By Germelina Lacorte
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY — Wary over the recent raids of the Communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the region, the military is deploying 20,000 troops to augment security forces in Eastern Mindanao.
In Full Swing. The elections in Davao promises more of the same. (davaotoday.com photo by Cheryll D. Fiel)In this special report on the 2007 elections, Davao Today features the problems…
First District: From street crime to lack of water supply, the residents of the first congressional district have problems that they hope their politicians would address. But they?re not holding their breath.
By Marilou M. Aguirre
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY ? As a vendor of coconut juice who roams around the city, particularly the First District where he lives, Eusebio Pulgo knows only too well the problems brought about by juvenile delinquency.
A resident of Barangay 23C, more known as Mini-Forest Boulevard, Pulgo, 41, considers these delinquents, who are mostly minors and members of gangs, as a pressing problem that should be addressed by the city.
Third District: This major district faces the same old problems but, according to residents, the candidates seldom talk about these, let alone present solutions. Officials, meanwhile, say they would only support candidates who can promise money for projects. That means support for the administration?s bets.
By Cheryll D. Fiel and
Jetty Ayop-Ohaylan
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY — Floods, the absence of a covered court and a lot to build a barangay hall, gangs. Wilmar Al-ag, the barangay captain of Poblacion, in Toril, complains about these things all the time.
The solution to these problems, he tells davaotoday.com, is to choose a congressional candidate in the third district who can solve these problems.
Second District: The four congressional candidates offer their ideas, programs and platforms, some lofty, some realistic.
By Grace S. Uddin
davaotoday.com
DAVAO CITY — In the vote-rich second district of this city, where 251,272 registered voters make up 33 percent of the city?s total voting population, four political bets are vying for the congressional seat.
Third-termer reelectionist Vincent Garcia, the son of former second district Congressman Nonoy Garcia, is running against three-term City Councilor Jimmy Dureza, lawyer and former human rights commissioner Billy Aportadera and 34-year-old college dropout Joel Batucan, who ekes out a living tilling less than half a hectare of land.
(more…)