BY ROGER M. BALANZA

The junior of Davao del Norte’s veteran politician wants to surpass the performance of his father,  Rodolfo “Dolfo” del Rosario, Sr.

As a first step, Rodolfo “Rodney” del Rosario, Jr. is gunning in the 2019 mid-term elections for the gubernatorial seat, among several government positions held by Dolfo in his long career as politician and civil servant.

Up against a token rival, Rodney is on his way to the Capitol and will have opportunity to prove himself as a politician and government official. Better than Dolfo.

Catching up with Dolfo, for Rodney, may be a tall order. But the son could try and beat the father.

Dolfo, 84,  holds an enviable record wrapped up in his more than 30 years in government that started in the 70s: assemblyman, environment secretary, congressman and governor.

Other than being a prominent figure for decades in the political landscape of Davao del Norte, the now retired Dolfo was a mover in the province’s economy: He is a key actor and partner in the giant banana-growing Tagum Agricultural Development Company (Tadeco). Founded 60 years ago by the late Don Antonio Floirendo Sr., Tadeco is credited with helping transform Davao del Norte from an outback community into the country’s biggest producer of exportable Cavendish bananas. It is not debatable that Cavendish spurred Davao del Norte’s economic growth.  

Running under the banner of the Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HNP), Rodney vies for the seat currently held by younger brother Governor Anthony “AGR” del Rosario, who will run against ex-Speaker re-electionist Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez in the First District congressional race.

Luckily for Rodney, Dolfo has crawled out from retirement, and will be the campaign manager of HNP, a regional political party organized by presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio together with the governors of the Davao Region.

Rodney’s rival is a virtual unknown, former bus conductor and public works contractor Edwin Jubahib of the Alvarez Wing of Rep. Alvarez. Without any background in politics, Jubahib is a shoo-in to be a member of the losers’ brigade when the dust of the electoral battle settles down after the May 2019 elections.  

Coming political realities being that, it may be a waste of time and effort to discuss anything about an ambitious, trying hard and inconsequential dot in the political landscape of Davao del Norte.

So back to more serious business with  Rodney, who spoke about his plans as the governor, during a press conference organized by Davao del Norte mediamen, a day after filing his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC)_ for governor.

He was asked: Are you prepared for the job?   

Rodney said that in running Capitol, he would be backstopped by his extensive background in business management as a key player in the del Rosario family’s various business ventures.

I will run the government like a corporation, he said.

Rodney is also not a stranger to politics, being a member of the Provincial Board, winning the seat in the 2016 election. He is the chairman of the committee on finance.

In three years I learned how to be an effective politician, he said in the press conference held at Balai Restaurant and Café in Tagum City.

Why are you running for governor when you should be spending time for the family business?

Rodney says he is inspired by the performance in government of Dolfo.

The Del Rosarios are also in the business of politics to serve the people, Rodney said.

He said he was inspired  to continue the public service of his father who worked hard for 30 years as a politician for the good of the people and province of Davao del Norte.

Plans?

Rodney said he will continue the various programs of Dolfo and brother AGR and add more after public consultations.

Rodney also said he would adopt a participatory government and would run Capitol in consultation with various sectors.

 What’s in store for the people of Davao del Norte?

Investment generation. Small business development. Employment opportunities. Manpower development through skills training. Focus on underprivileged. Health. Education. And more.

What about media people?

The Denora Ordinance, in honor of slain newspaper publisher Dennis Denora.

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We are supposed to interview Edwin Gumahid, errrr, Erwin Jumabib, err Edwin Jumabib, errr Edwin Jumahib, the other candidate for governor, for the sake of balance, but Mr. Gumahid, sorry again, Mr. Jumahib is not available apparently his hands full packing paracetamols for the medical mission, and pushing wheelbarrows of gravel for the barangay gravelling project, of the Alvarez-Jubahib Team.

 Mr. Gumahid, sorry again, could be thinking that distributing paracetamols and patching up barangay road with a few shovels of gravel are all that is needed to become governor.

-oOo-

COMVAL JOKE. It could have been a battle between a “Pikot” and a “Sigag  Mata” if former Diwalwal barangay captain Franco Tito pushed through with his plan to run for governor against incumbent Tyron Uy.

Franco has changed course and will instead challenge Vice Governor Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora in the congressional race.

When he held the post of Congressman  before his daughter incumbent Rep. Maricar Zamora, Way Kurat gained national fame when he planted vacant lots in the Batasan with lemonsito.

If he wins as Congressman in next year’s election, Franco is heard as saying that he would uproot YK’s lemonsito and plant instead boongon in the Batasan vacant areas.

Let us call the Way Kurat vs. Franco fight as the Lemonsito vs. Boongon Battle.