|
QUEZON CITY mayoral candidate Mike Defensor is eyeing for the establishment of a Central Business District (CBD) to further boost trade and commerce in the city. Defensor said the local government has sufficient funds to finance the establishment of CBD which can be achieved through careful planning and proper implementation.
"Quezon City needs this kind of a project so that our people will truly feel progress," Defensor said.
According to Defensor, he is prepared to talk with community leaders and businessmen as to the benefits the people and investors would get from the CBD.
"The time has come for us to urge investors to consider Quezon City as the home for their businesses aside from Makati, Mandaluyong, Taguig and Manila," Defensor said.
Meanwhile, Defensor vowed to step up the city's peace and order campaign and put an end to the menacing traffic problem. In a speaking engagement, Defensor said he will also come up with an effective management program on waste disposal, permits processing and other primary services of the local government.
He also assured there will no new taxes on business and properties. Instead, he said his administration will provide incentives in the form of tax breaks and free permits to local and foreign investors that will enter the CBD.
In exchange, investors have to hire employees from the city, Defensor said adding that the scheme would somehow help in providing jobs for city residents. |
THE Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office has summoned the comedian Vice-Mayor Herbert ‘Bistek’ Bautista to appear before the court and answer the theft charges filed against him by his former chief security and childhood friend. The hearing is scheduled at 9 am today, according to Assistant City Prosecutor Joselito Bacolor. Complainant Carlos De Leon charged Bautista of stealing his tarpaulin printing machine worth P1.2 million in his Cham Advertising Shop in Bahay Toro, Quezon City last year. He said Hero Bautista, the vice-mayor’s brother, helped the former comedian remove his FY 8180 III Infiniti Printer inside the printing shop without his knowledge. When confronted, the brother of Bautista allegedly told De Leon he was ordered by the comedian vice-mayor to take the expensive equipment and challenged the complainant to file charges against them if he wants to. “This is the right venue for him (Bautista) to answer my complaint. I hope he won’t blame other people for his misdeed,” De Leon said. De Leon has witnesses for his complaint. They are Cham Advertising employees Rainer Lee San Diego, 24, graphic artist; Edward Sarenas, 19, graphic artist; and Eleanor Aquino, 42, secretary. The witnesses supported De Leon’s statements that the Bautista’s stole his printing equipment. Meanwhile, De Leon’s counsel Atty. Oliver Yuan of Yuan and Associates Law Firm said the complainant has a strong case against Bautista even though one of his witnesses, Bernald Beleson, retracted his statements. It was learned that Beleson was made to reverse his statements in exchange for a P30, 000 cash, job and payment of hospital expenses for his ailing mother. Bautista can be jailed if found guilty.
Quezon City mayoral candidate Mike Defensor promised to bring the fabled Tinseltown “Hollywood” to the city to enhance its image as the ‘City of Stars’.
“We need a concrete project to make the identity of Quezon City as the ‘City of Stars’ more significant. This will not only give honor and recognition to the local movie and entertainment industry but it will also enhance local tourism and generate jobs,” declared Defensor.
Quezon City is the only place in the whole archipelago to play host to the country’s six biggest television networks which include ABS-CBN, GMA 7, ABC 5, RPN 9, NBN 4 and IBC 13.
Defensor assured he will undertake projects to boost the local entertainment industry. For starters, he is pushing for the construction of a museum that will give tribute to the Philippine movie industry and showcase the talents of Filipino artists.
Recognizing the need to provide quantifiable results to ordinances earlier passed by the City Council, Defensor said he believed that the city’s recognition as the ‘City of Stars’ is not enough and that he intended to follow this through with the implementation of viable programs and projects that will provide impact and be felt by those in the industry and the residents of the city as well.
It will be recalled that Quezon City has been reported as the residence of at least 80% of the country’s showbusiness personalities. Some have even crossed over to the political arena and it is undeniable that some of them really delivered a solid performance as public servants. Among them is Mike Defensor’s running mate, 2nd District Councilor Aiko Melendez who is running for vice-mayor.
MIKE DEFENSOR DIDIIN SA PAGSASAAYOS NG INFORMAL SETTLERS SA QC Tiniyak ni Quezon City mayoralty candidate Mike Defensor na kabilang sa prayoridad nito ang pagtulak para sa ganap na pag-unlad ng lungsod sa pamamagitan ng pagsasaayos ng mga informal settlers ng hindi ipinapatapon sa ibang lugar. “Walang sinumang informal settlers ang dapat na ipatapon palabas ng Quezon City dahil hindi natin dapat ipasa sa ibang lungsod ang pagkalinga sa ating mga kababayan, gayundin, hindi nila ginusto na maging mahirap,” pahayag ni Defensor. Nanindigan din si Defensor na puwedeng gawan ng paraan ng pamahalaang lokal ang usapin ng palupa, partikular na ang posibilidad ng relokasyon sa loob mismo ng lungsod sa pamamagitan ng pagsusulong ng Community Mortgage Program (CMP) at aktibong pagkilos ng konseho sa pamamagitan ng pagpapatibay ng ordinansa na tunay na kakalinga sa kapakanan ng mahihirap. Batay sa karanasan ni Defensor bilang Chairman ng Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council ng mahigit sa tatlong taon, karaniwang nagiging problema ng mga informal settlers ang mga pangunahing pangangailangan tulad ng elektrisidad, malinis na suplay ng tubig, paaralan at trabaho sa bawat lugar na paglilipatan sa kanila. Naniniwala si Defensor na pagtakas sa responsibilidad ng sinumang liderato ang relokasyon sa ibang lugar at hindi ito ang solusyon upang matulungan ang mga informal settlers sa lungsod. “Titiyakin ko na ang lahat ng informal settlers sa Quezon City ay hindi na tawaging iskuwater sa sarili nilang lungsod,” ayon kay Defensor. Matatandaan na sa panahon ng panunungkulan ni Defensor sa HUDCC, naitaas nito sa 265% ang bilang ng mga pamilyang nabenepisyuhan ng CMP. Sa kabuuan, nagkaroon ng katiyakan sa paninirahan ang 882,823 pamilya sa buong bansa.
Umalma sina Quezon City mayoralty candidate Mike Defensor at runningmate nito na si Aiko Melendez kasama ang daan-daang market vendors sa lungsod kaugnay sa pagsasapribado ng mga palengke na siya namang isinusulong ng liderato ni Vice-Mayor Herbert Bautista. Sa harap ng mga market vendors na nagtungo sa kanyang tanggapan, sinabi ni Defensor na kahit harangin pa siya ng sibat, pangungunahan niya ang pagbasura sa naturang plano ng kampo ni Bautista. Ayon kay Defensor, magdudulot lamang ng dagdag pahirap at gastusin sa mga nagsusumikap ng mga vendor ang ninanais ni Bautista na pagsasapribado ng lugar kung saan naghahanapbuhay ang mga maliliit na manininda. Base na rin sa karanasan, sinabi ni Defensor na tumataas ang upa ng mga vendors at humihina ang kanilang benta kapag nasasapribado ang pamilihan na kinatatayuan ng kanilang mga negosyo. “Siyempre kung isasapribado ang isang pamilihan, magiging negosyo ito ng sinumang bibili sa pamamagitan ng pagtataas ng renta. At kung mataas ang upa, dagdag gastos ito sa kanila,” paliwanag ni Defensor. “Kadalasan, tuluyan na ring namamatay ang mga negosyo sa loob ng palengke kasi pagkatapos nilang magtaas ng presyo para habulin ang upa, sa labas na lang ng pamilihan sila bumibili kung saan mas mura ang mga produkto,” dagdag pa ni Defensor. Samantala, umani ng pagbatikos mula kay Melendez si Bautista dahil sa pagsuporta nito sa pagsasapribado ng mga palengke. Partikular na tinutulan nito ang posisyon ni Bautista na kailangan ng lokal na pamahalaan ng dagdag kita bilang pagtatanggol sa privatization. “Wala atang pakialam si Bistek sa kapakanan ng mga maliliit na negosyante tulad ng mga market vendors kaya sinusuportahan nito ang privatization ng public market,” ayon pa kay Melendez.
(Salamat, by The Dawn)
Mike has always been dear to us since we were kids. He’s a good friend who came running when we needed him. Mike was the go-to guy even before he became Cong. Mike, and then Sec. Defensor. Many of us knew he was destined for public service. Mike was the consummate politician, a trait he developed since grade school. We thought he would go on to become president, if he didn’t disappoint the fickle Filipino public.But it seems he has. So much so that he is vilified by the media at every opportunity. His actions are always placed within the perspective of his relationship with an unpopular president. Justifiable, though harsh.
So we set up this blog. Some of us have worked with him and have seen him make what we thought were good decisions. But some of us were also there when we thought he made wrong ones. But that is how a man is made -- by the choices he makes.As his friends, the best we can do is stand by him and try to help everyone else see things from a different light.
On the campaign trail, the mayor running for re-election walks up to a house of his campaign adviser and rings the doorbell. When a small boy opens the door, the mayor introduces himself, “Hello there, little boy! What’s your name?”
“Little Johnny,” replies the small boy.
“Well, Little Johnny, I’m Mayor Hoffman. I’m running for re-election. Can I speak to your father?”
“He’s in the shower right now,” answers Little Johnny with a giggle.
“Oh! Well, is your mother in the house too?” asks Mayor Hoffman.
“Yes, she is. But she’s in the shower with my daddy,” replies Little Johnny with a snicker.
“Oh I see,” says Mayor Hoffman who pauses a moment thinking of what to say next. Then he smiles and says, “Little Johnny, can you go see if they are through now? I would like to speak to either one of them. It’s important.”
“I don’t think so,” replies Little Johnny with a big laugh.
Surprised to see the boy laughing heartily, the perplexed mayor demands, “What’s so funny, son? Is there something wrong with your parents?”
“Well, when my daddy asked for the Vaseline while they’re in the shower, I handed him the Super Glue.”
