Mayor Elias Lopez: 'Architect' of Davao City

Title

Creator

De La Serna, L. M.

Language

English

Source

The Philippines Herald March 15, 1970

Year

1970

Subject

Elias, Lopez B.

Davao City (Philippines) -- Newspapers

Philippines -- Periodicals

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Davao City Marks Charter Anniversary Davao City caps the last two days of its “Araw ng Dabaw” festival with games ana ceremonies. The celebration, which began March 10, ends on Monday. Sponsored jointly by the city government and the Davao Jaycces— which coordinates parti cipation of the private (Sector—the week-long festivities commemorate the 33rd year of existence of this progressive south ern metropolis as a char tered city. This year’s "Araw" theme is "Tayo ay Dabawenyo,” the same as in the two previous celebra tions. Activities Anniversary activities are geared along the ci ty’s progress in agricul ture and other Industries, as well as in culture, sports, beautification and other aspects of the ci ty’s rise as the trade and cultural center of Minda nao. Chosen to symbolize the unity of the people of Davao is the "Mutya ng Dabaw,” who will reign over the festival. March 16 was proclaim ed as Davao City’s found ation day in Executive Order No. I by Mayor Ellas B. Lopez three years ago, barely three months ................. l,IIHilllll,lllllllll'>i|i'iii’iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiinimiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!iiiii Message A city without an Identity is like a man with out a soul. That is why we endeavor to make this our beloved city not only the center of our material aspirations but also the seat of our af fections. But we cannot achieve this goal unless we join hands and work together. The celebration of the 33rd anniversary of the • City of Davao, more than anything else, can de monstrate this unity that we desire and the coope ration that we seek. But a communitj' can not aspire for greater progress unless and un til its people and its lea ders grasp the factors for development and harness the human and material resources for the common good. Let this day therefore remind all of us that we can transform our dreams into reality and our hopes to fulfillment only If we work together as one people, using our cwn Ingenuity, our own strength and our will to achieve the goals we have set. This can only be possible If our citizenry shall truly involve themselves in our collective efforts and total commitment to the tasks of community and nation-building. On this auspicious occasion, let me reiterate my faith and confidence on the capacity of our people to rise equal to the challenge facing us to day as we strive to attain progress and prosper ity for all. (Sgd.) ELIAS B. LOPEZ Mayor Davao City after he assumed office, in order to inculcate among the residents “a sense of pride and be longing to this city which they have chosen as the seat of their af fections and aspirations.” Holiday President Marcos has since set the day as.de as a special public holiday for Davao City. A golf tournament for ladies, and soap-box and bicycle races have been scheduled for Sunday morning. A public band concert will be held at 5 p.m. by the Dapecol band at the Rizal Park. This will be followed by the proclamation and co ronation of the "Mutya ng Dabaw” and her prin cesses at the auditorium of Palaruang Lungsod Dabaw. Davao’s "Mutya” will be crowned by Miss R^ehel Arkoncel, 1969 Mutya ng Dabaw, assisted by Mayor Lopez. Araw A diana at 4 p.m. will usher in “Araw” activities on Monday. After thanksgiving ser vices in all city churches, city officials will raise the flag at Rizal Park. At 8 a.m. Mayor Lopez will plant the anniversa ry commemorative tree, also at the park, while sirens blow and bells ring for one minute. A civic-military parade will be held at 1 p.m., followed by the launch ing of the “Araw ng Da baw” balloon. A literarymusical program at Rizal Park will cap the after noon activities. The first day "f the fes tival — “Araw ng Kalusugan” — began with a pu blic hike around the city led personally by Mayor Lopez at 4:30 a.m. Hike Particip ants in the physical fitness hike were national and city offi cials, employes, teachers, students, officials and members of civic and re ligious organizations and the general public. The route led from Ri zal Park to Quezon Bou levard, Magsaysay Park, Magsaysay Avenue, Recto Avenue, Palma Gil Street, Palaruang Lungsod Da baw, Legaspi Street, Ge neral Luna Street, Quirino Avenue, Bangkero han Market, Magallanes Street on to Legaspi Street, San Pedro Street and back to City Hall. Painting, photo and es say-writing contests were held later in the morning, as well as basketball, softball, volleyball, swimming, tennis and boxing games. Art Show At 10 a.m., the Davao Agro-Industrial Fair was formally opened, and at 6 p.m., a one-man art show of modern paintings by Butch Soriano, art di rector of the Ateneo de Davao, was inaugurated at the USIS Library. March 11 was "Araw ng Kalinisan,” launched with an “Operation Linis” by the city executive. A walkathon, a band concert, an ikebana film Tlie dancing fountains in front of the Davao City Hall. showing and an amateur singing contest were fea tured during the day. “An Evening of Plays” at the city park starting at 7 p.m. highlighted “Araw ng Kalinagan" on Thursday, the third day. Two one-act plays were presented by the Da vao City High School and Mayor Elias Lopez Architect9 Of Davao City By L. M. DE LA SERN1 Meet Elias B. Lopez, the architect of a city. Mayor of Davao, the "world’s largest city area wise,” Lopez’s single ob session is to “place all things in order now that I have the opportunity to render public service to the people.” After one year and a half, he is well on tlie way to achieving his goal. What has Mayor Lopez accomplished? Projects He has not only involv ed the citizenry of Davao in the city’s beautifica tion projects; he has ac tually made them partici pate in the administra tion of local government. He has “given comfort” to the public by remov ing sidewalk vendors, widening all metropolitan streets and by implemen ting orderly vehicular traffic. He was able to acquire for the city the Davao Metropolitan Waterworks System which had been under the administration of the National Water works and Sewerage Au the Davao Historical So ciety. The plays were pre ceded by a concert by the University of Mindanao band at the park. On Friday, “Araw ng Kabataan," saw the oath taking and installation of youth city officials at City Hall by Mayor Lo pez. thority. Expansion (This teat encouraged him further to secure a P8.5 million guaranty from the Development Bank of the Philippines for the expansion and completion of the city waterwork system.) He set up school build ings in all the city’s bar rios, built roads in the rural areas and asphalted and cemented all city streets. He has relocated a big number of squatters from public and private lands. All these things he was able to do only 18 months. Objectives But Lopez’s task is far from finished. The mayor’s objectives extend beyond physical improvement of the city; he is after the city’s so cial and economic rede velopment. “I want to see a Dav/a I can be very proud or,” Lopez said. A natural leader, Mavor (Continued on Page 4) Sunday, March 15, 1970 DAVAO CITY SUPPLEMENT Page 3 Significance Of Araw Ng Dabaw' ...Makes a Person Feel Proud Of Being a ‘Dabawenyo’ A city that has survived through the centuries does not have to struggle for an identity. Its own history breathes with myth and legend; its moss-covered churches and ancient battlements are mute but eloquent witnesses to the grandeur of its past and also, per haps, to the chaos of its present. But for a city still in its formative years like the city of Davao- it is not easy at once to attain the legendary status of Cebu, Manila or Zamboanga whose history is replete with romance and legends about heroes, kings and rajahs, conquistadores and Davao City Officials Elias B. Lopez, Citj Mayor Manuel C. Sotto, Vice-Mayor City Councilors: Cipriano Villafuerte, Jr., President Protenipore Fiiicidad Santos, Majority Floor Leader Manne.* Gareia, Minority Floor Leader Tomas Monteverdc, Jr. Benigno S. Bangoy Antonio S. Castillo Domingo R. Vidanes Bonifacio Taniavo Pantaleon Telayo, Jr. Victorio Advincula Napoleon Nidea Apolinario Cabigon Gaudioso Tiongco Ramon Morada Other City Officials Dr Julian Roariguez Jr., City Secretary; Atty. Gonzalo Latonlla, City Council Secretary; Maximino AsisLuo City Treasurer; Samuel Dumlao. City Engineer; Vicente Albay. Public Services Officer; Raul B. Pichon, City Fiscal; Felix N. Pepito, City Auditor; Col. Lucio Dumapias, Chief of Police; Nicolas Catnl City Assessor; Pedro Sanvicente, Supt. of City Schools; Dr. Jose S. Quimpo, City Health Offi cer. Francisco Apilado, Supt.. DSAT; Pablo Piatos, City Agriculturist, Dr. Armando Barbadillo, City Veterinarian; Salvador Francisco, City Electrician; Mrs. Emerita Rodriguez, City Librarian; Enrique B Inting, City Judge; Gumersindo Arcilla, City Judge, Vicente Dalanog, City’ Judge; Bienvenido Amora, City Legal Officer; Rosendo Dacanay, Chief, Fire Department; Mrs. Merle M Pacetes, City SWD in-charge, Conrado B. Gempesaw, Private Secretary; Atty. Antonio Pichon, Executive Assistant Angelo M. Abarico, City, Press Secretary. By GIL M. ABARICO City Press Secretary warrior-missionaries. Beginnings The beginnings of a city, which has barely reached its 33rd year of existence, is almost within the liv ing memory of its pioneer inhabitants although it is already a misty past to the vast number of recent settlers who have trans formed this veritable wil derness into a metropolis of the south. Against the backdrop of constant population in flux and the diversity of the origins of its residents, it is perhaps quite under standable why Davao City should strive harder to attain unity and cohesion and thereby establish, down through the years, an identity distinctly its own. Identification This drive toward cul tural identification start ed quite late. It began when the in cumbent mayor, youthful Elias B. Lopez, won the city mayorship more than two years ago. Then the idea was conceived for the annual celebration of “Araw Ng Dabaw”. The first celebration was the 31st anniversary of the foundation of Da vao City. Henceforth, every March 16th of each year is cele brated with appropriate week-long festivities, culGovernor LOPEZ Davao Oriental minating on the last day which is proclaimed a spe cial public holiday for the people of Davao City. March 16, marks the 33rd foundation anniver sary of this city — the melting pot of the south and the “world’s largest city” area-wise. Austerity This year’s celebration will be austere, consider ing the President’s pro nouncement against ex pensive festivities, but ne vertheless it may attain greater significance and more variety as indicated by the number of events and various aspects revol ving around the theme “Tayo’y Dabawenyo.” And this year, the Da vao Jaycees are the active co-sponsors of the cele bration. It will be an occasion for assessing and demons trating Davao City’s capa city for growth and pro gress along economic, in dustrial, social and cultu ral endeavors encompass ed within its 33 years of existence and within Its 244,007 hectaies of fertile soil and virgin forests. Progress But then one cannot talk of a city and its pro gress simply, by citing fi gures and statistics. Mayor Elias Lopez (Continued from Page 3) Lopez was born 40 years ago to a Bagobo couple— Diansig Lopez and Layagan Baguio — in what is now Barrio Baguio, Calinan, about 30 kilometers away from the city. As a boy he was a lon er. And like any other Bagobo, he was reared to be a tiller of land. Could his parents pos sibly have imagined that their son was destined to be the leader of half a million Davaoenos living in over 200,000 hectares of urban environment? Lopez was only 11 when he finished his elementa ry schooling. At the age of 18, he was already gra duated from the Davao City high school. He worked his way through the University of the Philippines and gra duated with a law degree, and in 1956 he passed the Governor DE LOS CIENTOS Davao del Sur Governor BOISER Davao del Norte One has to feel the throb of the community, the heartbeat of its people, and see, with the vision of its pioneers, the future rising from this conglo meration of the modern Filipino—working togeth er to achieve a common destiny. If celebration or “Araw Ng Dabaw” once a year makes a person feel proud of being a Dabawenyo — and a Filipino—then eve rything is worth the ef fort. For it is here, more than anywhere else in this country, where dreams are transformed into rea lity. bar examinations. Immediately after tak ing the bar examinations, he came back to Davao and was elected city councilor with the high est number of votes. He ran for reelection in 1960 and was again topnotcher. He was elected vice ma yor in 1964, against two official party candidates. Two years later, he be came the first Filipino to be awarded by the United Nations’ Colombo Plan grant on Local Govern ment Administration and Community Development. He attended the Group Training Course In To kyo, participated in by 16 Asian and South Ameri can countries. In 1967, he aspired for and won the city mayor ship against a three-term incumbent. Page 4 DAVAO CITY SUPPLEMENT Sunday, March 15, 1970

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