Know Your Candidates

CEBU, Philippines - To help voters become more informed about candidates in the May 10 elections, The FREEMAN has invited each of those running for governor of Cebu and mayor of four metropolitan cities for a roundtable discussion about their candidacy and themselves in general.

Hilario P. Davide III

Candidate for Governor

• Born in Cebu City on August 25, 1964 to Hilario G. Davide, Jr. and Virginia J. Perez-Davide, both public servants.

• Married to the former Jobella G. Angan with whom he has three daughters, namely: Patricia Janelli, Dana Giannina and Niña Francesca.

• Finished elementary at the Sacred Heart School for Boys in 1977

• Completed high school at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas – Cebu College in 1981.

• Graduated Bachelor of Arts in political science at UP Dilliman, Quezon City in 1991 and Bachelor of Laws at the University of San Carlos in 1995.

• Passed the Bar Examinations in 1996 and admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1997.

• Worked as Graft Prevention and Control Officer, Associate Graft Investigation Officer, and Graft Investigation Officer at the Office of the Ombudsman – Visayas.

• Past President and Director, Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Cebu City Chapter

• Former faculty member, University of Cebu College of Law

• Elected as Councilor of Cebu City - North District from 2004 – 2009

• Resigned from the City Council on November 1, 2009 after accepting the chairmanship of the Liberal Party for the Province of Cebu

TF: Who is Hilario Davide III?

Davide: That’s a tough one. Well, Hilario Davide III is a husband to one woman, a father to three children, a practicing attorney, a former councilor of the city of Cebu and a candidate for governor of Cebu.

Do you also want my personality? You know, sometimes I feel awkward answering that because you know it’s self serving bitaw if I say I’m this and that so I’d rather let the people find out about me instead of me volunteering my personality or character.

TF: What is an ordinary day for Davide?

Davide: I wake up usually at 5 o’clock. Sa City Hall, katong nagtrabaho pa ko, I usually woke up at 5:30 then have breakfast if there’s time and then go to work - sa Law office and then agi sa City Hall, it’s a routine na bitaw. Work, home, then lakaw mi ni Jovel, inom-inom gagmay, then storya sa kinabuhi, mas maayo man tingali nang naa gyud communication sa asawa. Usahay we bring our friends to the house para mag ping-pong, inom-inom usahay. Boring tingali for some pero ako, kontento naman ko ana. Sabado and Domingo, kuyog mga bata, usahay tan-aw sine sa Ayala or usahay out-of-town. Mao lang, I never get tired of it.

TF: Are you into sports?

Davide: Katong ping-pong. Basketball during high school, na-nominee man ko para MVP. During college, I got my diploma after 10 years. Imagine nisulod ko at ’81, nakuha nako akong diploma at ’91.

TF: How about music?

Davide: Folk.

TF: In line with that, will you sing during your campaign?

Davide: Mauwawon kaayo ko. Kung mahimong likayan, likayan gyud. Pero among friends, magkanta-kanta mi sa karaoke.

TF: Do you observe any particular diet?

Davide: Karon wala gyud. Especially right now when you get invited sa kining mga feasts bitaw.

TF: Do you have any vices?

Davide: I smoke. In fact I want to smoke now pero maikog lang ko ninyo kay aircon man gud. I drink. kami ni Mrs. Davide. Before the campaign, we usually go out twice a week to have a few drinks, margarita or wine. Panagsa. I don’t drink to get drunk, ginagmay lang.

TF: How far would you go for a friend?

Davide: Akong tan-aw sa friendship man gud is, when he comes to you and he needs something from you and you can do it, kanang makaya nimo buhaton, I can do that tingali. Because I’m always available for a friend. I can be someone to talk to, I can give some help maybe, that I can do.

TF: Do you have enemies?

Davide: I don’t know if you believe me, but ako, wala man ko’y kontra. Except during college na I was a member of a fraternity nya usahay mag rumble-rumble. Frontliner pa ko’g rumble sa  UP sa una. Pero kutob ra ko diha. Amigo ra mi afterwards.

TF: What do you dislike?

Davide: I don’t like people who are plastic bitaw. Don’t like kanang sobra ka-hambugero. People who promise you something nya dili buhaton.

TF: Have you undergone a major medical procedure?

Davide: Cataract, when I was 38. Blood pressure? I’m okay.

TF: What is it like to have a father Cebuanos look up to?

Davide: Of course I’m proud. It’s an honor really. Of course I’m trying my best as a public official myself to uphold by my father’s name, to protect it. And so far, maayo man tingali ang akong pagdala gyud because not once have I abused my authority even as councilor of Cebu City. Even when my father held government positions, not only as chief justice, but when he was elected assembly man, when he was chairman of the Comelec, mga sensitive positions in the government. Wala man gyud na maabot sa among ulo bitaw na may ranggo ang among amahan, wala man gyud.

I think it’s with the way we were brought up. We were never consumed by illusions of power or whatever we have. Kuan lang gyud, we were just average human beings ba.

TF: What was the best advice your father has given you?

Davide: There were several man gud. The first time when I asked permission to get married, ingon siya na, are you sure you would want to get married? Kay mabdos naman si Mrs. Davide ato… Ah di na ka maabogado ana. I said no, no, I promise you, I will be a lawyer gyud. So I worked, at the same time, went to school to obtain my degree in Law. So ang iya lang gyud is really just to pray. Pray if you have any decision to make. Pray first, you ask for discernment.

Sa amo man gud, my father really never said, the way we were brought up bah, - you should be honest, you should not steal- sa amo, dili man. I just observed him. I just observed the way he lived his life ba. I just watched him lived his life. Even my lolo, ako rang giobserbahan bah.

He was a very good example. That’s why, if elected governor, I will lead by example.

TF: How rich are you and where do you get your campaign funds?

Davide: I have friends. Well-meaning friends who continue to contribute materials, some funds. I’m not rich. My sworn statement of assets and liabilities is a public document, you can secure a copy of that at the Office of the Ombudsman. Or if you want, I have a photocopy of that, I can also furnish you. There are friends who have donated and contributed to my campaign but only a little you know, ako mismo, naglisod mi, the Liberal Party has no funds, up to now, we’re still waiting kung pila gyud ang ihatag nila sa probinsya.

Pagsugod wala man gyud. I think it was last week didto sa Marriott and mga pamangkin ni Noynoy were there, they handed me the donations from supporters. It amounted to around P19,000. Giihap man namo ni Mrs. Davide.

TF: The Governor is into designer clothes, fine dining and wining. How vain is your lifestyle?

Davide: I look at the mirror in the morning to see myself after I take a bath. I’m simple.

TF: What’s your stand on contraceptives?

Davide: I’ve never used a condom before. Si Mrs. Davide wala pud. Pero milagro kaha na, three years ang gaps sa among mga anak. I’m against it. But, of course, you can’t stop people from, it’s their choice. Couples should have the right to choose how to manage their family.

TF: What do you plan to accomplish in your first 100 days?

Davide: I intend to call a provincial submit of representatives of different stakeholders to address the many concerns that we are facing. Water, for instance, power, education, health, agriculture or food security. And then I will create a time frame also. I will call for an education convention to really look into where we failed sa atong state of education sa Cebu.

Third, I will initiate a review on questionable contract agreement entered into by the provincial government involving government funding. And should there be any evidence constituting betrayal of public trust, then there will be appropriate actions to that.

TF: If you fail in your bid for a position at the Capitol, will it be politically over for you?

Davide: I don’t know. Di ta kasulti tingali no. We cannot really tell. We should take it one day at a time.

TF: Will you allow bikini opens?

Davide: Are you talking now of my sense of morality? There’s nothing immoral man tingali with bikini shows. Tingali duna lang gyud mga grabe na show to the point na maghubo na but bikini show, I don’t think it’s immoral. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Lahi-lahi man gyud tag perception gud. I’ll be a hypocrite if I say na di ko ganahan, pamoral-moral ko. But each of us has his own standard of morality. Pero kung bikini lang, okay ra man. Pero definitely that will not be a major project of the province. But if there’s an ordinance for that, then we cannot go against it. We have to respect the ordinance unless somebody questions the constitutionality of the ordinance. Kay mahug na it’s a freedom of expression so it limits the right of persons to freely express themselves.

TF: Why should Cebuanos vote for you?

Davide: Because I believe, never mind if this sounds self serving, I possess the qualities that Cebuanos look for in a Cebuano leader. I believe I can be a worthy occupant of the Governor. I believe that the office of the governor is a public trust. According to the Constitution, it requires its holder to be accountable to the people at all times. To serve them with utmost responsibility, efficiency, loyalty, and integrity. To act with patriotism and justice and to live a modest life. ?