Davide to give report today

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III will deliver today his State of the Province Address, the second and last in his first term.

The SOPA, which he called his “Report to the People,” will start at 2:30 p.m. with Cebu mayors expected to be in attendance.

In an earlier interview, he said no officials from the national government would be coming to attend the event.

“Kita-kita ra gud,” he said.

The SOPA was supposed to be held last Monday but it was postponed to give way to the turnover of 44 patrol jeeps in Laguna in which Davide, together with Cebu mayors, was invited. The distribution was led by Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas.

Some local officials had urged Davide to highlight his accomplishments so as to satisfy his critics and dispel doubts that his administration has not accomplished much.

Board Member Christopher Baricuatro, Davide’s ally in the Liberal Party, said he expected the governor to present a comprehensive report, enumerating all of the administration’s projects and programs.

“We all know he has done a lot in the province and that he is very modest and humble to state his projects and programs,” he said in a text message sent to The FREEMAN.

PB Member Sun Shimura, who is affiliated with the One Cebu Party, also made a similar suggestion, saying the governor should specifically tackle the provincial government’s effort and assistance extended to Yolanda-stricken areas.

Shimura said he received complaints on Capitol aid not reaching the barangays; this spawned allegations that the assistance was selectively doled out to local government units allied with Davide.

“The distribution is a big issue now. He should tell the people unsa gyod ang mga nahatag ngadto sa Yolanda victims aron mahibaw-an gyod sa mga tawo nga wa ta nagkuwang. The people should know unsa gyoy nahitabo, klaro ba ang pag-apod-apod. The public will be the judge… Pero bisan di mi kaalyado ni Gov. Junjun (Davide), I believe nga wa siyay gipili, bisan pa mga mayor nga di kaalyado niya, iya gyong tabangan,” he said in a telephone interview.

Meanwhile, Medellin Mayor Ricardo Ramirez, a staunch critic of the Davide administration, said he is hoping that the governor would mention in his report plan to continue the repair and rehabilitation of provincial roads in his town before the elections.

“Iya man to giingon nga ipasemento, ipaayo. But I think layo ra nas tinuod,” he said.

He added that he could not expect more from the provincial government under Davide, saying his town seemed to be beyond for the Capitol to reach. – (FREEMAN)