Davao City's landmark laws
OVER the past eight decades, Davao City has implemented a series of local laws that made itself distinct from other cities in the country.
Most of the landmark laws of the city were implemented under the time of then mayor and now president, Rodrigo R. Duterte. The president is also looking into implementing similar laws in a national scale.
Other local government units (LGUs) have also benchmarked on these landmark laws in a bid to also implement it in their respective localities.
One of the most notable is the Anti-Firecracker ordinance, which was first implemented within the city and is now emulated and applied to different parts of the country.
Here in the city, only torotots are blown during New Year’s celebration.
Since the law's implementation, firecracker injuries have become very few to none every New Year or Christmas Celebration.
Davao City's AntiSmoking law is also something that has given Davao City both national and international recognition. The law bans individuals smoking in public and only in designated smoking areas. In turn this resulted to a much clearer air and healthier Dabawenyos.
The Liquor Ban is also a recognizable law implemented in the city. The law prevents the selling of liquor in bars by 12 midnight. Hence, bars here close earlier than their counterparts in other cities.
Davao City has also been strictly implementing its law on speed limit. While it was not wellreceived at the start, Dabawenyos have adapted to it and at the same time, less accidents were seen on the roads.
Another landmark legislation of the city is the Women's Development Code, which protects the rights of women. It covers a wide range of concerns, from regulation of pageants and competitions to ensure that women are not commodified to reproductive health.
Wearing bikinis in pageants or competitions is a big no-no in the city, that is the very reason why there has been no bikini contests in the city for over a decade now. Each year Mutya ng Dabaw organizers coordinate with the Integrated Gender and Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (CMO) to ensure that from screenings to the end of the pageant, no provision of the women's code will be violated.
Other landmark ordinances approved in the year 2017 and early months of 2018 are the anti-unattended bag ordinance, which penalizes people who intentionally leave their bag in public area; and the half rice ordinance, which mandates food establishments to offer the option of half rice on their menu.
The latest is anti-sobriety ordinance passed in the early days of March 2018, which seeks to punish any person who will drink liquor at the public spaces, like roads leading to villages, subdivisions etc.
Last year the anti-jaywalking ordinance was also implemented wherein those who are caught not using pedestrian lanes or overpasses to cross streets are fined P100.
These are among the ordinances and laws of Davao city which makes the city as it is now. It will be a long list to include all.
Despite how many ordinances that local officials may pass, people's cooperation is still the key factor to the success of the implementation process of the ordinances,
Through strict compliance of this laws and ordinances, constituents become a co-creator of a peaceful and comfortable community that brings fruits of happy living situations and experience in a community.
It is a challenge for each and every one of us, not just the legislators to keep the motto: "Davao life is here" true to its meaning every day.