There are four candidates running for congress in the third district, which has approximately 200,000 voters and 82 of the citys 182 barangays.
Ungab, who runs under the PDP-Laban ticket and is allied with Hugpong, presents himself as an administration candidate, someone who can implement projects for the district.
Councilor Joel Junsay is aghast at the ways of traditional politicians. (davaotoday.com photo by Cheryll Fiel)
Former mayor Benjamin de Guzman is running under the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP). He packages himself as a candidate who is sincere in giving services to the people.
Sonja Habana Rodriguez runs under the administration Kampi and sells herself as someone who could provide investments for the third district.
Rene Lopez, the brother of incumbent congressman Ruy Lopez, runs under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC). The fact that Lopez is identified with the opposition and with a brother who signed the impeachment complaint against the president twice, is considered a bane. Residents are afraid that Lopez might not be able to get projects for the district.
Meanwhile, the problems of the third district — from Toril, to Tugbok, to Calinan, Baguio and Marilog Districts — are practically the same age old problems: bad roads, constant floods, lack of livelihood, and the absence of basic social services, such as medicines, hospitals, education, water and electricity.
Deputy Mayor Emilio Bade, who is also district coordinator of Marilog, says he hopes that whoever will win in will look into the depressed conditions in the district, especially in the Lumad areas.
Bade says financing assistance to farmers is also very crucial. Many farmers face failure in their crops because of expensive farm inputs, costly transportation and the lack of passable roads, Bade says.
In fact, he says even the Vegetable Storage Project of a Korean Company in Marilog is not working, because people do not have products to store in it.
The hospital in Marilog is very far. Residents have complained that their hospital in Quibalang does not have the needed facilities. The doctors work as contractuals and are often no longer found at the hospital beyond 3 p.m.
There may be pharmacies but these sorely lack supplies. One pharmacy in Datu Salumay only has Band-aids and a few cough syrups on its shelves.
In Calinan, the Talomo River usually overflows, destroying the crops and properties. One factor attributed to this is the clearing of forest areas due to the expansion of banana plantations.
Displacement of families living in urban areas and those living in the uplands, like the indigenous peoples, are also problems noted in the district.
Juvenile delinquency is a growing problem. The proliferation of gangs is becoming a headache, especially in Calinan and Toril districts.
Sadly, residents point out that seldom do they hear the candidates discussing and presenting to the people solutions to these problems. (Cheryll D. Fiel and Jetty Ayop-Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)
