Rody plays Santa to SPMC patients

by Che Palicte
Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, together with Central 911 emergency volunteers and City Health Office (CHO) staff gave gifts and Jollibee food packs to about 900 patients of the Southern Philippines Medical Center last Saturday afternoon.
The gifts consisted of Jollibee food packs for patients and watchers.
Vice Mayor Duterte first stopped at the Children’s Cancer and Blood Disease Unit. Upon entering the wards, Duterte sang Christmas songs to the children,distributing the gifts (toys and cash envelopes) to the patients whom he hugged and kissed.
Accompanying the vice mayor were a Santa Claus and mascots Popo and Jollibee who added much excitement for the children.
Nenet Lozada, mother of a 15 year old cancer patient, said the city government is helping them in the treatment of her son who has been confined at the hospital for more than two years.
Duterte also distributed gifts in the pediatric section and in all other rooms where there were children patients.
Meanwhile, Duterte met with the city’s deputy mayors and barangay captains at the Grand Menseng Hotel, Sunday afternoon.
Gracing the meeting were senatorial candidates Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and Teddy Casiño, 3rd district Congressman Isidro Ungab, former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III and former Davao City vice mayor, Louie Bonguyan.
Duterte asked the barangay officials to support senatorial bets Edward Hagedorn and Teddy Casiño in the 2013 polls, saying that the bets he was endorsing are known for their dedication to public service.
Casiño seemed overwhelmed by the endorsement being a Dabawenyo himself who has resided in the city for 15 years. If elected as senator, he said he would pursue (1) retirement pay for brgy. officials, (2) Magna Carta for Daycare Teachers, and (3) mandatory PhilHealth benefits for barangay health workers and daycare teachers who are not plantillas.
Mayor Hagedorn said he wants to bring his environmental advocacy to the senate, He helped put Puerto Princesas’ Underground River as one the Seven Wonders of Nature last January 28.