Boy vs Nito Durano

I am saddened by the family quarrel of  Mayor Boy and Vice Mayor Nito Durano of Danao City. For the past few years Danao City has enjoyed so much progress. The quarrel affect whatever gains it has made in the past years.  But it is clear that Vice Mayor Nito is trying to show leadership as Bakud Party leader in marshalling political leaders to his side against Mayor Boy.

In an interview Vice Mayor Nito listed the violations of  Bakud Party principles that Mayor Boy committed  that led to the brothers’ political fight  though Mayor Boy says  Nito just want to be mayor of the city.

What is clear is that  Danao political leaders are aligning themselves with Nito the same way  Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale took her oath of office before cousin Nito, not Gov.  Gwen Garcia or  Danao Mayor Boy.

But it’s  good that both brothers are open to conciliation efforts. It’s  very unfortunate to see brothers  fighting over political influence and adversely affect the delivery of basic services to the people of Danao City.

Both brothers can and should resolve their differences.  After all, they know the issues and can very well provide solutions to the misunderstanding. I hope they talk at the soonest  possible time and not allow an outsider to interfere.

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Many are enthusiastic about the news that Cebu City and two Asian countries have been identified by the World Bank as pilot areas for urban energy. This will  complement  final implementation of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project, which will be good for city residents.

Well, it is hoped that all political leaders on Cebu support the program and put up a united front in  planning and implementing programs for  green projects for the city.

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I’ts funny how the  Cebu provincial government is now blocking court efforts to distribute the proceeds of the Balili Estate to its heirs.  It’s the Capitol’s turn to insist that the property in Naga City sold to the Province of Cebu in 2008 is  partly underwater. But I think the court disregarded the Capitol because it has no legal standing in the estate proceedings.

I think the issue would have been simplified if the Province of Cebu was very careful in the first place and exercising pre-sale due diligence before buying the land, which turned out to be  not only underwater or covered with mangroves but still considered coastal timberland by the by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), making for a highly questionable land deal.

It’s not clear whether the Cebu provincial government can recover its almost P100 million investment  in Naga but we hope it can because to allow otherwise would be  unjust enrichment on the part of the Balili family vendors.

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On a personal note I would like to welcome back to Cebu my sister Jackie Poca Noerenberg, husband Paul  and children Lance and Leyton. I hope they enjoy  their month-long vacation in  Cebu City. Jackie has lived in  the United States for more than 15 years and is a resident of a beautiful subdivision in Lake of Four Seasons in Crown Point, Indiana. Lance, who is in grade 7, is showing  some leadership traits of the Rama family while  Leyton is still enjoying his childhood.