A "safer and better" Cebu City: Yogi Ruiz's vision for governance

A "safer and better" Cebu City is the campaign battle cry of mayoral candidate Yogi Ruiz, who promises governance that is not anchored to political ties.

- Iris Hazel Mascardo, Staff Member

In The Freeman's "Know Your Candidate" forum yesterday, Ruiz shared that his programs are based on the needs of the residents of the city, which he got by listening to the people. Through this approach, he added, they identified gaps in City Hall's existing services.

Ruiz emphasized his goal of addressing these concerns as he enters the political arena as a neophyte candidate.

While no stranger to public service, Ruiz admitted that politics is a new and different challenge for him.

He takes pride in his background in law enforcement, having previously served as the Regional Chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Director of the Bureau of Customs. He stressed that he was appointed by national leaders who later became presidents—qualifications he believes give him an edge over other candidates.

"I do believe that my background in law enforcement has given me the experience to, I do believe, makaayo sa atong syudad sa Sugbo," said Ruiz.

7 DOABLE PROGRAMS

During his barangay visits, Ruiz said his team identified 22 concerns and problems raised by constituents. Realistically, they narrowed these down to seven priority areas, including the top concerns which are flooding, garbage management, and traffic.

To address flooding, Ruiz plans to implement a Drainage Management and Flood Control Solution.

According to him, a scientific approach is needed to solve this recurring issue.

One proposed solution is to conduct a comprehensive drainage audit to trace the causes of flooding, which he said would take only up to two months.

While constructing water dams, declogging, and desilting rivers may help, Ruiz believes identifying the root problem first is key.