“However, today — allow me to formally — and with a heavy heart — say farewell. Tuguti ko ninyo nga manamilit kaninyo. Nga mananghid kaninyo. I have been called to join the race for a bigger challenge. This is a challenge that gives me the opportunity to spread my wings wider, to soar higher, and reach new heights —with the support of our fellow Filipinos — for our beloved country,” the mayor said.
The mayor stated that she will leave Davao City with a stronger economy, a stronger citizenry, and established programs and services to ensure continuity.
“A city that has so much more potential for greatness. And I am confident that whoever will lead the city in the coming months will be able to sustain, if not surpass, what we have achieved, and take Davao City even higher,” she said.
The mayor stated that while Davao City has seen both highs and lows, Dabawenyos have grown stronger, more resilient, and more prepared to confront the future. The mayor itemized what the city government of Davao had accomplished and what still needed to be completed during her leadership a few months before she left City Hall.
Davao's city administration spent a total of P8.2 billion from the Annual Development Fund for both infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects from 2016 to 2021. Over 3,000 infrastructure projects have been constructed with this money, including 1,424 roads, 51 bridges, 180 school buildings, 63 office buildings, 44 barangay halls, 84 health centers, nine police stations, 748 irrigation and canal projects, 172 water systems, and 11 electrification projects.
The municipal administration of Davao expanded the current Lingap para sa Mahirap Program, which assists Dabawenyos with medical costs, by opening Lingap satellite offices in Paquibato and Bunawan in the Second District, and Marilog and Toril in the Third District. Inside SPMC, the city has opened the Mental Wellness Center for the Homeless.
The Covid-19 Cluster Clinics, Los Amigos Molecular Laboratory, and the Davao Municipal Crematorium at the Wireless Cemetery are among the key structures that the city government of Davao has been able to construct as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The city is also constructing the Tagakpan cemetery, which will include separate sections for Muslims and Christians.
The city has cooperated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to raise P740 million of the required P3.5 billion for the Waste-to-Energy facility, while the financing application for the High Priority Bus System is still being processed. Last year, the city also launched two Interim Bus Service (IBS) lines, with 20 buses currently servicing the public.
The city has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Bureau of Plant Industry to use their property at Bago Oshiro as the site of the City College of Davao, according to Mayor Sara. The city administration of Davao has set aside P250,000,000.00 for land development from the 2022 Annual Development Fund.
Mayor Sara listed the 118 awards and citations the city received in various aspects of governance and service from 2016 to 2021, including 'One of the Best Cities in the Philippines' today, the 4th Most Competitive Highly Urbanized City in the 2021 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), Davao City was third in terms of infrastructure, government efficiency, and economic dynamism, and sixth in terms of resiliency; regularly recognized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
She said the city government of Davao has directed its efforts to building more infrastructure, enhancing revenue generation efforts, strengthening security and improving the delivery of social services, while also continuously learning, embarking on business and tourism missions, and forging partnerships with other cities and localities abroad.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the mayor said Davao City had a total combined revenue of P10,434,193,222.19 which is 39.8 percent higher than its pre-pandemic revenues. Of this amount, P4,420,991,524.63 was generated by local sources.
She added that over the years, the city government of Davao contracted loans to finance major projects for the development of the city.
“As we continue to implement the projects, we have also been allocating ample budget every year to diligently pay back our loans,” she said.
According to her, this year, the city has allocated P46,706,000 in the 2022 budget to cover the remaining loan balance and by the end of the first half of Calendar Year 2022, Davao City will be debt-free.
“For the past five years, by building the necessary infrastructure, by boosting our income generation and by keeping our communities safe, we have made a stronger Davao,” she said.
For Mayor Sara, the real strength of Davao City, the backbone of any community, are the Dabawenyos.
“We acknowledge that a stronger citizenry can only be achieved when there are ample social services available for all sectors. And so, for the past five years we doubled our efforts so that each individual Dabawenyo is empowered – with employment and social services – especially for the disadvantaged, so that as the city continues to soar, no Dabawenyo is left behind,” she said.
Looking back on the past years, Mayor Sara said she is buoyed by the indomitable spirit of the Dabawenyos, young and old, rich and the needy, men and women, who refused to give up and surrender to anything that comes their way.
“But we have embodied strength. We have embodied resiliency. We have embodied courage. We rejected those who made us doubt in ourselves. We rejected those who told us that we cannot make it. We rejected those who wanted to see us on our knees defeated. As Dabawenyos — to surrender is not in our blood. Winning is in our flesh,” she said.
The mayor concluded her SOCA by thanking all the Dabawenyos, her family, private sector, national government and agencies, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Poice (PNP), and all officials, Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP) and the employees of the city government of Davao for their love and trust.
“For the Dabawenyos, your patience in letting me grow from a shy neophyte in 2007 to a confident leader today is a gift not all public servants are lucky enough to receive. You gave me wings and you taught me how to fly. Your love made me who I am today. To my family, thank you for the neverending support. Sa tanang opisyal ug empleyado sa lokal na kagamhanan sa siyudad sa Davao, sa tanang akong nakatrabaho, sa tanang mga volunteers ug mga nitabang kanako aron matuman ang atong mga pangandoy — salamat. Daghang salamat sab sa private sector, national government agencies and offices, sectoral groups, the diplomatic community, the AFP and the PNP, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, ug tanan kaigsuonan kong Dabawenyo — sa iyong pagsalig, sa inyong kaayo, sa inyong pagmahal, ug sa inyong pagkuyog kanako sa Byaheng DO30. Dabawenyos desire the best and serving you is like serving a god that can never be pleased. My work gave me nightmares and mental anguish but it’s been an honor — a great, great honor — to have been chosen by you. And it’s been a pleasure to make not only memories with you — but also history,” Mayor Sara said.
The leader guaranteed that she will take off with Davao City buoyed by a more grounded economy, a more grounded citizenry, with programs and administrations institutionalized to guarantee progression.
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