MANILA – Presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte believes some local Davao City ordinances can be applied for the betterment of the whole country.
In an interview on “Ikaw Na Ba?….Ang Para sa Pamilyang Pilipino, The DZMM Presidential Interview,” Duterte said that among the city ordinances he wants to implement nationwide is curfew.
For Duterte, implementing a curfew will help protect students and younger people from vices.
“There’s always a time for everything. Wala akong masyadong ano, ang inaalala ko, ‘yung mga bata. And as I said, there has to be a time,” he said.
He added that implementing a curfew will also benefit workers in bars and restaurants that are open until the wee hours of the morning.
“You [customer] might be oozing with happiness, pero pano ‘yung mga waiter, ‘yung mga security guard,” Duterte said.
“Ginagawa ko sa Davao, bakit hindi ko gawin dito?” he said.
Duterte said all establishments should be closed by 1 a.m. He will also order the closure of “girly” bars and beer houses.
Anti-discrimination against Muslims
According to Duterte, he implemented an anti-discrimination ordinance in Davao City to ensure equal rights for Muslims.
“There was a time, ayaw magpabili sa mga Muslim. Kaya ako natakot at nagalit. Kaya may ordinansa ako niya, you get about one year [in prison] if you do that,” he said.
“I want everybody, mixed. Mixed talaga. Ang gusto ko kapitbahay mo, Muslim,” Duterte added.
First 100 days in office
If elected president, Duterte said he will spend his first 100 days working on these issues: crime, criminality, and graft and corruption.
“I’ll start simultaneously attacking crime, criminality and graft and corruption. It has to stop. Hindi ako nagmamalinis dito, lahat naman tayo sa gobyerno, merong mga sayad. But you know, I said, the call of the people is sawa sila sa pera nila na winawaldas, ninanakaw. It has to stop. Criminality has to stop. Drugs must stop,” he said.
He will also work with local government officials to ensure that they are doing their jobs well.
“You know, mayors now and governors are given the choice of who to be their CD (city police director) and PD (provincial police director). ‘Pag nalaman ko na you’re into it at wala kang ginagawa, papalitan ko lahat ng police,” Duterte added.
Traffic situation, social services
For Duterte, the only solution to the traffic in the metro is to decongest the area. This, however, will take at least 12 years and will not be achieved in the six-year term of the next president.
“What I’m saying is, there is no solution to EDSA. It is not only EDSA, all of the streets in the Greater Manila Area are overloaded. It’s not only the streets, the city of Manila is overloaded. You have to disperse. Ayoko kasi pumasok diyan kasi it would take 12 years,” he said.
He added that if he will be elected, he plans to borrow money for additional infrastructures to decongest Manila.
“Kung ako, if you trust me enough, I’ll borrow money and I will build new ports. I-disperse talaga pati itong industries. Lahat ng factories ilabas mo talaga. And then you build the said infrastructures,” Duterte said.
Duterte, however, said infrastructure projects will have to wait, as he wants to ensure the welfare of Filipinos first.
“For the first year, masasakripisyo ko ang infrastructure. You know why, I have to look at the human being. I want a country where food is available and affordable. Andyan, at kaya ng bulsa mo,” he said.
Relocation of informal settlers
For Duterte, the relocation of informal settlers should include economic activities that would encourage them to stay in relocation areas.
“Itong relocation, would need, siguro, a 20-year plan. Hindi ito pwedeng isang presidente na six years lang. Gagawa ka ng satellite cities, o paglipat mo ‘yung mga industries to decongest Manila. But you have to build economic activity of a certain place. ‘Pag walang trabaho, babalik ng babalik ‘yung mga tao. Eventually, ‘yung binigay mo na lupa sa relocation, ipagbili niya ‘yan tapos babalik siya at maghanap ng pwesto dito,” he said.
“Kung saan mo ilagay ‘yan sila, there must be an economic activity. Kasi ‘pag hindi, hindi ‘yan pupunta doon, babalik nang babalik ‘yan. Hindi mo mahinto ‘yan,” Duterte added.
He also believes that informal settlers should fear the government to make them follow the law.
As an example, Duterte said he was able to keep the drainage system in Davao City clean by threatening to evict illegal settlers living along the river.
“I will remove you from where you are, and I will send you doon sa housing na nilagyan ko ng palengke. That’s your penalty.
“Kailangan matakot talaga, sumunod. Ang problema kasi, walang sumusunod. Kailangan kapag sinabi ni Duterte na sundin mo ‘yun, isang salita lang,” he said.