Recently Off The Press:Davao Gets Favorable Publicity in China :)

The first favorable publicity on the Philippines in China in recent months (per our DOT-Beijing), Comfort Magazine featured "Davao: A Wonderful Experience in Philippines" in its August 2012 Issue. Upon the invitation of DOT-Beijing, we received the Comfort Magazine crew in time for the 2nd International Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge. We feted them to an islands to highlands experience during their brief trip. Our Beijing office estimates a media value of RMB1.08M or US$180,000 or Php7.7M :) Madayaw!

Duterte: I am not qualified to head DILG

Davao Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte speaks on rumors he is eyed to replace the late Sec. Jesse Robredo.

DAVAO CITY -- Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte downplayed reports that he is on the shortlist of candidates to replace the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Robredo perished in a plane accident last week. Two of the pilots were also killed, while Robredo’s security aid survived.

In an interview after Friday's mass wedding at Plaza 9 gymnasium in NHA Subdivision, Ma-a, Duterte said he is not qualified for the position that Robredo left.

"This is my personal assessment," he said.

Together with Duterte in the shortlist is Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez, who is a member of the Liberal Party.

Duterte admitted that he also declined an offer by President Benigno Aquino III even before the late Robredo took the helm of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) post two years ago.

Even during the time of former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the DILG post has been offered to Duterte.

DILG'S functions range from supervision over local units, forest conservation, public instructions, control and supervision over the police, counterinsurgency, rehabilitation, community development and cooperative development programs.

Reports said in the shortlist are Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Panfilo Lacson, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando, two Luzon governors and one Manila mayor.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang, however, refused anew to discuss the possible replacement for Robredo in DILG.

"It's not the right time. Hindi muna ako magko-comment dyan. Hintayin muna nating matapos itong prosesong ito (I won't comment on that. Let's wait for this process to finish). And then we can start talking about things like that," he said. 

Food safety ordinance to boost city's tourism

THE proposed ordinance on food safety, which regulates selling of street food in Davao City, does not only help vendors, but also impacts the city's tourism, a councilor said.

In Thursday's launch of the Davao Food Safety Team (DFST), Councilor Bernard Al-ag, author of the proposed Food Safety Ordinance, said regulating street food sold in the city will bring assurance to the public that the food served to them is safe.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2012/08/26/food-safety-ordinance-boost-citys-tourism-239493

Duterte confident that new Chief Justice can bring reforms

DAVAO CITY Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte expressed on Sunday his support to newly-appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, saying he believes the first woman chief justice has the capability to attend to her duties well given her outstanding credentials.

The new chief justice is married to Mario Jose Sereno of the Porras-Aledia-Sereno clan of Davao City.

Duterte makes pitch for RH bill during mass wedding of 51 couples

Long before the raging debate over the RH Bill, Duterte said Davao City has been implementing its own version.

“The Church has a different stand but as government officials, we can easily see the situation,” Duterte said.

“The priests are just taking the debate personally, but when people no longer have anything to eat, they turn to public officials for help,” he said.

Read More: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/258236/duterte-makes-pitch-for-rh-bill-during-mass-wedding-of-51-couples

Davao City Vice Mayor Rody Duterte: I'm not qualified to head DILG

DAVAO CITY -- Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte downplayed reports that he is on the shortlist of candidates to replace the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

In an interview after Friday's mass wedding at Plaza 9 gymnasium in NHA Subdivision, Ma-a, Duterte said he is not qualified for the position that Robredo left.

"This is my personal assessment," he said.

Together with Duterte in the shortlist is Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez, who is a member of the Liberal Party.

Duterte admitted that he also declined an offer by President Benigno Aquino III even before the late Robredo took the helm of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) post two years ago.

Even during the time of former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the DILG post has been offered to Duterte.

Davao City turns green

DAVAO CITY — About 90 percent of the 29,000 business establishments in this city are now complying with the provisions of the city's Ecological and Solid Waste Management Ordinance on the ban on the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags (with handle) and styro foams.


City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) chief Lawyer Joseph Dominic Felizarta said almost all business establishments in the city are already aware of the plastic ban.


He also said businesses that are using plastic in their daily operations, especially those types of plastics that are explicitly included in the prohibited types, need not to spend much since there are at least 10 local manufacturers of biodegradable plastic in Davao City.


Meanwhile, Felizarta said as of Thursday, CENRO arrested 450 erring businesses violating the plastic ban. “We are already assessing if we can file appropriate cases against these violators. Most of them are in the food vendors in various public markets,” he said.(PNA)