Davao City in euphoria

DAVAO CITY – We arrived here 6 p.m. from Bukidnon and a courtesy call with Bukidnon Governor Jose Zubiri.

We noted euphoria among Davaoeños on the election of their Rep. Prospero Nograles as speaker. He is the first from Mindanao to be speaker.

Even here at the Apo View Hotel everybody said they were happy hoping their Boy Nograles might be president later.

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There are ten of us Sunshine Boys led by Ric Yanson on this trip. Yanson, Pompeyo Querubin, Toti Ramos, Marianing Tuvilla, William Mirano, Cito Sanson, Buc-an Yulo, Pope Jalando-on, Ed Mercado and myself. We are all good boys here.

Ed Mercado is the best organizer. We used Ric's new and modern bus from China . Very modern.

We left Bacolod Friday via Dumaguete, landing at Dipolog, then visited the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan, then Pagadian and Zamboanga Del Norte. Then Oroquieta, Iligan and Cagayan De Oro in Misamis Occidental. Malaybalay and Valencia in Bukidnon and now Davao .

We are going home Saturday.

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Local travel is more interesting. The previous years we traveled abroad.

We plan to promote local tourism. Mindanao is an exotic place.

We interviewed during a courtesy call with Dipolog City Mayor Evelyn Uy, Zamboanga Del Norte Governor Rolando Yebes, Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz, Cagayan De Oro City Mayor Constantino Jaraula, and Bukidnon Gov. Jose Zubiri.

They are all for promoting tourism in Mindanao .

Gov. Zubiri talked also about sugar. He is the president of Confed.

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Speaker Nograles has his roots in Negros Occidental, his father a second cousin of Marianing Tuvilla, both from Pontevedra.

He is also a relative of Mayor Bing Leonardia. His family has its roots in Iloilo .

Nograles is also a friend of all West Visayas congressmen.

I was told people plan to give a big welcome when speaker Nograles comes home.

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Meanwhile, Gov. Zubiri said 2010 is crucial for the sugar industry when tariff of incoming sugar will be scrapped.

The alternative, he said, is ethanol. The government must also have political will, he said.*

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