ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 31 March) – Presidential candidate Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso, in his campaign sortie here Wednesday, said he would address the issue of high electricity cost in Mindanao despite the presence of several hydroelectric plants.
He also promised to look into Iligan’s perennial problem of potable water, saying “your water is false.”
About 2,000 people listened to his speech at the city public plaza.
Before that, Domagoso and Dr. Willie Ong, his running mate in the Aksyon Demokratiko party, and supporters staged a motorcade of 200 cars around the city’s major thoroughfares. With them were senatorial candidates lawyer Jopet Sison, Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc and John Castriciones.
Domagoso said that if change is possible in Manila, where he is mayor, it is also possible in the country as a whole.
“I’ve seen it sa pag ikot-ikot namin ni Doc Willie sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng Mindanao. Sad to say na it’s ironic, you have your own electricity but it’s almost the same cost sa Metro Manila,” he said, referring to Mindanao’s several hydroelectric plants.
Earlier this month, the Mindanao Development Agency (MinDA) reported that majority of the island’s electricity now come from fuel sources, particularly diesel and coal. MinDA Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro said these are easily affected by external factors such as market volatility, especially with the war in Ukraine, and fluctuation in foreign exchange.
Domagoso said he will push for lower taxes so prices of gasoline and other fuel will go down, and thus electricity, too.
The Manila mayor also cited Iligan being advertised as “The City of Waterfalls.”
“Wala kayong tubig, your water is false. It does not make sense,” he pointed out.
Domagoso was apparently referring to Iligan’s local government-run water system, a subject of perennial complaint by residents for decades.
Addressing his Maranao supporters, he questioned why the government cannot make the temporary shelters in Marawi City permanent, especially that these sit on government land.
Domagoso said that it is his intention to make the lives of the Filipinos better. He aims to avoid poverty, provide free health care and education, more job opportunities, and to lower the prices of commodities, as well as electricity and gas.
Ong, meanwhile, vowed to focus on healthcare, especially in the Visayas and Mindanao.
He noted that Mindanao has a high infant mortality rate and people lose their lives due to the lack of attention by the healthcare system.
Ong promised an increase in budget for hospitals in the area.
“Pwedeng ipagpatuloy ang herbal medicine na inumpisahan ni Senator Juan Flavier of DOH noong 1994, at magkaroon ng libreng gamot na ibinibigay sa mga health center, kagaya ng first aid, gamot ng high blood at diabetes, yung sa hika inhaler, yung mga pang karaniwan na gamot,” Ong said. (Marivic Omandam Davis / MindaNews)