Karlo Nograles, the erstwhile Cabinet Secretary and Spokesman of former President Rodrigo Duterte has not spoken any derogatory word against his former boss except to say that he is offering himself as an alternative.
But Karlo has organized a phalanx of radio commentators in what could be best described as proxies in his attempt to wrestle the mayorship of Davao City from the Dutertes which had been in the hands of the father, the daughter and the son since 1988.
Karlo’s father, the late Prospero “Boy” Nograles who capped his political career as Speaker of the House of Representative had always the consuming desire to be Mayor of Davao City. Karlo, like the incumbent Vice President Sara learned the ABC of politics from their father. Karlo as the Chief of Staff and Sara as Vice Mayor of their respective fathers.
In the 2010 elections Sara beat Speaker Nograles in lopsided contest, with more than 200 thousands lead over the Speaker. On the same polls, Karlo won by the skin of his teeth over Mabel Sunga.
The prior year before the 2010 elections was eventful. Nograles as Speaker had the Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Leila de Lima conduct a probe on what he alleged as extra-judicial killings by members of the Davao Death Squad which they attributed to then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. The objective was to diminish the immense popularity of the elder Duterte and thereafter that of Sara. This did not wash however for the simple reason that CHR Chair de Lima never found a single piece of evidence despite months of search and diggings.
The bitter political feud between Nograles and Duterte came to an abrupt end when a few months before Speaker Nograles died they reconciled. Karlo became part of the sanctum sanctorum of PRRD in Malacanang and before Duterte term ended had even appointed him as Chairman of the Civil Service Commission.
Fast forward: Karlo and siblings Migz Nograles filed their respective certificates of Candidacy to challenge the Duterte leadership in Davao City. Through their proxies, the mounted a vicious propaganda against his former boss focusing on his age, which is true, and offering Karlo as an alternative and one who can usher in development, bureaucratic reforms which are highly doubtful given the performance of Karlo and Migz as congressmen and in the case of Karlo as his father Chief of Staff and even as congressman.
These days their phalanx of commentators would not even stop at using the fabrication of Tom Tom Traffic Index report using a picture of traffic snarl at Guadalupe Bridge at EDSA to deceive people to believe that the traffic congestion is in Davao City. It’s actually a symptom of desperation.
Nograles, through his proxies, also wants to invite investors of heavy industries claiming these will generate more employment for Davao City. This is of course another fallacy. Heavy industries will be a big source of pollution. It is also a misconception that it will generate employment. These days industries extensively use robotics technology for accurach and efficiency.
Let’s face it. Davao City has become a major hub of Business Process Outsourcing through call centers which have generated thousands of jobs.
The City, according to CNN Travels is under-rated tourist destination. This issue is correct but it means that the Duterte leadership had carefully planned which part of the City is for tourism development. What maybe is needed is for the Department of Tourism and the City Tourism Office to give this ample space in their promotions. The excellent mountain and beach resorts are all reachable within 30 minutes to one hour.
Economic development? Nograles surrogate and phalanx of commentators think Davao City is far behind the index of progressive cities in the country. In fact the City is among the top 10 of highly urbanized cities in the country. It is in the top five of Southeast Asian countries in terms of peace stability, livability and cleanliness. All these attributes are the primary factors why investors place their investment capital in the City.
Scan the horizon of Davao City and you will see buildings racing up to the skies. Its economic growth is among the highest in the country. Its gross domestic product contributes more than half of the Davao Region’s GDP. Congested? Critics skipped the fact that aside from the scenic coastal boulevard two additional super Highways linking Toril and Davao del Norte are underway including the longest tunnel in the Philippines. And by the way, Davao City is 3.9 bigger than the entire Metro Manila.
Critics of comebacking Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is feasting on his uncanny silence despite the magma of derogatory issues conjured by his adversary. Well, no one can really blame FPRRD. Indeed why bother when based on survey of PhilData Trends Rody Duterte garnered 76.5% against Karlo Nograles 23.3%. Those figures argues well for Digong, the Mayor-President.
