DAVAO CITY – Saying that “politics is disastrous”, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte skirted a question whether or not she was planning to run for president in 2022.
During her program over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), Duterte disrupted a radio anchor from reading a comment from her listener, who raised a question in reference to the presidential daughter’s earlier remark that more infrastructure plans of her administration would continue if she would ever run for mayor again by 2022.
“Do not read comments like that. The name of this radio station is Davao City Disaster Radio, therefore, what we are going to discuss here is disaster. Is politics a disaster? Well, politics is disastrous,” she said.
The mayor did not directly answer if she would not be running for a higher post in 2022, and just told her listeners to “not mind the things that are beyond your control.”
Duterte brought up this issue of pursuing the expansion plan for the decades-old City Hall complete with underground parking at the nearby Rizal Park. But that is, if she would ever decide to run for mayor in 2022.
“That would remain as a plan. But it depends, well, if you will still re-elect me as mayor of Davao City -- as if I would run -- that can still happen,” she said.
Duterte has been active in politics for more than a decade, serving as vice mayor from 2007 to 2010, mayor from 2010 until 2013, and was elected the city’s chief executive anew in 2016 when her father ran for president, and re-elected in 2019.
Duterte added she would focus on her current work, addressing issues caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic such as generating more jobs, getting the businesses operational at 100-percent capacity, reviving the economy, and ensuring there was money circulating in the city.
She said her current administration would focus on completing the new buildings for the City Library, Museo Dabawenyos, City Engineer’s Office, and City Health Office.
“But, of course, at the end of every term, we will always endorse everything to the new administration. Usually, the existing plans are always laid down, those that have been accomplished, those that are ongoing, and