Joy And Sara: ‘Sisterhood of strong women’

In response to Antonio Montalvan II’s column, “Riding tandem” (Kris-Crossing Mindanao, 1/21/19), allow me to say:

The column criticized Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte for her apparent friendship and fraternity with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. It is obviously politically motivated, even dragging the name of Joy’s most loved and well-respected mother, the late Betty Go-Belmonte.

If one thinks hard about it, it is but expected that Vice Joy would openly praise Mayor Sara for being an effective lady mayor and a feisty and efficient female public servant. It is apparent that there would be affinity there.

It is not a secret that Joy Belmonte is an avid advocate of women empowerment. From the beginning of her political career, she made clear that she will champion this advocacy — that she will support any move for the advancement of the protection of women and their equal place in society. And her strong commendation of the performance of Inday Sara in Davao is a true adherence to this advocacy.

I suggest that we look into a political candidate’s track record in public service instead of penalizing them for the friendship and kinship they hold important.

Joy Belmonte looks up to strong women, like her mother, and yes, like Sara Duterte. All the good leadership criteria that she can

take from these powerful women, she will use as a standard for her leadership in Quezon City.

The issue of political dynasty, on the other hand, has long been debated in Congress and has not been resolved.

I believe the reason for that is, people are ambivalent about political dynasties because, in reality, there are bad and good dynasties.

In some areas, politicians coming from the same family tree get voted to public office over and over again because of their excellent and humanitarian service to their constituents. Their performance speaks for itself.

ANTONIO ARIEL ENRILE-INTON JR., Lawyers for Joy Belmonte, Quezon City