CEBU CITY—Davao City Mayor Sara-Duterte it is not afraid of debates but opts to “work her hardest on the ground,” her spokesperson said.
Liloan Mayor Christina Frasco lashed back at vice presidential candidate Walden Bello who recently criticized Duterte-Carpio for skipping the recent debate organized by a TV network.
Frasco insisted that candidates have the prerogative to accept or decline invitations for a debate.
“Candidates are at liberty to decide whether or not to accept invitations to debates. It is also within a candidate’s discretion to limit his exposure to tweets and soundbytes only, as Walden Bello has done, or to have direct and personal engagement with the people, as Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has shown this entire campaign season,” Frasco said in a statement.
Duterte-Carpio’s running mate, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio, also skipped the event.
“Matud pa ni Walden Bello, talawan kuno si Mayor Sara. Pero kinsa nila ang nagtago sa mga tawo karong kampanya? (According to Bello, Mayor Sara is a coward. But who among them is hiding from the people in this campaign period? ),” said Frasco, daughter of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
Frasco added that while the presidential daughter has been skipping debates, she has visited 70 cities, towns, islands, provinces, in less than two months.
As she goes around various places, Duterte-Carpio was able to speak, listen to the people, and bring aid, “proving herself an accountable, transparent, and dependable national figure as early as now,” Frasco added.
Frasco went on to enumerate Duterte-Carpio’s accomplishments as chief executive of Davao.
“When Mayor Sara steps down as Mayor on June 30, she will have left Davao City debt-free, the 4th Most Competitive City in the Philippines, and the 7th richest City in the country. In less than 5 years since her assumption as Mayor in 2016, Davao City has received no less than 118 awards, citations, and recognitions. In 2020, Davao City was awarded the Best City Police Office in the Philippines. Most recently, the DSWD awarded Davao the 2021 Gawad Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan (GAPAS) Award naming it the Best LGU implementing the Daycare Service,” Frasco said.
Frasco added that Duterte-Carpio will continue to woo voters but not through joining debates but by going on the ground.
“Mayor Sara has already decided to do a campaign without attending debates and instead work her hardest on the ground to continue to earn the trust and win the vote of the people as the next Vice President of the Philippines,” Frasco said.