Lakas Christian Muslim Democrates vice presidential bet Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Monday expressed gratitude to the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) for supporting her candidacy as well as the candidacy of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as president in the May 9 elections.
In a statement, Duterte said: “MNLF’s support is essential to our cause of bringing about meaningful and lasting peace and development in Mindanao and the rest of the country.”
The lady mayor said Datu Albakil Jikiri, National Vice Chairman for Military Affairs of MNLF, made the announcement recently in Zamboanga City.
“As the national government’s partner in peacebuilding in Mindanao over the years, MNLF’s support to the UniTeam will serve as a solid foundation in our pursuit of continued peace and development and equality of rights and opportunities for our Moro brothers and sisters,” she said.
As a Mindanaoan, Duterte stressed “I will always protect and support the interest of Mindanao and its people — knowing the role of Mindanao in the growth of the entire country.”
Meanwhile, Duterte thanked the lawmakers who crafted the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) law, saying that the resulting agency would be of great benefit to Dabawenyos, if not the entire population of Mindanao.
Her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, recently signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11708 or “An Act Creating Metropolitan Davao Development Authority.”
In an interview Monday over Net 25’s Sa Ganang Mamamayan, the lady mayor also gave special mention to Sen. Francis Tolentino, who incidentally was co-hosting the Net 25 program.
The MDDA cover Davao City and the nearby cities of Panabo, Tagum, and Samal in Davao del Norte; Digos in Davao del Sur; Mati in Davao Oriental; and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Hagonoy, Padada, Malalag and Sulop in Davao del Sur; Carmen in Davao del Norte; Maco in Davao de Oro; and Malita and Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental.
Although the MDDA is Davao region-centric, the agency is expected to benefit the entirety of Mindanao given how important Davao is to the southern island group.
Duterte also said she will bank on her “tibay ng puso” to deliver on the needs of Filipinos moving forward should she become victorious on May 9.
Duterte served as the guest on Net 25’s Sa Ganang Mamamayan Monday where she was interviewed by host Sen. Francis Tolentino.
Tolentino asked the survey frontrunner what she thinks her “greatest character or value or asset” would be that would make her the best vice president in the country’s history.
“Modesty aside?” he asked, knowing that the 43-year-old Duterte is never the type to brag about herself.
But what does she mean by tibay ng puso? According to the Lakas-CMD and regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) chairperson, she would “move mountains” in order to get a task done.
This would certainly be for the benefit of Filipinos, given her consistent calls amid the campaign period for economic recovery and individual protection from coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).
“I’m not the best, I’m not the brightest, I’m not the most brilliant candidate out there. Pero kung may ipapagawa ka sa akin (But if I am given a mission) I will move mountains para ma-deliver ‘yan sa iyo.(to accomplish it)…,” she said.
Duterte is a multi-term Davao mayor who managed to clear the city’s P1-billion debt. Now, Davao is the eight richest city in the Philippines.
Tolentino co-hosted the program with veteran broadcasters Nelson Luban and Gen Subardiaga.