Hontiveros to focus on youth, elderlies

CEBU, Philippines — As soon as he assumes office, Cebu City councilor-elect Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros wants to develop programs for the youth and for the elderly.

During the #CebuVote conversation with Hontiveros yesterday, he shared that these are among his priorities once he sits as one of the newly-elected councilors in the city.

Cebu Vote is an online page of The FREEMAN and Banat News which features interview series with elected officials of the recent midterm polls.

Hontiveros, a multi-awarded sportsman, said he wants to revive the inter-barangay league to develop the skills of the young over sports.

During the campaign period, he had given an opportunity to meet the youth who have interest in sports which challenged him to help them.

“…Kung asa mi magpulong-pulong, I told them to bring back that inter-barangay program. Not only for kids ages 12 to 15 years old,” Hontiveros said.

Aside from this, he planned to train the young individuals to be agents in deterring any type of bullying which is a common case among youth nowadays.

He also wanted to allot part of his income from his consultancy services in sports to aid the elderly in the city.

This was after he felt that the senior citizens need help from officials for their daily necessities.

“Basin makatabang ta nila in other sports activities, ma-provide ang needs sa senior citizens. I was hoping that I can do that,” Hontiveros said.

He added that he was amenable to the plan of mayor-elect Edgardo Labella to increase the financial aid of senior citizens from P1,000 to P2,000 per month.

Finishing first in the recent polls for city councilor in the south district, Hontiveros has begun familiarizing himself with the parliamentary procedure in the City Council considering that he may sit as the presiding officer if the mayor-elect and vice mayor-elect will be absent.

In the recent election, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed him as the first elected councilor after earning 160,984 votes in the south district.

He shared that among his mentors in learning government laws include Labella and incumbent councilor Jocelyn Pesquera.

“I’m really looking into the challenge and it is an opportunity for me to grow. Maynta mahinumduman ko nila nga Dondon Hontiveros as public servant dili ang player after a year or two years,” Hontiveros said.

He also vowed to help vice mayor-elect Michael Rama in uniting the City Council considering that the legislative body is composed of members coming from different local parties.

In July, the composition of the City Council would be 11-7 in favor of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan councilors.

BOPK councilors are Nestor Archival, Lea Japson, Joy Augustus Young, Sisinio Andales, Alvin Arcilla, Alvin Dizon, David Tumulak, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Raul Alcoseba along with two ex-officio members, Association of Barangay Councils Cebu City Chapter President Franklyn Ong and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Jessica Resch.

Aside from Hontiveros, Partido-Barug PDP Laban is composed of Councilors Antonio Cuenco, Phillip Zafra, Prisca Niña Mabatid, Renato Osmeña Jr., Raymond Alvin Garcia and Eduardo Rama Jr.

“He’s (Rama) been always like that. Dili siya ganahan nga naa’y division kay pareho raman tingali mi og goal, BOPK and Barug, we have the same vision for the city. It’s just that lain-lain lang mi og way or agianan,” Hontiveros said. (FREEMAN)