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INTERVIEW --- Freelance Journalist Gil Acosta Lao during one on one interview with Cotabato City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi. (Photo courtesy of Datu Omar B. Patadon)
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COTABATO CITY --- Two years ago, 01 July 2016 to be exact when this
city government started to implement the nightly “RONDA” or Revitalized
Operation and Neutralization of Drug Addiction and its Anomalies along with the
PNP, Task Force Kutawato and the barangay force multipliers. The team roams
around the different corners of the city daily and has been successful in
aiding the law enforcers in apprehending criminal elements.
It was initiated by the then Vice-Mayor and now City Mayor Atty.
Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi. She assumed the mayoral post based on the rule
of succession stipulated in the Local Government Code following the demise of
Mayor Japal Guiani, Jr. due to lingering illness in September 2016.
Humble beginnings
It was on July 01, 2016 when Mayor Guiani-Sayadi assumed office as the
Vice-Mayor of Cotabato City and they started with the RONDA.
“I took oath June 27, and on June 30 I assumed office. I asked my
brother, Mayor Jo, where do we begin? What is our ultimate goal? He told me we
cannot push investors to come in when peace and order is not stable,” she said.
In this regard, Mayor Guiani-Sayadi stressed she checked on the
ordinances when she was then a Vice-Mayor, and presto there was ordinance about
‘curfew’.
“I studied laws which could be effectively implemented in the city.
During my inaugural address in South Seas, I told the Media and the people do
not ask me to enact laws if we cannot even implement simple laws formed before
I assumed office. Let’s see how the existing laws work,” she emphasized.
Mayor Guiani-Sayadi said she will never forget one problem at that time
when we observed the Holy Month of Ramadan.
“I cannot forget it was around fasting time and we have been receiving
complaints about ‘takbir’. That was one thing we’ve worked on. If we recall, it
was the first time we celebrated an orderly takbir. We guarded Quirino
and Tamontaka bridges and with the help of the community, we ended the fasting
peacefully. That was the first accomplishment of the RONDA team,” she
said.
Further, Mayor Guiani-Sayadi admitted that at first she felt some
policemen were doubtful that they can make it.
“Yung sinabi noon ng mga kapulisan na hindi kaya, kinaya natin. I could
still remember the expression on the face of then City police director Senior
Superintendent Danny Reyes when I met them at my office for the first time.
Sabi ko sa kanya, gagawin natin. Let’s implement kung ano ang mga batas.
Our barangay captains were there. Nakatingin sa akin si Col. Reyes, and told me
‘mahirap Ma’am’. I told him we can and I asked the barangay captains if they
are willing to give a hand on this. When they felt I am indeed determined to
push through with it they said, ‘yes’! I replied, okay step 1 we implement
this, ‘curfew’ so nag-ikot kami that very night. Wala pang martial law, we have
been implementing the curfew na. Nag-ikot kami sa gabi pinapauwi ang mga bata
and we told them we are now implementing the curfew. That was a 1996 ordinance
revised by Councilor Japal Guiani III,” the mayor said.
Struggles
Mayor Guiani-Sayadi said in the first two weeks of its implementation,
it was a hard time for everyone involved.
“Nakikipaghabulan kami and then I used social media as a platform to
inform the public it is what we want to happen in Cotabato City. It was a tough
implementation sapagkat nagagalit pa ang mga tao. Unang problema, ang daming
pasaway. Ikalawa, konti lang ang volunteers,” she said.
The mayor claimed during early weeks of implementing RONDA, combining
the PNP and Brgy. Captains there were only around 50 volunteers.
“Today, we are glad to announce that we now have 400 volunteers
securing the city every night. Aside from the 400 volunteers, we still have
volunteers in every corner of the city. I maximized community participation and
I made them feel that it is not for me, but for them,” she stressed.
Challenge
Mayor Guiani-Sayadi said there are some people telling them, ‘Hey, your
ronda would only be good for two weeks’.
“Sabi ko I hope nagkamali ka and I hope we would be able to sustain it.
From then on, I saw what active community participation means. It’s just hard
because you also need to establish your credibility as a leader. Hindi ka
paniniwalaan kung bias ka. Hindi rin sila maniniwala sa’yo when you take
sides. Yung paano mo haharapin ang challenge lalo na kapag ang kaharap
mong violator ay kamag-anak mo. That was the biggest challenge. Some would even
call me, auntie, lola,” she said.
How does she handle the pressure?
Mayor Guiani-Sayadi stressed once more, ‘I am a lawyer and I don’t take
sides’.
“My work and responsibility should come first. That’s why I would tell
my family most especially to my children that when they violate the curfew that
I am imposing, I cannot do anything. They have to face the consequences. There
were instances that even my first cousins and kasambahay, they get caught.
There was even a time na ang hinuli ko kaapelyido ko pa. One was Juanday and
the other one was Guiani. You know that feeling when police force would look at
you waiting how you will respond to the situation. When I said, ‘bring them to
the police station’ parang nagugulat . That was the time I was able to
establish my credibility,” Mayor Guani-Sayadi said.
Triumphs
Fast forward, the lady mayor is extremely happy because the RONDA
initiative is now replicated in other areas of the country.
“I was told in General Santos City, they already started and some areas
too in region 12. Even PNP Regional Director PCSupt Marcelo C. Morales was
asking me a template of the RONDA and in several instances, we are also
overwhelmed because representatives coming from no less than the Office of the
President came here to Cotabato just to observe how we implement RONDA,” she
claimed.
Following the success of RONDA, the Philippine National Police (PNP)
declared recently Cotabato City as the second safest city in the country during
the first quarter of 2018 based on local police records of crime incidences in
their jurisdiction. Ormoc City with 134 crimes reported January to March, was
declared the safest city; Cotabato City with 220 came in second and Puerto
Princesa with 227 crimes came in third.
Mayor Guiani-Sayadi, said this is a big leap for Cotabato City.
“All our efforts and hard work to maintain peace and order in the city
paid off and RONDA is a big part of it. With the new record, it is now number
one in Mindanao,” she said.
The lady mayor assured that all is well with the city’s peace and order
and that they are doing their best in ensuring the people’s safety.
Moving onward
Asked about how the RONDA team would operate in the coming months, the
lady mayor replied: "Very challenging. Yung mga magnanakaw at masasamang
loob andiyan yan eh dahil hindi naman tayo perpektong lugar. The challenge
there is, yung sustainability. Kung paano mo isu-sustain ang daily na pag-iikot
and preserving and maintaining good relationship between and among your team.”
“To our fellow Cotabatenos, let us continue to instill discipline
within ourselves. Kung wala po tayong disiplina, mahihirapan ang leader. Kahit
yung pag-usad ng progreso mahirap. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat dahil
maliban sa suportang ibinigay nyo sa akin, nakita nyo rin na kaya pala nating
disiplinahin ang ating mga sarili. This is one thing that we should be proud
of. In the next few years, I envision Cotabato City to be the next tourist
destination at sasabihin ng tao I’ve been to Cotabato and really it’s a safe
city!” --- Gil Acosta Lao
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