Our special presentation on our talkshow on Straight from the Sky tonight, we bring you a discussion on the incoming Duterte administration, what challenges we should look for, and what kind of changes can we expect to happen to our country. While presumptive President Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte has not yet taken his oath as president, already he has embarked on many changes that we expect to happen when he takes over the reins of government on July 1st.
To discuss with us about the incoming Duterte administration, we once again bring a dear friend, Mr. Robert “Bobby” Joseph, chairman of Tourism Educators and Movers Philippines (TEAM Philippines) and former Regional Director for Tourism in Region-7, Ms. Patria “Dawnee” Roa, so we can have a proper perspective from the private sector and one from a government agency.
So watch this very interesting interview on SkyCable’s channel 61 at 8:00 p.m. with replays on Wednesday and Friday same time. We also have replays on MyTV at 9:00 p.m. tonight and at 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Fridays to ensure that our viewers won’t miss our talkshow.
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There’s an old saying, which goes, “Victory has a thousand fathers, while defeat is a lonely orphan.” Last week, when the news report came out that presumptive president, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte appointed Mr. Michael Dino as his Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, I immediately congratulated Michael Dino because I personally know him and his position is a sign that change has come to this country under a Duterte presidency. Why? Because this position, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, was not filled up in the six-years of President Benigno “PNoy” Aquino III.
The two previous presidents, notably President Fidel V. Ramos had the late Rhett Pelaez as his presidential assistant for the Visayas, while during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, it was Felix Guanzon who played that role. Indeed, PNoy did not find any use for a presidential assistant for the Visayas perhaps it is because he wanted to run Malacañang by his lonesome and did not want to delegate this role to anyone.
Anyway, the ink of the appointment of Michael Dino hasn’t even dried up yet and yes, the Duterte administration hasn’t even taken over the reins of the government when out of the blue, I found a Manifesto in my mailbox signed by a group of people who say that they are volunteers who supported the campaign of Mayor Duterte in Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo, Guimaras, and Siquijor. It is obvious from the language of this Manifesto that this group is not happy with the appointment of Mr. Michael Dino.
Let me reprint a few demands that these people are asking. “Press releases by his publicist on Dino’s appointment associate him with his failed Ciudad project. This project of Dino spells possible conflict of interest situation and trouble in Cebu City. Instead of achieving a smoother relationship the national government and LGUs. Dino will just sour whatever goodwill that has been established. Dino is a liability, not an asset to the Duterte Administration.”
Let’s try to read between the lines here. Why are these people calling the Ciudad a failed project? In all honesty this project was properly bid out and won by Mr. Michael Dino during the time of then Cebu governor Gwen Garcia. But unfortunately the Ciudad Project was blocked by then and now incoming Mayor Tomas Osmeña. So why will the appointment of Michael Dino be a problem between the national government and the LGU? Perhaps, the best question here is, who is threatened by the appointment of Michael Dino? I have a very short list of suspects!
At the beginning of this Manifesto they said, “Various movements are jointly responsible for the successful campaign in the Visayas. Our experience showed Dino and his Bisaya na Pud would just claim credit for what we achieved.” Towards the end of this Manifesto, it reads, “But more of all, any nominee must have the respect of his peers and of the other persons in the community.” This Manifesto is signed by Rex J M S Fernandez, Emmanuel Crucio, Norlando Osano, Jr. Neil Papas, Cathy Maluya, and others.
This only gives us an idea that the people behind this Manifesto are plain envious of Dino’s appointment. I even suspect that incoming Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña could be behind this paper. I checked with PJ Garcia, secretary general of One Cebu Party, if those allegations are true and he told me that he only has high regards for Michael Dino. I also got formal letter of support from recently inducted President Melanie Ng of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (CCCI), giving the chamber’s support for Michael Dino. So will this Manifesto reach the eyes of Mayor Duterte and yank the appointment of Michael Dino? I doubt! Sorry for you envious fellas!
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For email responses to this article, write to vsbobita@mozcom.com or vsbobita@gmail.com. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com