development of Davao City and the cities of Bitung and Manado.’
The agreement has been scheduled for first reading and is subject to the approval of the Committee on International Relations.

She said Davao’s sisterhood agreement with Darwin City is moving at a slower but sure pace with the visit of a contingent from the city to Darwin during last May’s Arafura Games. There is also a plan to invite the Lord Mayor to visit the city during the 2010 Araw ng Dabaw.

She said prospects for the signing of an agreement with Uijeongbu is also high considering that both Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Moon Won have already signed a Letter of Intent that will pave the way for the sisterhood pact.

2009-07-05T16:02:00.005+08:00

3rd District Councilors Bats For Women Empowerment

Third district councilors Rachel Zozobrado and Myrna Dalodo Ortiz are strengthening their community projects and programs for women.

“We are eyeing the conduct of livelihood programs for women to empower them,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said during this morning’s “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” television program aired over ABS CBN.

Zozobrado said women play a very important role in society so it is important to empower them. Her office is scheduled to conduct a series of livelihood trainings on cooking, sewing and recycling.

“We consulted the third district women so we can prepare livelihood programs that will meet their needs; lisod man pud na magpataka lang mi ug training unya dili pud diay sila interesado (it’s not good to just decide which livelihood programs to train them for since they might not be interested),” she said.

On the other hand, Dalodo-Ortiz who is one of those behind the drafting of the Women Development Code said her program for women is a continuing effort. Her office regularly conducts gender sensitivity programs for women.

2009-06-18T05:45:00.002+08:00

Davao-Uijeongbu to sign LOI for sisterhood agreement

Officials of Davao City and Uijeongbu City in Korea are set to sign a Letter of Intent that will pave the way for the establishment of a sisterhood agreement between the two cities.

A 16-person delegation from Uijeongbu City consisting of representatives from the government, business sector and the media are set to arrive in the city at 4PM today in time for the signing of the LOI at the Grand Menseng Hotel on June 17. The delegation is headed by Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Moon won.

“The delegation from Uijeongbu has signified their intention to promote friendship and understanding between the two cities through the signing of an LOI now and a Friendship or sisterhood agreement later on,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Uijeongbu, which is a city in Gyeonggi Province of South Korea, has established sisterhood agreements with Shibata in Japan and in Richmond, Virginia in the United States.

Zozobrado said it is high time that we establish a sisterhood agreement with Uijeongbu considering that there are already existing efforts to promote tourism between the two areas. There are also Korean nationals living in the city at present and who have even established their own businesses here.

Under the terms of the LOI, Zozobrado said, both cities agree to solidify the relationship between Davao and Uijeongbu and work for a common purpose. The agreement provides the conduct of exchange visits between Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Uijeongbu Mayor Kim Moon won.

The LOI also provides exchanges between the two cities in the area of tourism, sports, health, economic, trade, cultural and other common interest.

The Uijeongbu delegation also includes businessmen specifically Nong Hyup Bank manager Chang Hyeong Lee, Jeong-Ah Industry CEO Han Ju Kim, Seo-kwang ENC CEO Jong Hyup Lee, Sam II Construction CEO Chan Beom Heo, Architect Hyung Ki Shin and Pyeong An Trans President San Joon Heo.

2009-06-06T12:15:00.002+08:00

Davao-Darwin sisterhood to push for teaching of Filipino language

The planned sisterhood between Davao City and Darwin City in Australia will not only focus on the economic aspects but will also explore the possibility of promoting culture between the two cities.

“The Northern Territory government is planning to explore the possibility of teaching the Filipino language as the fourth language for their students,” International Relations committee chair councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Zozobrado headed the Sister-City Delegation that visited Darwin last month in time for the Arafura Games.

Darwin, Northern Territory’s capital city, has grown tremendously tourism and economic wise. It boasts of a new $1 billion waterfront area that houses hotels and apartment blocks, a wade pool plus a new convention center.

Zozobrado said tourism development is one area that can be jointly developed as part of the planned sisterhood agreement between Davao and Darwin Cities. However, she said, Darwin’s economy is no longer just tourism-based but they also have a new oil processing facility which is expected to further attract fresh investments.

“Northern Territory is a place where you can find lots of Filipinos; in fact, the Filipinos are now the second largest migrant community in the Northern Territory next only to the Greeks,” she said.

She said they are supporting the Northern Territory’s plan to teach the Filipino language to their students considering that the Filipinos make up a large community in the area. This, she said, could be part of the sisterhood agreement between the two cities.

Zozobrado said Northern Territory educational institutions are already teaching foreign languages to their students including Mandarin, Japanese and Bahasa Indonesia. If this plan pushes through, she added, the Filipino language will be the fourth foreign language that will be taught to NT students.

“The sisterhood agreement will not only develop economic ties between the two cities but will also push for cultural ties between the two cities especially with the proposal to teach Filipino in their schools,” she said. If the NT government is considering this possibility then this may be a sign of more economic and cultural exchanges not only between Davao and Darwin but other NT areas as well, she added.

2009-06-04T10:24:00.001+08:00

Davao business urged: explore trading ventures in Belgium

Davao City entrepreneurs can take advantage of the various economic opportunities in Belgium particularly when it comes to the exports. While 80% of the trading activities of Belgium are done with the European Countries it however seeks the expansion of its trading opportunities with other countries like the Philippines.

“Belgium is a very rich country but it has very few natural resources making importation a substantial part of their economy,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Belgium is considered by the United States as its top 12 largest export market and if Davao can only get a fraction of this market then our exporters would have a very feasible market.

Zozobrado welcomed the Belgian Business Council Mission to Davao City headed by Ambassador Gregoire Vardakis last May 26.

“Davao has always envisioned an economy that will create jobs and contribute to the long-term prosperity of the city and its residents,” Zozobrado said. She told Ambassador Vardakis and the other delegation members including Belgian Filipino Business Club officials and South-East Asia Puratos president Bernard Popilmont that the city is interested in seeking partnerships and expand commercial opportunities between Davao and Belgium.

Zozobrado said the Belgian Council Mission visited the city to establish contacts with the business community in Davao. The delegation, she said, wanted to explore possible business opportunities in the city.

Belgium imports food products, clothing and accessories and textiles and these are some of the areas that can be explored by Davao’s business sector. Its other imports are chemicals, petroleum, rough diamonds and machinery. There is also a great possibility that Belgium might be interested in the city’s Business Process Outsourcing industry.

2009-06-04T10:24:00.000+08:00

2009-05-30T10:27:00.000+08:00

Davao to turn green with USAID’s support

Davao City’s long-term goal of ultimately turning green is expected to become a reality with the help of the United States Agency for International Development.

USAID Office of Energy and Environment Chief Daniel C. Moore recently assured Councilor Rachel Zozobrado that USAID will “continue to support Davao City’s initiatives.” This was in response to resolution No. 01888-09 where the city council requested the National Economic Development Authority to include the city in the projects that will be implemented under the USAID-NEDA Assistance Agreement signed in September last year.

With that resolution, Moore said, the Davao City Sanggunian has reaffirmed its commitment to partner with USAID to continue to tackle the city’s critical environmental concerns.

“Davao City has been a strong lifetime partner of USAID in addressing environmental problems through a number of partnerships,” Moore said.

Among these, he said, is the Philippine Environmental Governance Project specifically aimed for coastal and forest resources management as well as solid waste management. Also included is the Sustainable Energy Development Program for cleaner through alternative fuels promotion and the Energy and Clear Air Project to reduce pollutive emissions.

“Davao City has one of the world’s cleanest drinking water and these environment-focused programs will help us maintain the city’s competitive advantage,” Zozobrado said.

2009-05-29T10:11:00.006+08:00

Belgian Business Council In Davao For Business Mission

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado represented Vice Mayor Sara Duterte in welcoming members of a European Trade and Investment Exploratory Mission lead by Ambassador Gregorie Vardakis of the Kingdom of Belgium last May 26, 2009.

Among those who joined the delegation were Daniel Masui-President of the Belgian Filipino Business Club, Helen Grace Baisa-vice president of the Belgian Filipino Business Club, Grace Lacerna-secretary of the Belgian Filipino Business Club and Bernard Popllmont-president of East Asia Puratos Philippines,

2009-05-28T22:53:00.004+08:00

Zozobrado Turns Over SNNHS Infra Project

3rd District Councilor Rachel Zozobrado formally turned over a concrete pathway to the parents, students and teachers of the Sto. Niño National High School in Barangay Sto. Nino, Tugbok District. The turn-over coincided with the 9th Recognition Day of the school last March 31, 2009.

The concrete pathway project worth P150,000 was made possible through Zozobrado’s ADF or Annual Development Funds. The pathway, which spans from the school gate to the academic building passing through the school Gymnasium, will make life easier for students and teachers of the school who are now able to cross the school perimeters sans the mud and the flood usually caused by heavy rains.

“We wish to thank Honorable Rachel “Baby” Zozobrado for her generosity in looking into the needs of our school.”, said Leny R. San Gaspar , the Officer In-Charge of SNNHS. (leah p. ibañez)

2009-05-28T12:04:00.001+08:00

Conversion of durian waste into charcoal briquettes eyed

The city government of Davao and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources may have finally found a solution to the truckloads of durian waste left behind especially during the durian season. This is through a joint effort to implement a community-based project based on a resolution by councilor Rachel Zozobrado.

“Davao City is world-famous for its agricultural resources particularly durian. However, the demand for durian among locals and tourists is such that the city is left with trucks of durian waste when durian season comes,” Zozobrado said. One remedy to this problem, she said, is the establishment of a community-based project involving charcoal production out of durian waste.

Zozobrado earlier passed a resolution urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as well as the City Environment Office to adopt charcoal briquettes making as a community-based project. Charcoal briquettes production is not only a timely and practical community livelihood project for Dabawenyos but it is also a push for the environment, she said.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI regional director Jim O. Sampulna welcomed the resolution saying they are interested in collaborating with the city government in the pursuit of this project considering that “there is a big volume of durian pulp and bukong waste generated everyday.

DENR’s Ecosystems Research and Development Service has spearheaded the green technology of making charcoal briquettes using leaves, twigs, stems and other forest waste materials. The method is also not too complicated considering that it only requires that the forest wastes are carbonized, fed into a grinding machine, mixed with binders like gelatinized starch then compacted in a molder to produce uniform-sized charcoal briquettes.

Zozobrado said the charcoal briquettes are an environment-friendly fuel alternative which can be used by households and even business now that the price of liquefied petroleum gas has once again gone up.

She said the planned partnership between DENR XI and the local government of Davao is an ideal setup since DENR can conduct the training in coordination with the barangays. This community-based project can also provide possible livelihood for the community, she said.

More livelihood opportunities will evolve once the community is properly trained about the process of producing charcoal briquettes using forest waste, she said. This will also ease the pressure off our forests and the environment, she added.

2009-05-23T18:03:00.000+08:00

Davao-Darwin sisterhood to promote tourism in both cities

The forging of a sisterhood agreement between Davao City and Darwin City can be mutually beneficial to the tourism industry of both sectors as this is a complementary resource between the two cities.

“I am hoping to meet with some officials from Darwin City to possibly discuss the proposed sisterhood agreement between the two cities,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said before she left for Darwin, Australia as part of the delegation sent by the city for the Arafura Games. She said while the primary reason for going to Darwin is the Arafura Games she will also try to follow up with the Australian official who met with her in Davao prior to the Darwin trip to discuss the sisterhood agreement.

Zozobrado said Darwin in Northern Territory is known for its mining and tourism industry. But more than anything else, she said, it is the tourism sector which the two cities can explore since it is very feasible. At least 8% of Darwin’s residents are employed by the tourism sector and the city is gearing up for a major tourism boost both for domestic and international tourism.

Like Davao City which is proud of its Kadayawan Festival, she said, Darwin too has its own festival—the Darwin Festival. Tourism is a big thing for both cities and perhaps we can encourage exchange visits among our people to promote the tourism of both cities.

Zozobrado said that like Davao City, Darwin also has lots of beaches that offer unpolluted swimming to both locals and tourists. Sports is also another complementary area among the two cities. Darwin, she said, has been hosting the Arafura Games every two years since 1991 with the exception of the year 2003 when there was a SARS outbreak.

2009-05-10T09:02:00.001+08:00

Indon Consul gets authority for sisterhood agreements with Davao

The renewal of the sisterhood agreements between Davao City and the cities of Manado and Bitong is expected to be fasttracked with the authority given to Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana by the Indonesia officials.

“We were informed by the office of Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana that he has been given the authority to negotiate with us for the renewal of the sisterhood agreements between the two Indonesian cities and Davao City,” Council Committee on International Relations chairperson councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Davao City’s sisterhood agreement with Bitung and Manado has already expired. Zozobrado said while the agreements are automatically renewed after expiration unless revoked by either parties, both Indonesia and and Davao officials would like to introduce new provisions in the sisterhood agreement.

“We have prepared the terms of the new sisterhood agreement but we are still enhancing the provisions so that the resulting agreement would be a dynamic one which would really make a difference in the development of Davao City and the cities of Bitung and Manado,” Zozobrado said.

She said they are eyeing a sisterhood agreement that pave the way for more active economic and social ties with the two cities.

Zozobrado, Indonesia has expressed its desire to renew the sisterhood agreement with Davao along time ago but the officials of both Manado and Bitung have been busy with their own state of affairs so the agreement has been stalled.

The Indonesian consul has requested a more detailed document that will feature the benefits that can be derived by Davao, Manado and Bitung from the sisterhood agreement and Zozobrado said they have already provided the Consul with said document.

“Finally we have been informed that Indonesian Consul General Lalu Malik Partawana can negotiate and approve the terms of the sisterhood agreements so we can already fasttrack the signing of the sisterhood agreement,” Zozobrado said.

Davao has lots of similarities with the two Indonesia cities aside from their common membership in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA.

Bitung in North Sulawesi is popular for its colorful and healthy marine life while Manado in North Sulawesi is a growing city much like Davao.

2009-04-22T08:09:00.002+08:00

Zozobrado, Braga now members of Housing sub-committee

A subcommittee on housing, rural, and urban development was created Tuesday to tackle proposed developments, such as subdivisions and industrial plants.

The move was spearheaded by Floor Leader Danilo Dayanghirang under suspended rules Tuesday afternoon when session resumed after lunch break.

Councilor Bonifacio Militar chairs the subcommittee, while Councilors Rachel Zozobrado and Pilar Braga are its members.

The committee on housing is still chaired by Councilor Arnmolfo Ricardo Cabling, but two of its members resigned and were thus replaced.

Councilor Peter Laviña, who resigned last week with the emergence of the LBDM issue, was replaced by Councilor Louie John Bonguyan. Councilor Wilberto Al-ag, who resigned as committee member Tuesday morning during his privilege speech, was replaced by Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad.

Al-ag said he did not want to be dragged in the controversy.

Cabling, on the other hand, is relieved that some of the workload in the committee will be relegated.

"I have been lobbying for the creation of a subcommittee since we have so many items. Puno kaayo ang committee on housing, daghan pending (There are so many items pending at the committee)," Cabling said. (Grace L. Plata)

2009-04-19T21:50:00.000+08:00

Davao, Mersin sisterhood stalled

The forging of a sisterhood agreement between Davao City and Mersin City in Turkey may be delayed due to the transfer of lead proponent Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Bahnarim Guinomla.

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said it was Guinomla who communicated to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte the possibility of forging a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City. However, she said, Guinomla is now back in Davao City as the assistant secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Mindanao.

“We have been communicating with Ambassador Guinomla to fasttrack the Davao’s sisterhood with Turkey prior to his transfer to the city but we were only able to go as far as establishing the two city’s intention to forge the agreement,” she said.

Zozobrado said Guinomla’s presence in Turkey was one of the factors that could have hastened the forging of the sisterhood agreement since he already got the commitment of all heads during the First Conference of Heads of Philippine Honorary Consular Posts in Turkey. However, she said, they will try to work things out with the new Philippine Ambassador to Turkey and the other officials there who are willing to help out in establishing a relationship between Mersin and Davao.

“I have spoken with Assistant Secretary Guinomla and he is willing to help us in forging the agreement even if he is already based here,” Zozobrado said. At least we now have someone here in Davao who can help us out in establishing the sisterhood agreement, she added.

Mersin City is one of the ten largest cities in Turkey in terms of agricultural, industrial and commercial potential. It is considered the site of the largest port on the Turkish Mediterranean and is the center of maritime commerce in Turkey.

The proposed sisterhood with Turkey aims to foster mutual understanding through people to people exchanges, tourism promotion as well as trade and investment activities. Furthermore, she added, a sisterhood agreement between Mersin City and Davao City will strengthen the overall bilateral relations between Turkey and the Philippines.

Mersin City has existing sisterhood pacts with Latakia, Syria and Kushimoto, Japan.

2009-04-19T21:47:00.002+08:00

Council declares Mintal a Japanese heritage site

BARANGAY Mintal has officially been declared a Japanese heritage site Tuesday through a resolution passed by the Davao City Council in recognition of the historical bonds between the people of Japan and Davao.

Mintal was then known as "Little Tokyo" during the World War II.

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado, City Council chair of the committee on international relations, said Barangay Mintal will construct a Japanese-themed park and will also reconstruct Japanese relic sites in the barangay.

"Ang target is mahuman siya (it will be finished) by August when most Japanese tourists visit the city. With city tourism, a barangay tourism council will be established, patterned after the Japanese Heritage declaration. This will hopefully make Mintal another tourist destination," Zozobrado said.

Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) chief Roberto Teo earlier said, "The declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site will encourage residents to look at possible economic activities which they can do to attract Japanese and other tourists."

Philippine Nikkei Jinkai Inc. chairman Bernardo Fernandez said all of Mintal used to be occupied and owned by the Japanese.

Barangay captain Ramon Bargamento has already identified a site where the planned Japanese garden would be built, the small plaza beside the Mintal Gym.

However, Historical Society chair Enrica Babao said the place is too small and suggested that they scout for bigger areas since there are lots of government institutions in the area like the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Bureau of Plant Industry.

2009-04-05T10:59:00.000+08:00

World Oceans Meet A Pitch For EAGA’s Water Resources

The World Ocean’s Conference slated in Manado, Indonesia on May 11 to 14 is another chance for the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area member economies to pitch for the region’s water resources.

“It is worthwhile to note that the World Ocean’s Conference which will be attended not only by EAGA members but also by other countries is being hosted by our neighbor and sister city Manado,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. This is a good opportunity for the EAGA members to raise their concerns about the status of their water resources.

BIMP-EAGA is an economic cooperation among the member countries which seeks to develop the region’s common and complementing resources including tourism, agriculture and education. Water might as well be a common concern among EAGA members, Zozobrado said, considering that all our shorelines are closely linked.

She said the Conference will tackle important issues involving the world’s seas and oceans. Considering the possible water crisis that we are about to experience in the future sans the passage of urgent measures, she said, the Conference should be considered an ideal venue to plan specific measures to protect our water resources.

Zozobrado said Davao City is known to have not only one of the cleanest and potable drinking water sources but it is also an area known for its pristine diving and fishing sites. It is time for us to closely share our experiences as well as our emerging problems related to our water sources and the Conference will surely be significant venue for doing that.

2009-03-31T09:24:00.001+08:00

Davao HS Grads urged to opt for TechVoc courses

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado is urging Davao City high school graduates to consider taking technical and vocational courses for free through the Pangulong Gloria Scholarships offered through the various Tesda centers all over the country.

“Most of our high school graduates automatically choose white collar courses like accounting and this has led to an imbalance in the competencies supply of our graduates vis a vis the work being demanded here and abroad,” said Zozobrado who has been appointed by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to sit as his representative in the Davao City Technical Education and Skills Development Committee.

The problem with out graduates is their propensity to veer towards course that will get them employed in offices. However this is an unwise decision most of the time because our graduates should be encouraged to enroll in courses that will give them a chance to go into business for themselves later on.

“Technical and vocational graduates are very in demand abroad and if they want to work for themselves or to work in other countries then this is the way to go,” she said. Take a look at Canada Immigration’s application form and you will be surprised at how this country puts a premium on skilled workers, she said.

Zozobrado said high school graduates whose financial incapacity prevents them from taking four-year courses in college should consider enrolling in TESDA’s technical and vocational courses which are offered for free under the Pangulong Gloria Scholarships. This scholarship program, which provides free training, funding and free competency assessment, is in line with the Arroyo administration’s Economic Resiliency Program.

The program, she said, aims to produce a pool of workers who are not only qualified but also globally competent and job ready. The Gloria Scholarship is also ideal for those who are unemployed, underemployed, displaced workers or returning overseas Filipino workers.

Zozobrado said there is no longer any reason for Davao’s high school graduates to stop their education due to financial reasons. If you are at least 15 years old then you are qualified to apply for the Gloria Scholarships. However, you have to take the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) or the Youth Profiling for Starring Careers (YP4SC).

2009-03-28T18:16:00.003+08:00

Earth hour is more than a symbol, 56MW to be saved

Observing “Earth Hour” by switching off your electricity from 8:30 to 9:30 PM today Saturday, March 28, 2009 will not only be a symbol of cooperation among those who want to stop global warming. It is also a surefire way of saving on electric consumption.

“Aside from making a political statement, the one hour Earth Hour will also save some 560 megawatts of power for the Philippines alone,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. That’s the target of the Department of Energy for this year’s Earth Hour. The country saved 80MWh from last year’s Earth hour which was joined by more than one million Filipinos. The organizers of Earth Hour are targeting 10 million Filipino participants this year thereby increasing the amount of energy saved for just an hour.

Zozobrado said Luzon saved 56MWh of power while Metro Manila saved 16 MWh of power in just one hour during last year’s Earth Hour observance. The power saved is already equivalent to shutting down a small coal-fired power plant for one hour.

“We should use this occasion to jumpstart efficient energy use not only for an hour but the whole year round,” she said. The practice of certain government offices in regulating the use of air conditioners is already a good start but needs a more serious implementation.

She said even the private sector should contribute in power conservation by regulating their power use. Observance of the one hour power outage during the Earth Hour is already a good start but it should have a follow through to be more successful, she added.

Zozobrado said the approval of the Renewable Energy Bill, which took 19 years, should also be considered a good start for the government. However, she added, it should jumpstart other energy conservation laws.

Earth Hour aims to get more people involved in reducing the greenhouse gases and in other issues involving climate change. The key here, she said, is to limit the use of non-essential lights and electrical appliances not only for an hour but for the rest of the year.

2009-03-27T10:23:00.003+08:00

Smoke ban in Marlboro country should be eye-opener for Dabawenyos

The smoking ban in Marlboro country should be enough eye-opener for Dabawenyos violating Ordinance No. 043-02 popularly known as The Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Davao City.

“The ordinance is being implemented for almost seven years now but there are still plenty of Dabawenyos violating the ordinance without even fear of being caught red-handed,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Perhaps, the risk of getting cancer and other diseases caused by smoking does not scare them but here’s one that should really make Dabawenyo smokers stand up and consider their smoking habit, she added.

The State of Virginia, known as Marlboro country because it is the home of Marlboro and the location of Philip Morris’ largest cigarette factory producing Marlboro and Virginia Slims has approved a bill that will ban smoking in most Virginia restaurants and bars. The bill, which was signed by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, will become effective December 1, 2009.

Under Virginia’s newly-approved law, smoking will be restricted to separate rooms that have their own ventilation. Exposure to cigarette smoke can increase the formation of free radicals in the body which destroy human cells. Cigarette smoke contains cancer-causing agents or carcinogens which damage important genes in the body.

“When the home state of a cigarette brand, which is earning millions from taxes and employment brought about by Marlboro, decides to restrict smoking in their public places then people should really be getting worried because this is proof that the health scare brought about by smoking is finally gaining grounds,” Zozobrado said.

Virginia is not however the first state in America to have banned or restricted smoking. Twenty-three of the 50 States, plus Washington, D.C. have banned smoking in public areas. The tobacco states of North Carolina and the other states of South Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming are still debating the ban.

“Davao has pioneered the smoking ban in the Philippines but it seems there is still a lot to be done in terms of convincing Dabawenyos to observe the law,” Zozobrado said. Despite the serious campaign of the city government to limit smoking to restricted areas, there are Dabawenyos who unabashedly violate the law, she added.

“I am appealing to the anti-smoking enforcers to please implement the law when necessary,” she said. Smoking has caused millions of deaths all over the world and if we want to protect our health and the health of our children then we must ensure that the Anti-Smoking Ordinance is properly implemented at all times no matter who gets affected.

2009-03-09T05:20:00.003+08:00

Mintal to become new tourist attraction with heritage declaration

Barangay Mintal will soon become Davao City’s newest tourist attraction with the declaration of the barangay as a Japanese heritage site.

“The declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site will encourage the residents to look at possible economic activities which they can do to attract Japanese and other tourists,” Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief Roberto Teo said.

The stakeholders and other agencies and offices agreed to finally pass for the City Council’s approval the resolution declaring barangay Mintal as a Japanese Heritage Site. This after the Committee on International Relations headed by councilor Rachel Zozobrado conducted its third and final committee hearing on the proposed resolution yesterday.

Teo said it is only fitting to declare the area as a Japanese Heritage Site considering that it has indeed been identified by researchers as an area where the Japanese settled from 1919 to 1945. The location, he said, is very important because Japanese tourists would definitely want to pay homage and visit the sites previously occupied by their ascendants.

Zozobrado, who also hails from Mintal, said the barangay has always been known as Little Tokyo. She said the passage of the resolution declaring Mintal as a Japanese heritage site is long overdue since it would have already attracted Japanese tourists last August.

Philippine Nikkei Jinkai Incorporated Chairman Bernardo Fernandez said all of Mintal before was occupied and owned by the Japanese. Historically, he said, the entire Mintal area is really a Japanese community.

Barangay Captain Ramon Bargamento has already identified a site where the planned Japanese garden would be built, the small plaza beside the Mintal Gym. However, Historical Society Chair Enrica Babao said the place is too small and suggested that they scout for bigger areas in the area since there are lots of government institutions in the area like the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Bureau of Plant Industry.

The committee agreed to look into other areas where the suggested Japanese garden will be located as a symbol of Japan’s heritage.

2009-02-21T09:29:00.003+08:00

Charcoal production to provide green livelihood for Dabawenyos

Among the two urgent things that require man’s attention today is the economy and the environment and councilor Rachel Zozobrado said there is a way to find a common ground between the two through charcoal production using forest wastes.

“Charcoal briquettes production is not only a timely and practical community livelihood project for Dabawenyos but it is also a push for the environment,” Zozobrado said while explaining the reason why she passed a resolution urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as well as the City Environment Office to adopt the community-based project.

DENR’s Ecosystems Research and development Bureau developed the technology of making charcoal briquettes using leaves, twigs, stems and other forest waste materials. The method is also not too complicated considering that it only requires that the forest wastes are carbonized, fed into a grinding machine, mixed with binders like gelatinized starch then compacted in a molder to produce uniform-sized charcoal briquettes.

Once the community is properly trained about the process of producing charcoal briquettes using forest waste, she said, there will be more livelihood alternatives for them which will also ease the pressure off our forests and the environment. Upland farmers traditionally cut down trees to produce charcoal but this project will reduce the practice of cutting trees in the natural forests, she added.

“The charcoal briquettes are an environment-friendly fuel alternative which can be used by households and even business now that the price of liquefied petroleum gas has once again gone up,” Zozobrado said. She said that when tested, the briquettes are easy to ignite and emit a steady heat with low clean flame.

Instead of discouraging upland farmers from cutting trees without giving them an alternative, she said, why not train them in the process of making charcoal briquettes using forest waste? This way, Zozobrado said, they will still retain their livelihood while keeping the environment safe.

The DENR can conduct the training in coordination with the barangays to provide possible livelihood for the community, she said.

2009-02-20T09:52:00.003+08:00

Toril, Marilog urged to spearhead chevon industry

Toril and Marilog Districts in Davao City can become big economically by taking advantage of their locations and concentrate on viable business ventures such as the chevon industry.

“Demand for chevon or goat meat is so high worldwide especially in the United States that there is a lot of possibilities in terms of export,” Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. She said this was already confirmed by the Department of Trade and Industry as it urged Southern Mindanao to take advantage of the growing demand for chevon worldwide.

Reports show that up to 1.5 million pounds of goat meat is imported by the US from New Zealand and Australia every week. Goat meat is one of the leading red meat products and accounts for 63% of the red meat being consumed worldwide.

Zozobrado said the local government is at a dilemma about what to do with the unemployed including those who have just graduated and can’t find jobs as well as Overseas Filipino Workers who have been laid off from their jobs. This can be a good business venture considering that the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration is providing initial capitalization for OFWs who will be sent home, she said.

The chevon industry is not only a backyard industry that can provide livelihood to the barangays but it has the potential of providing employment to a lot of people including farm hands who will raise the goat, slaughterhouse staff and those in charge of marketing.

“Of all the areas in the city it is the third district which has a great potential for the chevon industry given its overall landscape,” she said. Goat meat, she said, is preferred not only for ethnic reasons but also because chevon digest more easily, is low fat and is a good alternative to fish or chicken,

DTI has already included the chevon industry under its Comprehensive Livelihood Emergency Employment Program or CLEEP which is the government’s poverty alleviation program formed to address the economic crisis.

Zozobrado said most of the barangays in the third district have been identified as poor barangays and this is their chance to rise from poverty. She said they residents can take advantage of the support being offered by the Department of Agriculture in terms of goat raising training and the DTI in marketing and business planning.

2009-02-05T04:37:00.002+08:00

Zozobrado appeals to colleagues: make laws work

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado appealed to fellow members of the 15th City Council to try to make the laws they have approved work before attempting to amend or change it to suit certain needs.

“This representation humbly appeals dear Colleagues that we make the enactments and ordinances that we have made work, just a little bit more,” Zozobrado said. If we must amend, she said, let us amend when the cobwebs of doubt have been totally cleared from our minds and our hearts.

Zozobrado’s appeal came as a result of an issue that has divided the city council into choosing between water or power. The issue stems from the hydropower plant being proposed by Hedcor in the Tamugan River which has been identified by the Watershed Code as a conservation area.

Hedcor and the Davao City Water District are fighting for the right to use the Tamugan-Panigan River. There is not question that both DCWD and Hedcor’s goals and efforts are laudable and will inure to the benefit of Dabawenyos.

However, Zozobrado said, the Tamugan-Panigan River has been identified under the Watershed Code as an environmentally-critical area where development or commercial activity of any sort is prohibited to ensure the sustainability of the city’s water supply.

“The Watershed Code’s goal is to shield the ecosystem and the communities benefiting from the watershed area from the dangers of commercial activity,” she said. Of course, she added, the city council can amend the Code but maybe that will defeat the purpose of enacting the Code in the first place.

Zozobrado said Dabawenyos are confronted with the stark reality that “when push comes to shove, we have to choose only one—water or power?” The fact however is that while the earth’s surface is 70% water, only a small part of the earth’s fresh water is actually potable or safe for human use.

“The importance of preserving watersheds, aquifer and other water resource for the primary purpose of sourcing potable water supply for the city could not be overemphasized,” she said. It is thus clear, she added, that the purpose of the authors of the Watershed Code in expressly prohibiting commercial activities in the watershed areas is to ensure the sustainability of the city’s water supply.

2009-02-05T04:32:00.001+08:00

PRIVILEGE SPEECH
Rachel P. Zozobrado
January 27, 2009
Regular Session

Madam President,
Esteemed Colleagues in the 15th City Council,
SP staff and employees,
Friends from the media,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.

I rise on a personal and collective privilege, to talk about that matter which is very dear to all of us.

That which is the source of life, the very same thing which, perhaps due to its perceived abundance, we sometimes take for granted…..

WATER.

Many may look at the geography of our City and see the Davao Gulf, the vast numbers of rivers and streams, and be lulled by a false security the presence of all these bodies of water may give us.

Sharo makabsan ta og tubig, di lagi na muhubas, not a few of us might say with confidence.

But, although we are blessed with plenty, our fresh water is not an unlimited resource. We should do everything we can to sustain and protect it.

In the face of a great many pressures on our water — from population growth, climate change, pollution and invasive species — we know we have to continue to take strong action to preserve and protect what is so essential to our quality of life.

Along with this is the protection of our aquifer and watersheds.

Our watersheds are significant water reservoirs for the 1.5 million, or so, residents of Davao City. Its forest houses indigenous species of plants, trees, and animals -- such is a wonder and a rarity within the boundaries of a thriving metropolitan. Thriving in the midst of an urban environment, it is inevitable that this sanctuary is vulnerable to encroachment and changing of land use to give way to the demands of urbanization. Clearly, protection of such a vital asset is needed to be in place.

Thus, in 2007, after years of reviews and study, the Watershed Protection, Conservation and Management Ordinance of the City, or Davao City’s Watershed Code, was enacted. And last year, the Implementing Rules and Regulations, were finally put in place. Many have lauded this landmark legislation which sought, among others, the protection of the aquifers and water resource areas from prohibited activities and for the protection against all forms of pollution or ecological imbalance.

The Code identified watersheds, especially those within the conservation area, as environmentally critical areas, where development or commercial activity of any sort is prohibited to ensure the sustainability of the city’s water supply. This would most definitely serve as a shield against the dangers posed on the ecosystem and the communities benefiting from the watershed area.

And now, even in its infancy, the provisions of our city’s Watershed Code are put to test.

For now, we are confronted, among others, with the controversial tussle between the Davao City Water District and Hedcor for the use of the Tamugan-Panigan River. An area identified in our Watershed Code as a conservation area.

There is no question that the goals and efforts of both DCWD and Hedcor are laudable and will inure to the benefit of the Davaoeños.

For who can question the importance of both water and power in our lives?

Who is not tempted by the declaration of the DCWD that several barangays, especially those of the second and third district which have been deprived for so long, will finally have continued access to potable water?

And who can resist the economic benefits, the potential sources of income, the long awaited infrastructure projects promised by Hedcor?

In a utopian world, or perhaps a less profit-oriented world, we would have had a happy compromise and enjoy the benefits of both.

But, perhaps, that is not to be.

And when we are confronted with stark reality, when push comes to shove, when we are faced with the task of choosing only one, for this particular area…. Water or power… the fact remains that:

While the Earth’s surface is composed of 70% water, almost all of this water, 97.2 %, to be exact, is in the ocean. Of the remaining 2.8%, 2.1 % is found in the polar icecaps and glaciers. Only 0.6% of the water on earth is fresh water found in lakes, rivers, and ground water. The remaining 0.1% is brackish water such as that found in the Great Salt Lake or the Dead Sea. Only a small part of the Earth’s Fresh water, therefore, is actually potable or safe for human use.

The importance of preserving watersheds, aquifer, and such other water resource for the primary purpose of sourcing potable water supply for Davao City, could not, therefore, be over emphasized.

And this, madam president, I believe, was what the authors and movers of the Watershed Code had in mind. This was the very reason for the identification and declaration of Tamugan as among the conservation areas of our City. It is undeniable that the rationale behind the express prohibition against the conduct of development and commercial activities in these identified environmentally critical areas is to ensure the SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CITY’S WATER SUPPLY.

The Code could not be clearer than that.

It is toward this end, madam president, that this humble representation respectfully seek the help of her esteemed colleagues in this body. This representation humbly appeal, Madam President, dear Colleagues, that we make the enactments and ordinances that we have made, WORK … just a little bit more.

For if we have to amend, if we must amend, let us amend when the cobwebs of doubt have been totally cleared from our minds and our hearts.

A wise man used to say: “Only after the last tree has been felled, the last river poisoned, the last fish caught, will man know that he cannot eat nor drink money.”

Let it be said, madam president, that during our watch, while gifted with intelligence and insight, with privilege and position, with the wealth of wisdom, and with the freedom and power of the human will.

Let it be said that in our time, and during our watch, we did our share. Let it be that in the hour of reckoning, when we look back, we look back not with regret but with gratification. And maybe, just maybe, we will make a little difference.

Thank you and once again, good morning.

2009-01-28T05:14:00.000+08:00

Dabawenyos should protect water sources before it dries up

Water may cover over 70% of the earth’s surface but Dabawenyos should disabuse their minds and stop believing that water is an infinite resource because it is not.

“Dabawenyos are very lucky because we have one of the cleanest potable water in the world---the second actually,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. However, she added, we should learn how to use our water wisely and protect our water sources from contaminants.

The world’s water supply is being depleted at an alarming rate and we should not think that we here in Davao are exempted from this worldwide phenomenon, she said. Just recently, Zozobrado said, the United States has admitted that at least 36 States are set to face water shortage in the next five years due to the drying up of their water sources as a result of drought, rising temperatures, urban sprawl, population growth excessive use and waste of water.

The Davao City Water District has already admitted that it is not comfortable with the 70-year lasting capacity projection on underground water sources. DCWD is thus undertaking studies to search for alternative sources of potable water supply. As if this was not enough, a study conducted by the Ateneo de Davao University and the DCWD confirmed the presence of pesticide in the city’s premier watersheds.

“This should be a wake up call to all of us to protect out water sources considering the growing population of Davao and the increasing industrialization of the city,” she said. We should put a premium and prioritize the safety of our water sources if we do not want to end up like the US, Australia, Africa and other countries faced with water shortage, she said. It is not only the US that is experiencing water shortage problems because even Australia is in the middle of a 30-year dry spell.

Zozobrado said the fact that Asia has 60% of the world’s population but we only have about 30% of the world’s fresh water supply. That is a very macro way of viewing the impending water problem but we can confront it by looking at our own water sources, she said.

She said DCWD has opposed the Hedcor-proposed hydroelectric power plants in Tamugan and Panigan rivers despite Hedcor’s assurance that it would not affect the city’s water supply because it already foresees a brewing water problem even without the plant.

“An increase in demand, the presence of pesticides in our water and now the planned construction of a power plant right on top of our water source may just put too much pressure on our aquifers and we would have to rue our decisions later on.” Zozobrado said.

2009-01-28T05:12:00.000+08:00

Mersin City’s solar technology to benefit Davao City

The benefits that Davao City can derive from the proposed sisterhood agreement with Mersin City in Turkey are almost endless but one significant area the city can start with is Mersin’s solar technology.

“It is high time that Davao City look for an alternative source of energy and one of the best sources we can tap is solar energy which is already widely used in Mersin City,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. She said the committee on international relations is in the process of gathering data and is set to propose a twinning agreement with Mersin City.

Mersin City is a highly developed city which boasts of being the location of the 52-floor Mertim Tower, the second tallest skyscraper in Turkey. However, Zozobrado said, what is distinctive about Mersin City is the use of solar heating panels on top of every building.

The signing into law of the Renewable Energy Act 2008 also known as RA 9513 last December 16 should encourage businesses to explore the possibility of investing in renewable energy sources in Davao City. This law, which provides tax and other incentives for businesses that will invest in renewable energy sources, signifies a more politically and economically-friendly atmosphere for these types of investments.

Solar panels are everywhere in Mersin City and we can replicate that here in Davao City, Zozobrado said. Solar energy can be converted into other energy forms to generate power through the use of devices called solar panels. Solar panels are multi-purpose because they can be used to generate electricity, heat and for domestic purposes such as heating home water.

“Solar panels are the same devices that brought power to Barangay Dalag in Marilog District,” Zozobrado said. The project, which was spearheaded by the Yamog non government organization, USAID and Davao Light Power Corporation (which provided the solar panels), has provided power to 30 households and two street lighting facilities in Marilog.

If this was done in Marilog, she said, then there is a possibility of doing this for some if not all parts of Davao City. “We can get feedback from Mersin City as to how they made the installation of solar panels in all buildings possible,” she added.

Zozobrado said they are already taking the initial steps to initiate the forging of a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City and hopes to ink something soon,

2008-12-30T07:52:00.002+08:00

Business urged: invest in green energy

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said the signing into law of the Renewable Energy Act 2008 also known as RA 9513 last December 16 should encourage businesses to explore the possibility of investing in renewable energy sources in Davao City.

“This development should even urge Hedcor to look into the possibility of going green considering that it already has the expertise and equipment needed for energy development.” Zozobrado said. It can be recalled that Hedcor came into conflict with the Davao City Water District over the use and development of the Tamugan River.

A total of US$1.23 billion investment in the renewable energy sector is expected by the Philippine government due to the passage of the bill. The country is also expected to reduce the Philippine’s energy self sufficiency rate from 56.5% in 2005 to 60% by 2010 once the law is fully implemented.

Zozobrado said the reduction of fuel prices in the world market is only temporary and it is imperative that energy-dependent countries like the Philippines find alternative sources of energy which will not only save them dollars but will also help the environment.

She said investors can tap alternative and renewable energy like wind, solar, ocean, hydropower and biomass energy. Projections by the Department of Energy shows that the country can save $1.2 billion worth of energy in the next ten year if it is able to get an additional 2.500 megawatts from alternative and renewable energy sources.

If Hedcor’s projection of an impending power crisis is true, she said, then investors should take advantage of the various incentives offered by the Energy Bill and explore the development of renewable energy sources for major cities in the Philippines like Davao.

“With the implementation of the law companies that will invest in renewable energy will be granted a 7-year income tax exemption aside of course from the other incentives provided by the law,” Zozobrado said.

RA 9513 exempts from taxation carbon credits generated from renewable sources. Investors who will invest in renewable energy sources will also enjoy a reduced 10% corporate income tax form the original 30% income tax with the expiration of their income tax holiday. Facilities dedicated to renewable energy will also be given a realty tax cap of 1.5% for facilities and equipment used to produce renewable energy.

2008-12-14T11:27:00.002+08:00

Sisterhood agreement between Turkey, Davao eyed

The City of Mersin in Turkey has signified its interest in forging a sisterhood agreement between Mersin and Davao City.

“Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Bahnarim Guinomla communicated Mersin City’s intention to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte earlier this year,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Guinomla used to be based in Davao City.

Zozobrado said all heads present during the First Conference of Heads of Philippine Honorary Consular Posts in Turkey agreed to support all the flagship projects of the Philippine Embassy which includes the forging of sisterhood agreements.

“Mersin City is one of the ten largest cities in Turkey in terms of agricultural, industrial and commercial potential. It is considered the site of the largest port on the Turkish Mediterranean and is the center of maritime commerce in Turkey,” Zozobrado said.

The proposed sisterhood with Turkey aims to foster mutual understanding through people to people exchanges, tourism promotion as well as trade and investment activities. Furthermore, she added, a sisterhood agreement between Mersin City and Davao City will strengthen the overall bilateral relations between Turkey and the Philippines.

As recommended by Ambassador Guinomla, Zozobrado said, Davao should initiate the forging of a sisterhood agreement with Mersin City,

Zozobrado said the Committee on International Relations has already met to discuss the proposed sisterhood agreement.

Ivan Cortez of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center said the planned sisterhood agreement is advantageous to both cities. “The agreement should focus on the demands from both cities specifically on employment, tourism and other business opportunities,” Cortez said.

Mersin City has existing sisterhood pacts with Latakia, Syria and Kushimoto, Japan.

2008-12-03T06:10:00.002+08:00

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.

2008-12-01T06:45:00.001+08:00

Investors urged to look at possibility of
Growing coffee in Marilog District

Prospective investors in Davao City need not go far to start their own business ventures because there are lots of opportunities in the city’s third district particularly in barangay Buda in Marilog District.

“Coffee was one of the seven agricultural products cited as a possible income earner for small and medium enterprises during the recent Mindanao Investment Conference and the Marilog area has vast lands that can be planted to coffee,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Even Mindanao Business Council chairperson Vicente Lao confirmed the possibility of converting the Buda area into a very productive money-earning community by it the center of coffee production in the region, she said.

Zozobrado said coffee drinking has become a way of life not only in Davao or in the Philippines but in other countries as well. As proof, she said, see the annual revenues and active marketing campaign of Starbucks, Seattle Coffee and even our very own Bluegre Café.

“Why don’t we take the cue from those who know how business operates like the MinBC,” she said. She added that Lao’s suggestion to convert Buda in Marilog into a premium coffee producer particularly Robusta coffee should give investors a hint to look into the possibility of entering into joint venture agreements with Marilog farmers some of whom are already farming and producing coffee beans although in smaller quantities.

She said the demand for coffee increases by 3% every year and Mindanao has one of the biggest areas ideal for coffee production. The Mindanao Coffee Board is even planning to produce 75,000 metric tons of coffee by 2015 to meet this demand.

“Investors should take advantage of this and invest in Marilog as it has an ideal climate and is not visited by typhoons,” she said. However, Zozobrado said Marilog is inhabited by indigenous people so government should also make sure that while they are provided livelihood opportunities, they are also not displaced from their lands by the investors.

2008-11-24T19:07:00.008+08:00

3rd Elimination Round
2nd Jesus A. Zozobrado Oratorical Contest
Lower Tamugan National High School

2008-11-20T05:49:00.000+08:00

Development costly for Dabawenyos

Development may have pushed Davao City to a world-class city status but it has taken its toll on the city's environment which is evident in the flooding, pollution and other problems the city is faced with.

"There is no denying the fact that we need development to further the city's growth but it should not be made at the risk of destroying our natural resources including our environment," said councilor Rachel Zozobrado when she welcomed the participants to the elimination of the 2nd Jesus A. Zozobrado oratorical contest which started last Friday.

Zozobrado said Davao City was already a picture of a fully developed city and most people thought that it had already maximized its growth in 1997. In a span of four years, she said, this was proven wrong because commercial establishments started to locate in the city like there was not tomorrow.

She said housing developments in the city also started to mushroom leaving no place unturned. Even the most rural areas were a target for development both for commercial, housing and industrial purposes.

"While this is definitely a move towards the right direction for the city, it took a toll on the city's environment," she said. The recent flooding problems being experienced by Maa resident as well as residents of other subdivisions should be a concern for everyone, she added.

Our environment is clearly the recipient of a heavy burden while we the people of Davao are enjoying these developments, she said. "Dabawenyos should realize that while we are enjoying these developments we also set to lose with the environmental problems faced by the city," she added.

Zozobrado said there are reports that the city's once-clean beaches have been monitored with coliform and other pollutive substances that are bound to affect our water resources including our fish which we brag about in the export market. A recently concluded report by several agencies indicated that even our aquifers are already polluted and this should start to worry us, she said.

Zozobrado said the city is faced with environmental issues which clash with development issues. While we need these developments to veer us to the next century and to make us more competitive, she added, we also need to preserve our environment to have a more sustainable existence.

She challenged the students to be in the forefront of environmental protection even while still in school.

While our generation is faced with the task of finding a solution for our development and our environmental problems, she said, it is today's youth who would be inheriting these problems and these choices in a few years.

Zozobrado told the participants of the oratorical contest to become aware of the challenges faced by our environment today "so that you will be able to make the right choices when your time comes."

2008-11-07T06:13:00.001+08:00

2nd Jesus Zozobrado Jr. Oratorical Contest Slated This Month

If you have strong sentiments on the environment and you are a student of any of the public secondary schools in the third district then this is your chance to express your sentiments and win cash prizes for you and your school as well.

“Eliminations for the 2nd Jesus A. Zozobrado Jr. Oratorical Contest will start on November 10 so we are inviting qualified third district students to sign up for the eliminations,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. The oratorical contest, which is now on its second year, is being held annually in honor of the late councilor Jesus A. Zozobrado Jr.

Students who want to join the sub district eliminations should prepare an original oratorical piece revolving around the theme “The Role of the Youth in Preserving the Environment”.

All entries should be original and must be delivered within six minutes. All the entries (three copies each) must be submitted before the start of the contest. The contestants and their coaches are required to bring their respective school ID during the contest proper.

Winners in the sub district elimination will have a chance to represent their schools during the Grand Finals on December this year. The first three winners in the elimination round will also get trophies and certificates but only the first two winners will get a slot for the grand finals.

The first elimination round will be held on November 10, 2008, 4PM at the Doña Carmen National High School covered court in Toril District, The next rounds will be held on: November 13, 4PM at the Sto. Niño High School covered court Tugbok District; November 17, 4PM at the Calinan National High School in Calinan and Baguio Districts and on November 20, 4PM at the Lower Tamugan National High School covered court in Marilog District.

For more information please call the office of Councilor Rachel Zozobrado at Tel No. 2220855 local 426 and look for Gerry Soriano. You can also check the details at http://rachelzozobrado.blogspot.com/.

2008-11-04T18:33:00.001+08:00

Davao City to renew sisterhood ties with Manado, Bitong

Davao City can look forward to a more vibrant relationship with Indonesia in the future after the renewal of the sisterhood agreements between Davao and the cities of Manado and Bitung in Indonesia.

This was bared by councilor Rachel Zozobrado who said that they are presently preparing a better agreement with the two cities in Indonesia to pave the way for more active economic and social ties with the two cities.

“Our sisterhood agreements with these cities have expired and we are trying to formulate a new agreement that will benefit both Davao and the two Indonesian cities,” Zozobrado said. As per the terms of Davao City’s sisterhood agreements with the two cities, the agreements are automatically renewed after expiration unless expressly revoked by either of the parties. In this case, she said, both parties are trying to create an agreement that will be a step forward from the original one.

Zozobrado, who is the chairperson of the committee on international relations, said Indonesia has expressed its desire to renew the sisterhood agreement with Davao. However, she added, the Indonesia consul has requested a more detailed document that will feature the benefits that can be derived by Davao, Manado and Bitung from the sisterhood agreement.

Davao has lots of similarities with the two Indonesia cities aside from their common membership in the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA.

Bitung in North Sulawesi is popular for its colorful and healthy marine life while Manado in North Sulawesi is a growing city much like Davao.

2008-10-26T13:11:00.009+08:00

Dental Outreach Program
Datu Salumay, Marilog District

Thanks to the San Pedro College faculty and students, we were able to provide dental services to the people of Datu Salumay in Marilog District last October 24, 2008. Here are some of the photos:

2008-10-25T06:34:00.001+08:00

Clean DFA ranks to improve services to OFWs: Zozobrado

DAVAO City Councilor Rachel Zozobrado said the government must clean its ranks of foreign affairs personnel especially those in embassies abroad in order to improve its services to overseas Filpino workers.

This as reports of maltreatment and illegal activities of an ambassador recently surfaced.

What's your take on the Mindanao crisis? Discuss views with other readers

"[The government should] investigate those cases, impose strict sanctions on erring employees and officials and maybe stop appointing people who are not qualified for the position. Usahay man gud (Sometimes, political accommodations or by virtue of friendship ang (the) appointment," Zozobrado said Friday.

Re-orienting foreign affairs personnel, especially those assigned in embassies abroad on their functions, she added, is a way to go.

"Usahay man gud makalimot sila, imbes na maoy mutabang, sila na hinuo'y muduot (At times they forgot, instead of helping they aggravate things)," Zozobrado said.

Zozobrado, chair of the SP committee on international relations, however,
welcomed the 2nd Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in Manila on October 29-30, 2008.

"Timely ug welcome move ni siya as it would provide needed information to protect those planning to migrate or work abroad from falling prey to illegal recruiters," Zozobrado said.

Councilor Peter Laviña, meanwhile, said, that it is the responsibility of the government of both sending and receiving countries to work together to ensure rights and safety of migrant workers are promoted and respected.

"The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should focus its services to help OFWs especially those in distress and victims of human trafficking," Laviña said. (GLP)

2008-10-23T07:02:00.008+08:00

It's really fun to be with kids who take delight in even the simplest things so I make sure that in my community visits I always interact with the children. Just last Wednesday, we went on a community outreach program together with the barangay captain of Baguio, Jolibee marketing manager Jay Madulara and the Jolibee mascot. It was a blast for the children of Baguio Proper in Baguio District who really enjoyed the show with no other than the star "red bee" otherwise known as the Jolibee mascot!

2008-10-23T07:01:00.000+08:00

Dabawenyos warned to be wary of toys that may contain lead

The panic brought about by toxic China-made milk products may have mellowed down after the health department identified the milk products containing melamine. However, Dabawenyos should still be vigilant and be wary of the toys they are buying for their children especially now that the holiday season is fast approaching.

"While the public's concern about the melamine content of milk products from China seems to be waning down, they should not stop Dabawenyos from being vigilant especially when it comes to the toys they are buying for their children," councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Dabawenyos in particular should be wary of buying toys that may contain lead and other poisonous substances that can be harmful to children. Zozobrado said she is not just referring to cheap toys that Dabawenyos can easily buy from the sidewalks but also to other more expensive toys that can look harmless but can still contain harmful chemicals.

She cited that even toy giant Mattel recalled over 9 million China-made toys last year for fear that the toys may have contained lead and tiny magnets that can be swallowed by children. Among those recalled by Mattel are selected Barbie dolls and selected Batman action figures. Over 253,000 die cast models of "Sarge" which became popular in the Cars movie were also recalled during the same period.

The Department of Health has already reminded the public to make sure that the toys they are buying especially this Christmas season are safe for children and have passed the do's and don't of toy safety..

As per the DOH advisory, she said, consumers should always check instructions for use and precautions written on the labels of the toy packaging. They should also make sure that the toys they buy are suitable for the mental and physical age of the child.

"There are age-appropriate toys and parents should make sure not to give toys measuring 1.75 inches or less to children of very young age to avoid choking on them," she said.

2008-10-09T19:59:00.003+08:00

Luv ko si Lolo at Lola Pahalipay para sa mga Senior Citizen
gikan kay Councilor Rachel Zozobrado

Senior Citizens of barangay Biao Escuela in Tugbok District were treated to an afternoon of singing, fun and surprises last September 26, 2008. The event was councilor Rachel Zozobrado's tribute to the senior citizens of the said barangay.

Senior Citizen president Mr. Menilio Narciso opened the program as Susan Lao delivered a message for the senior citizens who attended the afternoon's affair.

2008-10-09T18:52:00.004+08:00

Davao’s sisterhood agreement with Keelung, Taiwan
strengthened with Lions Medical Mission-Zozobrado

The conduct of economic and medical missions between Davao City and other cities with which it has signed sisterhood agreements can help Dabawenyos who are living below poverty level.

“Last Sunday’s medical, dental and optical mission spearheaded by the Davao City Host Lions Club which was attended and facilitated by the Ambassador Donald C.T. Lee of the Republic of China-Taipei Economic and Cultural office has strengthened not only the economic but also the social ties between the two sister cities,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado, chair of the Council Committee on International Relations said.

Zozobrado said this only proves that sisterhood agreements are not solely for economic purposes but also for strengthening people linkages between the two cities. The best thing about this is that even the “common tao” are starting to feel the positive effects of Davao City’s sisterhood agreement with other cities like Nanning, China and Keelung, Taiwan.

“Most people feel that sisterhood agreements are only on paper and if ever there are positive results arising from the agreement it does not seep through the masses,” she said. The hundreds of residents of Bankerohan and nearby barangays who have benefited from the Medical Mission are living proof that the city can benefit from exploring sisterhood agreements with other cities whether located in the Philippines or in other countries.

Zozobrado also commended the efforts of the Lions Club and the doctors and nurses from the Davao Medical Center in making healthcare more accessible to the poor Dabawenyos. “Life is hard and the costs of basic commodities as well as healthcare has risen and most of our fellow Dabawenyos could not even afford the basic medical check-up as a result of lack of financial capability,” she added.

We are hoping that in partnership with the private sector and other private organizations like the Lions Club and the Taiwan Association there would be more free medical missions for the Dabawenyos, she said.

2008-09-24T18:22:00.003+08:00

Davao supermarkets, stores urged to voluntarily
Recall China-made products with melamine

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado yesterday urged Davao supermarkets and stores to voluntarily recall their China-made products that are suspected to contain melamine. She also cautioned Dabawenyos from buying and consuming milk and dairy products from China in the wake of the Chinese milk scandal which left 53,000 children in China sick and several others dead.

“There are several establishments in the city that are selling dairy and milk products from China and some of these products may contain the banned industrial chemical melamine,” Zozobrado said. Most Dabawenyos buy the food products from China since these are cheap compared to the other consumer products in the market.

Zozobrado said this should prompt the proper government agencies to conduct an inspection on the various establishments selling imported products to check if the China-made products that have been recalled and said to contain melamine are being displayed and sold in Davao City.

A voluntary recall of five of its products made in China has been made by Marudai Food Co. of Osaka after it admitted that these products may contain melamine. The products which were made by its Chinese subsidiary and which have been recalled are Cream Panda, Kakuni, Matcha Azuki Mirukuman, Gratin Crepe Corn and Mocchiri Nikumanan.

She said establishments in the city should police their ranks and should be responsible enough to check if they have products that are made in China which may contain the toxic substance melamine. On the other hand, she added, the government agencies concerned should already start inspecting these establishments.

Zozobrado said it is not only the Uyanguren stores that sell China-made food products but also the big supermarkets. However, she said, it has not been confirmed if all China-made milk and dairy products have melamine traces. It is to the advantage of these stores if they can place a sign indicating that no products with melamine content are being sold in their establishments to assure their customers of their safety.

She said even Singapore has found traces of melamine in the creamy White Rabbit candy which are sold in some Davao City stores. The authorities also found traces of melamine in yogurt bars with the Yili brand, and the strawberry milk with the Dutch Lady brand---all made in China,. In view of this the Singapore government suspended the importation and sale of milk and dairy products from China.

2008-09-12T04:11:00.004+08:00

Libre Notaryo sa Barangay
Free notary, legal services for Toril residents held

Free notarial and legal services were provided for residents of barangays Daliao and Lizada in Toril, District 3 this city from 8 to 12 AM and from 2 to 5 PM yesterday September 11, 2008.

The free notarial and legal service program was spearheaded by the office of councilor Rachel Zozobrado in coordination with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the barangay officials of the respective areas. There was also a mobile late registration of birth for the said barangays in coordination with the Local Civil Registry.

“This is one of way of making legal services more accessible to the barangays particularly to the poor people who have no way or have difficulty in securing the services of a lawyer,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

She said this is the second time they are providing the said services for free to the third district. The first free notarial and legal services program was held last August 22 in barangays Sto. Niño and Mintal of Tugbok District.

“We are hoping that people will take advantage not only of the free notarial and legal services but also of the mobile registration of birth offered by the LCR,” she said.

The group was in barangay Daliao in the morning and in barangay Lizada in the afternoon. Among those who joined yesterday's program were IBP president Manuel Quibod, councilor Rachel Zozobrado as well as other IBP members.

2008-09-09T17:37:00.002+08:00

PRIVILEGE SPEECH
Hon. RACHEL ZOZOBRADO
City Councilor
September 9, 2008

Maayong buntag sa inyong tanan!

I rise on a personal and collective privilege.

Everyone’s attention is, as it should be, on the still unresolved peace and order problems in some parts of Mindanao. Then there is that brouhaha caused by reports and charges of alleged corruption in the Court of Appeals which still leaves a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth.

Amidst all these, I would like to commend the Supreme Court for its Justice On Wheels program. This program shows that while it would seem that the wheels of justice grind slowly, it does not stop grinding and is now literally within the reach of the people.

The Justice On Wheels program is a product of then Chief Justice Hilario Davide’s vision to make access to justice by the poor one of the major thrusts of the Supreme Court.

Administrative Matter No. 04-6-02-SC which mandates the implementation of Justice On Wheels was patterned from the Guatemala government’s efforts to bring justice to the grassroots through its mobile court system. This mobile travels in places where there are no judges and hears cases that involves domestic relations and labor as well as conduct mediation.

Lately, the Supreme Court added its speedy trial program and launched it through the Justice On Wheels, which is aimed at decongesting city jails all over the country. In Southern Mindanao, for instance, cases of a number of inmates who have languished in jail for years were finally and completely tried. It was reported that some 142 of these inmates were released.

The implementation of the Justice on Wheels Program of the Supreme Court of the Philippines is primarily geared towards bringing justice closer to the Filipino people. This is the same dream that my father, the late councilor Jesus A. Zozobrado, Jr. had, when he passed a resolution in the halls of this same council, requesting the House of Representatives for the creation of additional courts for barangays in Toril, Calinan and Sasa in Davao City. And while this dream has not been realized during his lifetime, and the aforestated Resolution is, in fact, still awaiting action from the House of Representatives, I am happy to note that with the Supreme Court’s Justice On Wheels Program, his dream of bringing justice closer to the barangays is now nearer to reality.

In approving the circular providing for the establishment of the Wheels on Justice Program, the Supreme Court noted the number of vacancies in Philippine courts particularly in the municipal trial courts and in the municipal circuit trial courts. This has resulted to delays in the resolution of cases which is not good as delayed justice can impede the country’s progress by undermining the political, social and economic stability of the country.

Let us extend our support to the Supreme Court’s Justice On Wheels Program and commend them in their efforts to ensure the effective administration of justice in our country.

2008-06-02T16:02:00.000+08:00

Possibility of promoting tourism with North Sulawesi eyed

The International Relations Board is eyeing the promotion of tourism between Davao City and Manado in North Sulawesi once its existence has been fully legally formalized.

The City Council has approved the resolution proposing the creation of the International Relations Board but is awaiting Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s approval. However, members of the Board are raring to start working on maintaining and renewing sisterhood ties with other cities particularly Manado in Sulawesi with which the city has a sisterhood agreement signed on June 22, 2004.

“Tourism promotion between Mindanao and Indonesia has already started several years ago thanks to the BIMP-Eaga initiatives,” Council Committee on International Relations chairperson Rachel Zozobrado said. BIMP-Eaga or the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines-East Asean Growth Area is an economic cooperation among the four regions that aims to develop their resources including tourism, education, trade and communication.

However, Zozobrado said, there is so much more that can be done to promote the two areas to their residents through the sisterhood agreement signed between the two cities. The Board, with the help of Davao City’s travel industry can explore specific strategies to promote Davao tourism to Manado, she said.

Even North Sulawesi is also excited about trade and tourism prospects between the two cities. BIMP-EAGA North Sulawesi Secretariat head Dr. Shelley Sondakh also indicated their intent to “explore collaboration and complementation areas between Sulawesi and Mindanao” particularly Davao and General Santos City.

Davao Association of Travel Agencies president Angel Puentespina said tourism packaging for the BIMP-EAGA will definitely give local tourism a boost. He said tourism players in the region have recently launched an initiative to develop tour packages that will promote EAGA destinations.

Zozobrado said a regular flight between Davao and Manado will also lead to more tourist exchange between the two cities. Merpati Airlines flies between Davao and Manado on a chartered basis.

“The Board can closely look into the various possibilities offered by our sisterhood agreements with other cities to get the most economic advantage for Davao City,” Zozobrado said.

2008-06-02T15:49:00.002+08:00

Int’l. board to help Davao renew ties with the world

Davao City is set to renew its ties with some cities in the Philippines and in other countries with the approval of the International Relations Board, a body composed of government and private agencies mostly dealing with foreign trade, relations and investment.

“We hope that with the approval of the International Relations Group we will now have a body that will intently look into the status of our existing sisterhood agreement and turn them into economic advantages for the city,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

The resolution was approved by the City Council last week and is just awaiting the signature of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for finalization.

Zozobrado, who is chair of the Council International Relations Committee, said Davao City has entered into several sisterhood agreements with various national and international cities but not too many of these agreements have succeeded in what both cities want to achieve.

Davao City Investment Promotion Center chief Roberto Teo said Davao has existing agreements with Nanning City of China and Republic of Palau. These are only among the latest twinning pacts the city has entered into after the enactment of City Ordinance No. 0297-06 or the Davao Sister Cities Program.

“There is also a sisterhood agreement with Honolulu, Hawaii which was signed last 2004 and a lot of other twinning agreements which are set to expire every five years unless terminated,” Teo added.

“We have a lot to do in terms of really exploring the opportunities that these sisterhood agreements can offer the city in terms of economic development,” Zozobrado said. Depending on the terms of the pacts, she said, Davao can explore economic activities that will lead to more jobs and income to the Dabawenyos.

Zozobrado said the membership of the DCIPC to the board will ensure that the city can explore investment opportunities with the cities we have sisterhood agreements with considering that the Center is already doing this prior to the formation of the Board.

However, she said, there are various aspects in twinning pacts including tourism and other economic and social opportunities which the Board can take care of as a body.

Davao may be in the forefront of Mindanao’s (and the Philippines’) economic development but there is a need to sustain and strengthen existing and proposed sisterhood agreements if we are to move forward, she said.

Aside from the DCIPC, the International Relations Board is composed of the Office of the City Mayor as chair, the different council committees including Tourism, Trade and Industry, Information, Communication and Technology, City Planning, City Tourism Council, City Information Office, City Agriculturist, TESDA, DOST director and DTI City director.

2008-05-07T10:09:00.002+08:00

PRIVILEGE SPEECH
Hon. RACHEL ZOZOBRADO
City Councilor
May 6, 2008

Honorable Vice Mayor Sara Z. Duterte, my Esteemed Colleagues in the 15th Council of the City of Davao, Department Heads, Barangay Officials, Sanggunian Employees, our friends in the media, Maayong Adlaw sa inyong tanan.

Just like the Honorable Kaloy Bello, I wish to speak up on a matter that has been out in the open since last week but has in fact been a lingering problem since time immemorial. I am rising on personal privilege and on behalf of a marginalized sector in our society---the IP's or the Indigenous People.

44-year old Dominador Diarog used to be the tribal chieftain of the Bagobo-Klata tribe until unidentified armed men took his life away at 9:15 in the evening of April 29, 2008. As per reports from Tugbok Precinct Commander Ireneo Dalugdog, Diarog and his family were inside their home in Manuel Guianga when their house was strafed by unknown gunmen, resulting to multiple gunshot wounds in the different parts of his body. During the same incident, his wife Emily as well as two of his ten children, an 8-year old and a 4-year, were also hit and had gunshot wounds in their body. Diarog and his family were immediately brought to the hospital but he did not survive.

Several Accusations and speculations have cropped out blaming different groups of suspects.

Neighbors and other witnesses allegedly told the police that one of the suspects in Diarog's murder, has offered to pay P50,000 for a 2-hectare lot owned by Diarog's family sometime in August 2007

Allegedly, Diarog refused saying "dili ko kay wala na man mi kapuy'an...." The same group allegedly followed up the offer in December 2007 and got the same negative response. In January this year, the suspect came back, this time with three armed men in tow and told Diarog that the P50,000 for the 2-hectare lot is ready. Allegedly, Diarog declined the offer once again. Thereafter, there were several attempts to burn down Diarog’s farmhouse; until their house was finally gutted by fire on April 20, 2008.

Then there is the statement that the Diarogs were allegedly members one supporters of the military and this could have angered the NPA’s, thus leading to the tragic April 29, 2008 incident.

Different angles, different speculation. One thing is certain, a total of 17 empty M-14 bullets were recovered from the area where the Diarog family was strafed. And a man, Datu Dominador Diarog, is dead.

Dominador Diarog belongs to an indigenous tribe that make up the tri-people of Davao and Mindanao. It is thus our responsibility not only as Dabawenyos but as a people to seek the truth behind the murder of Diarog and the wounding of his family. However, let us also be careful that while we seek justice for what happened to the Diarog family, we must not speculate. Thus, just like Councilor Bello did a few minutes ago, we call on a proper and impartial investigation so as not to put blame on the innocent.

In the meantime, let this incident be an eye opener on the plight of our lumads, on what they have to go through to protect their land. Let us all endeavor to adopt policies for the protection of the ancestral domain. For only then will justice be truly achieved, and then, perhaps, Datu Dominador Diarog shall not have died in vain.

2008-05-07T10:06:00.002+08:00

Zozobrado calls for impartial investigation on Diarog murder

An impartial investigation on the murder of Bagobo-Klata chieftain Dominador Diarog should not be launched to make sure the perpetrators pay for the crime and keep innocent people’s name from being dragged into the controversy.

“We call on a proper and impartial investigation so as not to put blame on the innocent,” councillor Rachel Zozobrado said during a privilege speech delivered at the City Council.

Zozobrado said different angles of the story have come out in the media and even in the streets that it is time to finally ascertain the truth through an impartial investigation.

“Different angles, different speculation. One thing is certain---a total of 17 empty M-14 bullets were recovered from the area where the Diarog family was strafed,” she said. It is our responsibility to seek the truth behind the murder of Diarog, she added.

However, she said, “let us also be careful that while we seek justice for what happened to the Diarog family, we must not speculate.” Zozobrado said that the incident should be an eye opener on the plight of the lumads and what they have to go through to protect their ancestral land.

She has urged concerned government agencies to adopt policies for the protection of the ancestral domain.

Diarog was murdered last April 29 after their house was strafed by still unknown gunmen who also managed to wound his family including his wife Emily and two children ages 8 years old and 4 years old. Before that, unidentified people tried to burn his farm house three times and finally succeeded in burning down the farm house in the fourth attempt.

An influential person was allegedly forcing Diarog to sell his 2-hectare land for P50,000. Diarog’s land is located adjacent to the Jesus is Lord Prayer Mountain, the base of a religious group headed by Pastor Quiboloy.

2008-05-06T06:19:00.001+08:00

Beef up protection for lumads-Zozobrado

Concerned government agencies should review their policies and programs to make sure that the indigenous peoples of Davao City are being provided the protection they need from unscrupulous people.

This was the call made by councilor Rachel Zozobrado as a result of the murder of Dato Dominador Diarog, tribal chieftain of the Bagobo-Klata tribe last April 29 after his family was strafed by unknown gunmen in their abode in Sitio Kahusayan, Barangay Manuel Guianga, Tugbok District.

“I am sure that the government is doing everything it can to protect all its citizens, including the lumads. However, considering what happened to Dato Diarog, the government can do more to beef up such protection,” Zozobrado said.

She said there is a government agency specifically mandated by law to formulate and implement policies related to the recognition, promotion and protection of the rights of the indigenous people. There are also laws regulating the purchase of properties classified as ancestral domains but it all boils down to proper implementation.

Initial investigation of the Tugbok Police District shows that the murder of Diarog may be related to a land issue specifically the farmland of Diarog which is near the compound of “Jesus Christ the Name Above Every Name”, a religious group headed by pastor Quiboloy.

Before his death, Diarog himself reported to the Tugbok Police about the three attempts to burn his house after he declined an offer for the purchase of his 2-hectare lot for a measly P50,000. The three attempts were foiled but the fourth once succeeded and managed to burn down his property.

Despite the “warnings”, Diarog did not budge and still refused to sell his land. The police are eyeing this angle as a possible motive for his murder and for the wounding of his wife Emily and two children ages 8 and 4.

2008-04-27T11:41:00.003+08:00

Zozobrado bats for cleaner environment, holds Mt. Apo clean-up with SK

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado in coordination with the SALAM-SK led the call to rid Mt. Apo of garbage through the 3rd Mt. Apo Clean-Up Drive from March 31 to April 5, 2008.

Among the participants of the climb and the clean-up are Zozobrado’s staff. former Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson and kagawads, volunteers and out of school youth. Among the goals of the week-long activity are the following: clean up Mt. Apo’s surroundings, maintain a clean and green environment within the mountain and assist the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in its mission to resolve the garbage problem.

“Tourists and mountain climbers can help keep Mt. Apo clean in their own little way especially by not leaving their garbage in the mountain,” Zozobrado said. She said keeping a protected area like Mt. Apo clean and green is a way of helping the government in its sustainable development program.

At 9,690 feet, Mt. Apo is considered the country’s highest peak and is a very attractive site for mountain climbers and tourists who want to take the challenge of climbing the highest mountain in the Philippines.

More than a ton of garbage most of them non-biodegradable materials like liquor bottles, plastics and tin cans have been collected by volunteers during last year’s post-climb clean-up at Mt. Apo last year. Zozobrado said the number continues to grow as more people climb the Mt. Apo Park.

Among those who is very vocal about protecting Mt. Apo is the Mt. Apo Foundation, Inc, headed by Atty. Ermelo Libre. He was one of those responsible for the four-year closure of Mt. Apo in the year 2000 to protect the national park.

2008-04-27T11:36:00.000+08:00

Former dad’s legacy lives on
TMC notes higher compliance rate to
Zozobrado’s helmet ordinance

It has been a year on April 26, since former councilor Jesus Zozobrado death. However, his memory lives on thanks to an ordinance he penned which continues to prevent accidents and deaths among the city’s motorists.

“Na notice namo na grabe ang compliance sa helmet ordinance sukad ikompara nato katong wala pa ang ordinansa (we noticed a high compliance rate to the helmet ordinance compared to the time when it has not been approved yet),” Traffic Management Office deputy chief Bibiano Alcuizar said yesterday.

Alcuizar was referring to City Ordinance 0189 which regulates the use of single motorcycles by limiting the number of passengers to only persons including the driver. The same ordinance also required motorcycle drivers and their passenger or backrider to wear the prescribed helmet to prevent death as a result of motorcycle accidents.

Repubic Act 4136 creating the Land Transportation Office already required the wearing of helmets but the law has not really been implemented especially in the third district of Davao where habal-habals ferry as many as five (some more than that) passengers in one motorcycles.

“Mas aware na ang mga tao karon na required gyud sila mag suot ug helmet tungod sa pagsaba-saba ni Zozobrado kaniadto,” Alcuizar said. There are a few who still violate the ordinance “pero grabe gyud ang pagbaba sa violation sa pipila ka tuig,” he added.

Zozobrado’s peers in the city council also miss the bombastic councilor who never let an argument pass if it involves corruption and the welfare of the Dabawenyos. However, the Zozobrado legacy continues to live on not only through his ordinance but also through the presence of his daughter who is now a city councilor and his son Atty. Jesus Zozobrado who is assistant regional director of LTO XI.

“In more ways than one, papa was my hero, the end all and be all of everything I did. I became a lawyer because he was a lawyer. And like him, I also served as a public prosecutor. Now, I am a public official because I want to continue the service he began, continue his legacy. And what a legacy he left us... more precious than any fame or property could ever be,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said.

Up to the end, she said, the former councilor made his family proud because he has never tarnished the name and reputation he had painstakingly built.

2008-04-22T20:42:00.003+08:00

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado, along with the other Davao City Councilors, witnessed the launching of Eden Nature Park's "Tinubdan" last April 10. Tinubdan is Davao City's newest cultural attraction located in Eden Nature Park, Toril.

Tinubdan comes form the root word "tubod" which in the vernacular means source or origin of water. It is Eden's response to the clamor for peace and understanding in a society of mixed cultures and ancestries.

Zozobrado said Tinubdan will hopefully attract more tourists to Davao City. She said it does not only showcase the freshness of Davao's natural resources but it also enables locals and tourists to get a glimpse of Mindanao's customs, traditions and beliefs.

2008-04-22T05:08:00.003+08:00

Zozobrado Speaks On Mindanao Alliance Youth Congress

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado commended the organizers of the Mindanao Alliance Youth Congress for providing a forum and bringing youth from different parts of Mindanao together to discuss issues that concern them now and in the future.

"The active participating of our young citizens in this congress is a concrete manifestation of eagerness in pursuit of transformation not just spiritually but holistically ---as what the Christian and Missionary Alliance Churches of the Philippines is aiming for," she said.

Zozobrado, who represented vice mayor Sara Duterte for the Congress opening night last April 7, said the event is an opportunity for the youth express themselves and to stand and shine for something they believe in.

2008-04-19T05:21:00.002+08:00

5 of 8 women councilors vote YES to Children’s Dev’t. Plan

Majority of the Davao City women councilors see the Davao City Local Development Plan for Children as beneficial to women and children and to the family as a whole during last Tuesday's session.

This was evident when five of the eight women councilors in the city voted YES to the resolution which was being pushed by councilor Angela Librado despite the opposition of religious groups headed by Archbishop Fernando Capalla. A total of 18 councilors approved the resolution while 2 abstained and four voted yes.

“I voted yes because I believe nothing in the LDPC is against the law, morals and public policy,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said yesterday. As a public servant, she said, “I have to think of the common good and the adoption of the LDPC will be beneficial to our children and the people of Davao in general.’

Councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta asked for the deferment of the approval of the resolution saying it would be best to see the final draft including the amendments first before it is put to a vote. “Anyway the deferment will not change the minds of those who have already decided to vote for or against the resolution,” she said.

But when the councilors decided to put the resolution to a vote, Acosta voted yes. The other female councillors who voted yes for the LDPC are councilors Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Sudagar, Zozobrado and Librado-Trinidad. Councilors Dante Apostol and Conde Baluran abstained from voting.

The primary oppositors of the resolution are councilors Teresita Mata-Marañon and Pete Laviña, Pilar Braga and Susan Reta.

“The LDPC has a beautiful title but its reproductive flavour make sit objectionable as it involves contraceptives; the policy is destructive and reduces the meaning of sexual act which can lead to sexual promiscuity, abortion and teenage pregnancy,” Mata-Marañon said.

Councilor Pilar Braga said she voted NO “because of my deep Catholic faith.” Laviña said it is a Trojan horse because the reproductive law has failed to be approved in Congress and now they are using the local legislatives to have it approved.

Librado-Trinidad denied all the allegations of the religious groups and even of Archbishop Capalla saying a closer look at the resolution will show that it promotes the role of parenting and the family in moulding the character of the children and it does not promote pre-marital sex.

2008-04-15T22:00:00.002+08:00

2008-04-15T19:28:00.000+08:00

Davao Farmers Urged To Promote Products Through ALMACEN

Davao City farmers especially those from the third district should take advantage of the facilities available at the Alternative Marketing Center or ALMACEN located in Catalunan Pequeño this city.

The Josefa Segovia Foundation, Inc. has spent P15 million for ALMACEN, which is an alternative marketplace and marketing center for farmers, cooperatives, local government units and people’s organizations in the city

“Farmers can coordinate with ALMACEN or with their cooperatives so they can market their products using ALMACEN’s facilities,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. The JSF has been working with the upland farmers for the last 16 years and they know the needs of the farmers well so they can assist them in marketing their products, she added.

Zozobrado said among the problems being faced by farmers from the third district today is transportation and marketing of their produce. If they can take advantage of the assistance being offered by the Foundation in terms of providing transportation and marketing for their products then they would be better off, she added.

ALMACEN opened its doors to the public November last year and JSF is inviting farmers to coordinate with the Foundation and find the best way for them to market their products for free through the center. They have allotted ten market stalls for farmers cooperative and associations as well as people’s organizations. As of now, only one of the stall is being occupied.

Planning is underway to maximize the exposure for farmers’ products that will be displayed in the center. The center is also being eyed as the venue of night markets for selling fresh fruits, livestock, fish, seedlings and even flowers.

2008-04-02T13:46:00.004+08:00

DCWD taps Bgy. Cebuda main line
50-year wait for water now over

The long wait for water is now over as residents of Purok 5, Barangay Cebuda in Bago Oshiro, Mintal this city finally saw water oozing from the main water line of the area. This came after the Davao City Water District tapped the main water line last Thursday, March 27.

“The residents of barangay Cebuda can now start applying for their own water connection,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said yesterday. The construction of the water line was a project was a project of the late councilor Jesus Zozobrado but lack of communication and other problems delayed the full implementation of the project years after it was completed.

Zozobrado, who witnessed DCWD’s tapping of the main water line, said “at long last niagas na gyud ang tubig diri sa Purok 5.”

The project encountered delays after the Bureau of Plant Industries refused to cooperate with the barangay and then accused the residents of the area as squatters. The project was already completed but DCWD earlier refused to activate the main water line sans the payment of the disinfection fee.

Zozobrado however criticized DCWD for not informing them about the fee earlier so as to fasttrack the project. Engineer Rosendo Almonte, chief of DCWD’s Planning and Design Division said they may have been remiss when they failed to include the P11,839.70 disinfection fee in the work program.

“Nalipay gyud mi kay diri na mi nanigulang pero wala pa gyud mi nakabitan ug tubig,” Sitio Cebuda resident Gloria Sarucam said. Sarucam has been living in Purok 5, Barangay Cebuda in Bago Oshiro all her life. She is now 49 years old. Her five children and her several grandchildren were all born, brought up and presently living in the same barangay for several decades already.
Sarucam said the water from the artesian well can only be used for cleaning and washing but not for drinking. “Pero mauga man gud sya (artesian well) kay gamay lang ang tubig unya daghan pa gyud linta nga musaka kung maugahan (water from the artesian well easily dries up and lots of leech come out of the well when the water is too low) ” she added.

With the activation of the main water line and the possibility of their applications being approved by DCWD, Sarucam and the other residents of Purok 5 no longer have to buy water at P1.50 per container per gallon.

Zozobrado said it is high time that the people of Purok 5, Sitio Cebuda are given a chance to be able to get their own water lines for the first time in 50 years.

2008-03-31T11:49:00.002+08:00

3rd District bgys urged to spur growth with dev’t. plans

3rd District Councilor Rachel Zozobrado challenged the third district barangays last Friday to make use of their Medium Term Barangay Development Plan or MTBDP to push the growth of their barangays.

“It is high time that each barangay be empowered to plan for their future and the development plan is a means of empowering the barangays,” she said.

The MTBDPs of 31 barangays in the third district were turned over to the barangay captains and the Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator at the ALMACEN building, Catalunan Pequeño yesterday.

The MTBDP is under the Upscaling Barangay and Marketing Development Project of the Josefa Segovia Foundation, Inc. The project is a partnership between the Foundation and the 31 barangays in the 3rd district and will be used as a basis in the community development project of the Foundation for the said barangays.

“The government has limited resources and it will always welcome the support of the private sector to help uplift the economic status of the people especially the farmers,” Zozobrado said. The Medium Term Barangay Development Plan of the 31 barangays in the third District of Davao is a blueprint for the development of each of these barangays.

Chone Baldoza, JSF executive director, said almost all the barangays in Calinan participated in the creation of the MTBDP except for one barangay (barangay Kawayan) who declined the offer.

Baldoza said the MTBDP project is a good example of partnership between the barangay and a non-profit organization like JSF. The Foundation took care of the expenses for the creation of the development plans while the barangay provided the venue and all the information required to create the plans.

The 31 barangays who received their MTBDPs are Biao Joaquin, Calinan Poblacion, Dalagdag, Dacudao, Dominga, Inayangan, Lacson, Lamanan, Lampianao, Megkawayan, Pangyan, Riverside, Sirib, Subasta, Talomo River, Saloy, Tamayong, Wangan in Calinan District, Cadalian in Baguio District, Bantol, Baganihan, Buda, Dalag Lumot, Datu Salumay, Gumitan, Magsaysay, Malamba, Marilog, Salaysay, Suawan, Tamugan in Marilog District

2008-03-21T11:00:00.002+08:00

Photos during the 71st Araw ng Dabaw celebration

2008-03-21T10:24:00.003+08:00

Museo Dabawenyo Inauguration

The Museo Dabawenyo was inugurated last March 15, 2008. Said opening was one of the highlights of the 71st Araw ng Davao celebration.

The new museum will serve as a repository of all documents, artifacts and other items significant to the history of the city of Davao. Individuals and families who have historical items are encouraged to donate such items to the city government to add to Museo Dabawenyo's collection.

2008-03-20T19:12:00.001+08:00

Zozobrado cautions developers
On Maa-Shrine Hills projects

“Housing developments in the city are welcome but developers should also make sure that the Cherry Hills tragedy will not happen in the city this time around,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Around 60 people died after a landslide occurred in the slopes of Cherry Hills Subdivision in Antipolo City in 1999.

Crown Communities Subdivision and the DM Consunji-UPDI are presently developing the areas along Maa and Shrine Hills and are facing opposition from the Bgy. Maa Federation of Home Owner Association. The Federation is an association of homeowners whose homes are located below the Consunji and the Crown Communities development projects.

Federation president Teodorico Tinio said the sides of the Shrine Hill area is unstable and is therefore not suitable for subdivision development. The Federation officers and members, who met with Vice Mayor Sara Duterte last January 25, said the instability of the soil poses real danger to the residents in terms of landslide and other mass movement.

Zozobrado said the city needs housing developments but the local government should be cautious in approving such developments if they are located in areas where the stability of land is in question. “If you look at the Shrine Hills area from Matina you would notice that the natural contour of the hill has been disturbed already,” she said.

I am not an expert on geology but one cannot help but worry about the possible landslide and other negative effects that can result from disturbing the natural flow of the land with the construction of houses and other infrastructure in the area, she added.

Councilor Braga, who supported the call of the Maa residents said “it is better to err on the side of the safety of the people than in the side of just one or two developers. Braga said Dabawenyos should make sure that housing and other developments will not be harmful to the people in the long run.

Zozobrado also questioned the act of some developers in selling their properties without permits to do so, citing one developer who has been distributing leaflets and selling their lots during an exhibit at SM City Davao two weeks ago. Crown Communities has however communicated with the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board and denied it is already in the process of selling.

2008-03-14T14:13:00.001+08:00

Japanese consul vows to help promote Mintal
as premier tourist spot in RP for Japanese

The Japanese Consul in Davao City is fully supporting the declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site and has promised to participate in any activity or committee hearing spearheaded by the City Council to achieve this objective.

“I applaud the committee’s efforts in recognizing the cultural and historical bonds between the people of Japan and Davao City,” Consul of Japan in Davao Koji Mitsui said in a letter addressed to councilor Rachel Zozobrado, chair of the Committee on International Relations.

Various sectors have signified their willingness to support Zozobrado and proponent Louie Villafuerte in coming up with a resolution declaring Mintal a Japanese heritage site the soonest possible time. The University of the Philippines and officials of barangay Mintal are planning to hold a photo exhibit on Mintal as Little Tokyo by August this year.

Mitsui said the Japanese Embassy in Manila does not have exact knowledge about the existence of such a heritage site in Mintal. Mintal barangay captain Ramon Bargamento confirmed there are a lot of Japanese burial grounds in the area and they get a lot of Japanese visitors who either visit the graves of their descendants in Mintal.

“Due to my sincere desire in strengthening the relationship between Japan and your city I will personally promote to the staff in charge of the Embassy of Japan in Manila to preserve and start recognizing the heritage site as one of the premier tourist spots in the Philippines,” Mitsui said.

Zozobrado has also enlisted the help of City Planning chief Louis Jacinto, Bargamento as well as Davao City Investment Promotion Center head Roberto “Bobby” Teo.

Council committee on Tourism chair Susan Reta, who is also supporting the project, said she has done prior research on the site and advised the committee to consider the protocols that should be observed involving the site since the Japanese consider it sacred ground and may not be willing to repaint or do some improvements in the burial grounds.

The area used to be an abaca plantation and was placed under Japanese administration even before the war started, Bargamento said, so there are indeed lots of Japanese descendants and Japanese graves in the area.

2008-03-10T07:41:00.007+08:00

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado represents Mayor Duterte

in Guianga's Project Hope Cluster Recognition Day

Third District Councilor Rachel Zozobrado represented Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte during the Cluster Recognition and Moving Up Ceremonies held at the Manuel Guianga Gymnasium last March 6, 2008.

Among the centers that simultaneously held their recognition that day are: Manuel Guianga Day Care Center, Manuel Guianga Project Hope Day Care Center and Vartolome Project Hope Day Care Center.

"Ang mga day care centers maoy unang makapausab sa panan-aw sa kabataan mahitungod sa mga talan-awon nga masud-ong niini sa gawas sa iyang pinuy-anan; ang iyang kasinatian diha sa day care center makatabang ug dako aron dili na makurat ang bata inig abot sa adlaw nga mo-iskwela na kini sa Grade One," Duterte said in a speech delivered by Zozobrado.

A total of 45 day care center students received certificates and recognition during the Moving Up Day. The students were declared prepared and promoted to Grade 1 for the next schoolyear.

Also present during the Ceremony were barangay captain Antipas Batingal and 3rd district councilor Karlo Bello.

2008-03-09T13:22:00.007+08:00

Dads eye declaration of Mintal as Japanese heritage site by August 2008

The long-time dream of Japanese nationals and descendants in Davao City to finally witness the recognition of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site may become a reality on or before August 2008.

“We are mobilizing the aid of all concerned agencies so we can fast track the declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site in time for August when most Japanese time their visit to the city,” councillor Rachel Zozobrado, chair of the Committee on International Relations said. This is also the month being eyed by officials of barangay Mintal and the University of the Philippines in Mindanao for the staging a photo exhibit on Mintal as Little Tokyo.

Mintal barangay captain Ramon Bargamento said the declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site is long overdue considering that it was the center of economic activity during the Japanese occupation. This explains the proliferation of Japanese burial sites in the area up to now.

“There are a lot of Japanese descendants living in Mintal right now and their relatives periodically visit the area to get in touch with them or just visit the graves of their loved ones,” Zozobrado said. She added she is looking forward to the declaration of Mintal as a Japanese heritage site since she grew up in Mintal and can recall seeing a lot of Japanese in the area, either as neighbors or frequent visitors.

The resolution declaring the area as a Japanese heritage site was proposed by councilor Louie Villafuerte who also comes from the third district. “The establishment of the heritage site will recognize the historical bond between the people of Japan and Davao City,” he said.

City Planning chief Louis Jacinto is also supportive of the move to declare Mintal as a Japanese heritage site but said they should closely look into the protocols involved considering that it is considered a sacred ground by the Japanese. He has offered assistance in terms of research and the creation of a map of the area.

2008-02-21T16:49:00.006+08:00

creation of local group that will follow up sisterhood
pacts to strengthen Davao’s business, int’l. relations

The bid to create a local body that would map out plans and activities that would further Davao City’s sisterhood agreements is expected to strengthen the city’s business and international relations.

“The DCIPC has performed well in promoting the city but since it is more focused on investment promotions then there is a need to create a group that will be able to explore various linkages arising from these sisterhood agreements,” Council Committee on Tourism chair Susan Reta said.

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado, who is chair of the Committee on International Relations, has proposed a resolution creating a technical working group that would help follow up the sisterhood agreements entered into by the city.

“The body that would be formed aims to assist the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center in strengthening the city’s international relations,” Zozobrado said yesterday during a committee hearing on the said matter.

Most of the sisterhood pacts signed by the city have not really been explored and this is unfortunate considering that we can benefit from these agreements in terms of business, educational and other linkages, she said.

DCIPC officer-in-charge Bobby Teo said there were plans to join a Chambers’ forum in Naning last year but the local chamber desisted since the schedule coincided with the Christmas holidays. He said they are hopeful that more economic activities would be exchanged with Palau although it is a small market.

“Everytime we have a sisterhood we just stop there,” Reta said. I hope that with the formation of a body that will be tasked to follow through on these agreements, Davao will have more economic and tourism transactions with the areas where have sisterhood agreements.

Zozobrado clarified that the proposed group will not take over the work of the DCIPC but will instead act as a support group that will really look into what the city can do to explore these sisterhood pacts. “Hindi lang naman business linkages ang makukuha natin if we explore these pacts marami pang iba,” she added.

2008-02-06T16:43:00.000+08:00

Commitee Hearing:

The Status Of The Water Project In Sitio Cebuda, Bago Oshiro

(l-r)councilors bonicaio militar, rachel zozobrado and bago oshiro bgy. captain jonah macarayo

Residents of Sitio Cebuda in Bago Oshiro yesterday flocked to the City Council to rally for the implementation of the water project which has been delayed due to several problems involving the Bureau of Plant Industry XI and the Davao City Water District.

The water project, which was funded by the late councilor Jesus Zozobrado Jr., suffered hitches after BPI wrote DCWD saying the water project in the area is traversing the property being managed by BPI. It also said the installation of the water pipe will only encourage more squatters in the area.

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado delivered a privilege speech during last week's City Council session where she lamented the snail-pacing of the project despite the fact that every effort has been done by the barangay to push for its full implementation. She said efforts were made to appease the demands of BPI and this problem was already settled last year so DCWD allowed the hydrotesting. However, up to now, there is still no main water line operating in Sitio Cebuda in Bago Oshiro to the detriment of the residents who have been living in the area without water for several years already.

Councilor Bonifacio Militar scheduled this morning's hearing and invited DCWD and BPI to shed light on the matter. DCWD claimed that they still have to disinfect the line and this requires a payment of P11,839.70. Zozobrado said DCWD should have told the project proponent or the government agencies involved with the project as early as last year after the hydrotesting about the requirement.

DCWD Planning and Design Division chief Engineer Roendo Almonte apologized saying it may have been their fault as they failed to include the said amount in the project design which was the basis of the project cost. However, he assured Zozobrado and Militar that the project will be fasttracked as soon as the disinfection fee is paid.

"Wala man mi kabalo na naa diay pabayaran pa para sa disinfection fee ngano karon man lang nag-ingon ang Water District bisag kami na lanf unta nag tunga-tunga sa barangay para muagas lang ang tubig," barangay captain Jonah Macarayo said.

2008-01-29T18:39:00.000+08:00

Councilor Rachel Zozobrado slammed the Bureau of Plant Industry XI in today's council session for continuously denying potable water to the residents of Sitio Cebuda in Bago Oshiro despite efforts by the local government to enter into a compromise agreement with the agency.

She also chided BPI for arrogating upon itself the power to declare anybody as an illegal settler.

“Most of the residents of Sitio Cebuda have lived in the area for more than 30 years without access to any potable water system and this right is being continuously denied them,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said in a privilege speech.

Even councilor Pilar Braga, chair of the Council committee on Transportation and Energy criticized BPI saying the agency’s bureaucracy is proving to be “detrimental to public service”.

Former councilor Jesus Zozobrado, Jr. allocated funding in his Annual Development Fund for the installation of mainline water pipes at Purok 5, Sitio Cebuda, Bago Oshiro in Tugbok District. However, the project suffered a setback in Match 2007 after BPI head Lorna Herradura asked the City Engineer’s Office and the Davao City Water District to stop the project as it traverses an area under the administration of BPI.

“The project was 90% completed but DCWD refused to conduct hydro-testing (the last part of the project) until the issue is resolved,” she said. Herradura however refused to compromise saying that the installation of the water system will encourage squatters along the BPI property.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ordered the City Engineer to look into the matter so as not to delay the project. The latter declared that only 10% of the project traversed through the area claimed by BPI while 90% traversed a city road. The necessary adjustments were made to make sure the project did not go through the BPI area prompting DCWD to agree to the hydro testing.

But almost a year after the project’s completion and after the city government shelled out thousands of pesos for the water project, the main line remains unused. And despite the availability of a main water line, DCWD continues to deny the applications for water connection made by Sitio Cebuda residents.

“Despite her undertaking during a committee hearing under Braga’s committee, Herradura continues to be stubborn and refuses to meet with the barangay officials of Bago Oshiro,” Zozobrado said. She even drafted a Memorandum of Agreement, the terms of which were detrimental to the interests of both the residents as well as the city government, she added.

Zozobrado said Herradura’s contention that the pipes should not be opened as it will only encourage squatting in the area borders on arrogance and sheer apathy.

“These are living, breathing human beings and their need for potable water is indubitable,” Zozobrado said. Such need, she added, was recognized by the city government when it allocated funds to construct the water pipe system in the area.

She said if BPI claims that the residents of Sitio Cebuda are illegal settlers, then they should address their claim to the land in the proper court.