DAVAO CITY – Vice President-elect Sara Duterte told her brother, incoming Davao City mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte, that he should take to heart the ‘general welfare’ as she leaves the administration of this city in his hands.
VP Sara said that Sebastian should not expect to please all residents of Davao with his style in running the city and that he should prepare for numerous challenges that he will encounter as the local chief executive.
“As mayor, he should take to heart the general welfare clause ng Local Government Code and that there will always be many issues and challenges and you cannot please everyone,” said VP Sara.
“But for as long as you follow the general welfare clause or the welfare of the majority, then he will always be on the right path,” she added.
She said that she learned to trust her gut-feel and study the environment first before making decisions since she served as vice mayor from 2007 to 2009 and mayor from 2010 to 2013 and 2016 until 2022.
She said that she was also open to learning from senior politicians in running a city.
“I always welcome the input of politicians who are ahead of me, older than me because of the wisdom that they gained in their work but I don’t really follow one specific person, with regard to politics. I hear out everyone and I base it on my gut feel,” she said.
Duterte bade employees of the City Hall of Davao goodbye in her speech shortly after the flag-raising ceremony on Monday.
"I would like to formally bid you all goodbye in the City Government of Davao. Leading Davao City has been a learning, humbling and eye-opening experience, one with many sleepless nights as well as days filled with tears of both grief and joy,” she said.
She added that it was an honor and privilege to serve as mayor.
“It is an experience that I am glad to have shared with all of you. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as your city mayor, it has been an honor serving Davao City beside all of you,” she added.