DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/24 October) – Projects that will address robbery are on top of measures that local residents wanted the city government to undertake, a survey conducted by the University of Mindanao’s Institute of Popular Opinion (IPO) showed.
The survey, conducted on 1,200 respondents from August 2 to 12 across the city’s three districts showed that Dabawenyos ranked robbery as the top priority for the local government followed by gangsterism, Dr. Adrian Tamayo, UM-IPO’s specialist on economics, government, and political issues, told a press conference Monday.
Next to solutions to robbery and gangsterism, Dabawenyos also wanted available and free medicine at barangay health stations, environmental protection, and solution to vigilante killings, Tamayo said.
He noted that the city government needs to improve peace and security programs in view of public concern for robbery and gangsterism.
“Health programs, being second most preferred, refer to the presence of making free medicine available at the barangay health stations to which Dabawenyos can readily visit. Environmental protection is associated with watershed protection and ensuring air quality,” he said.
Davao City Police Office spokesperson Insp. Catherine Dela Rey said that robbery incidents recorded from August to September 2016 reached 49
Seventy-five robbery incidents were recorded during the same period last year.
Tamayo said among the least preferred projects for the Dabawenyos are fertilizer and pesticide support for farmers, support to cooperatives, creation of recreation areas and playgrounds, building covered courts, and imposition of a Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
“Comparing the results with the survey conducted in the same month three years ago reveals that this year’s priority projects are lesser by four items than in 2013. The projects that were not found in this year’s priority list are projects for women and elderly, recreational projects and festivals, business tax exemptions, and disaster preparedness,” he said.
He added the city government “has fared better in social welfare projects for women and elderly, recreational, business an on disaster preparedness.”
Days after Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio assumed office on June 30, she identified the following as her top priority projects: poverty alleviation, infrastructure, development, solid waste management, health, education, agriculture, tourism, transportation planning and traffic management, peace and order, and disaster risk reduction and mitigation. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
