QUEZON City and its estimated 2.8 million residents have seen little changes in its political landscape since the 2010 landslide victory of Mayor Herbert Bautista. The former actor also known as Bistek—the show biz moniker he kept while earning his stripes at City Hall, first as a youth sector leader, councilor and then vice mayor—is seeking his third and last term at the helm of the most populous local government unit in Metro Manila.
On paper, Bautista has three challengers, but only Leon Peralta, founder of Anti-Trapo (traditional politician) Movement, is actively campaigning. The two other candidates are Martin Sanchez Jr., 55, from Barangay Holy Spirit; and Alex Lague, 50, of the Philippine Green Republican Party, with registered address in Barangay Payatas.
Peralta, who is fielded by the Buklod National Political Party, and Lague made unsuccessful runs to be city councilors in 2013.
In this installment of the Inquirer Metro series leading to the May 9 elections, two of the candidates present their plans to address the issues of traffic, peace and order, and informal settlers—concerns that affect residents and nonresidents alike in QC, where 1.15 million are expected to cast their votes.
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HERBERT BAUTISTA, 47; incumbent mayor
On traffic: A national project on Visayas Avenue, from Quezon Memorial Circle to Fairview, is expected to be finished by end 2016. It will ease traffic on Commonwealth Avenue and on Quirino Avenue from Novaliches to Balintawak.
BAUTISTA
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority plans to construct a metal flyover from Katipunan Avenue to CP Garcia to ease traffic jams in the area. This was approved by the mayors in a meeting of the Metro Manila Council.
On 15th Avenue, Cubao, the barangay can come up with its traffic ordinance and enforce parking rules. With the rerouting, the franchise of affected jeepneys can be revised by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
On peace and order: The Philippine National Police recently assigned 600 new cops to Quezon City. We welcome the entry of new police personnel for increased visibility.
The new Disaster Risk Reduction and Management building can help in crime prevention and traffic management. The command center will be the contribution of the city government.
We also want to equip policemen with modern technology. We’re canvassing for a camera that policemen can pin on their uniform while on patrol.
On informal settlers: I’m having the numbers updated on how many informal settler families (ISF) are left out of the 236,000 families living on private or government lands and danger zones since I assumed office. We’ve assisted many of them through the Community Mortgage Program.
There are 17 Bistekville (low-cost housing) projects in the pipeline and we plan to increase the number to 30 communities by the end of 2016.
We are working with the National Housing Authority on the relocation of some 40,000 ISFs in Barangays Commonwealth, Holy Spirit and Batasan Hills. The target by end-2016 is to have just 14,000 families left.
PERALTA
The city is also working on buying property for the fire victims in Barangay Apolonio Samson. It has been more than a year since the fire but there is a problem over the private owner’s asking price. The decision is to have it expropriated and let the court decide the actual price.
LEON PERALTA, 59; ‘anti-trapo’ advocate
On traffic: There is a need for a massive and comprehensive education campaign on traffic rules and regulations via the city government’s apparatus, such as the Department of Public Order and Safety, in conjunction with the national agencies.
Traffic lights and signs must be properly and strategically installed, and should be regularly monitored and properly maintained.
I will create a task force to study the possibility of opening private subdivision roads to the motoring public during rush hours and providing a universal car park in barangays so vehicles need not be parked along the streets.
On peace and order: The peace and order committee of every barangay shall be tasked to initiate information campaigns in conjunction with nongovernment and people’s organizations. Barangay officials shall be trained in assisting crime victims.
Police visibility is the key in preventing crime. Aside from uniformed PNP personnel, military reservists who are QC residents may be utilized and deputized for patrolling the community.
An experimental Mobile Police Community Precinct (roving police station) shall be deployed to selected barangays, and will be provided with all the necessary equipment (logbooks, computers and printers). The public can file complaints and receive police assistance in these precincts.
On informal settlers: My administration proposes an ordinance imposing a moratorium on demolitions and creating a committee that will study solutions through in-city relocation and on-site development.
To maximize land use, a medium-rise tenement building is highly recommended. No demolition (will be conducted) until these tenement buildings are ready for occupancy in order to avoid the dislocation of the stakeholders.
No more lands owned by the city shall be sold to big capitalists who want to build malls and the like. These parcels of land shall be utilized only for low-cost housing projects intended for low-income earners, most of whom are informal settlers.