Davao speaks before Pnoy's SONA
By Mai Gevera
Davao City (21 July) -- Days before the maiden State-of-the-Nation-Address of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, representatives from various sectors in Davao cited some of the things they need to hear as priority concerns of PNoy's administration.
The business community expected to hear peace and order in Mindanao as part of the president's agenda.
Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Robert Quinto hopes that PNoy fills in the peace panel with the right and appropriate members that should come from Mindanao.
"We want to see a peace panel that is composed of people from Mindanao, all coming from the various sectors," he said. Another concern raised is the expected concrete action of the new president on Mindanao's energy crisis.
The business community suggested that PNoy revisit the EPIRA Law especially that the government is bent into promoting privatization but still there are no takers yet.
City agriculture officer Leo Avila, representing the agriculture sector, hopes to see his commitment to increase budget allocation for Mindanao especially for agriculture, farm to market roads, and agriculture inputs.
A clear concern to address the killings of journalists also turned out to be one of the major issues that Davao sectoral representatives raised.
Davao City Councilor Leah Librado wanted the new president to repudiate the policy on extra-judicial killings. Youth representative Henry Yao of the Ateneo de Davao University also expected PNoy to give his stand on this issue.
COURAGE Davao officer Pepe Silvaan, representing the Government Organization employees hopes to hear PNoy tackle the cleansing of highly corrupt government offices and seriously prosecute corrupt officials like retire government employees who were able to build multi-million worth of mansions.
Media representative Tony Ajero cited his expectations of President Aquino giving the details of his discoveries about the ills of the past and provide concrete moves to correct them.
Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda gave a preview on what to expect from PNoy's SONA.
In a report, he bared that the president will be reporting his administration's 2010-2016 governance agenda and bare what the previous administration left behind. (PIA XI) [top]
