Cebu City Officials Give President Duterte High Passing Mark for First Six Months in Office

Cebu City Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella led other local officials in giving a passing mark to President Rodrigo Duterte for his first six months in office.

Labella, who joined Duterte’s party PDP-Laban a few months after he won as the city’s vice mayor in the May 9, 2016 elections, said the President deserves a passing mark.

He assumed as acting mayor after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena went on vacation abroad.

“In peace and order, he is very effective and very encouraging. In the fight against illegal drugs, in the fight against criminality, in the fight against lawlessness, I give him a very high passing mark. Hope it will continue,” Labella said.

Labella said he considers the fight against illegal drugs and criminality and maintaining peace and order as Duterte’s greatest achievements.

“The very basic thing of fighting against illegal drugs has been successfully undertaken by the president,” he said.

Labella said he believes the President must strengthen the country’s foreign policies and programs that would create more jobs.

He also said the President must solve the traffic congestion in the urban areas of the entire country.

“We cannot have this done overnight. These are the areas of concerns that he should do more in the years to come,” Labella said.

Cebu City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia said President Duterte’s fight against illegal drugs is “phenomenal considering that it is felt throughout the country.”

”Of course, a lot of government agencies have improved their services, as well. Also, many innovative ideas have been implemented like the driver’s licenses and passports, among others. Infrastructure projects have started in Luzon in Mindanao. However, I have yet to see major projects in Cebu. Hoping to see them by 2017,” he said.

Both Cebu City Councilors Nendell Hanz Abella and James Anthony Cuenco commended the government’s fight against illegal drugs.

Cebu City Association of Barangay Councils president Phillip Zafra said he is impressed with what the Chief Executive has done so far, but he looks forward to how is he going to address other concerns such as education vis-a-vis the K to 12 program, mass transport, infrastructure and the economy. (PNA)LAP/EB/NOD