Davao City Council’s 20 Priorities

The Davao City Council members went to Manila last weekend for a controversial planning session. One of the results of the said planning session is their list of 20 priorities for their legislative agenda. The 20 priorities as relayed by Councilor Peter Laviña are as follows:

Economy
1) Enactment of the Tourism Code
2) Enhancing agricultural growth through sustainable agriculture
3) Updating the Investment Code to include information and communications technology

Environment
4) Enactment of the Environment Code
5) Enactment of the Fisheries Code
6) Adoption of a Sewerage System

Finance
7) Updating of local measures on taxes, fees and charges
Providing more benefits to city employees

Infrastructure and Urban Planning
9) Update of the city’s comprehensive development plan
10) Update of the Zoning Ordinance
11) Creation of the Davao City Zoo
12) “Patubig sa Barangay” potable waster system

Peace and Public Safety
13) Proper use of the Streets Ordinance
14) Measure monitoring karaoke bars

Public Administration
15) Establishment of a City College, a City Hospital, and an Overland Transport Terminal
16) Establishment of a Public Safety Department, and the Davao City Sports Commission

Social Services and Development
17) Setting up of a Comprehensive Health Care System
18) Enhancing legislation for Women and Children
19) Enacting the Older Person’s Welfare Code
20) Enacting the Food Safety Code

All these issues and concerns are very much reflective of the needs of the city and its citizens. I laud the legislators’ priorities. However, it remains to be seen if they will indeed accomplish all these within three years. I hope they do. Realistically, not all these will be implemented within the given time. But the implementation, or the laying of the groundwork of at least 50% of these will already result in so much change, progress and development to the city. Hopefully, politics and grand-standing will not get in the way of our legislators’ goal of serving the public.