Outgoing Iloilo barangay officials turn over barangay assets

 

TURNOVER OF DOCUMENTS. Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III (left) and members of the Iloilo City Audit Transition Team  witness the signing of the turnover of documents from outgoing to incoming barangay officials of Jaro district on Tuesday (June 26, 2018). (Photo by Perla Lena) 

By Perla Lena

The turnover of Barangay Properties, Financial Records and Documents  from outgoing to incoming barangay officials in this city started on Tuesday.

Spearheaded by the Iloilo City Audit Transition Team (ICATT), the turnover is in compliance with Circular No. 2018-12 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Initially, 28 of the 42 barangays in Jaro district have complied with the submission of documents. The turnover to cover the remaining barangays from the city’s six other districts will be until Friday at the Diamond Jubilee Hall.

“Out of 180 barangays, almost half of which have passed their documents already and are scheduled for ceremonial turn over. That is why, we are calling all barangays officials to submit your documents at the City Accountant’s Office for checking and finalization,” said Iloilo City Accountant IV Margaret Malban.

Circular No. 2018-12 mandated the creation of an inventory team as early as February this year.
It was issued to ensure the systematic transition from the outgoing barangay officials to the incoming newly elected or re-elected barangay officials who will assume their office on June 30.

Also, it aimed to sustain transparent and accountable local governance at the barangay level and make sure that all concerned barangay officials exercise due diligence as regards to proper use, care, utilization and safekeeping of all government properties, barangay funds, financial records and documents.

Iloilo City DILG Director Atty. Ferdinand Panes warned that barangay officials who could not submit their documents will not be issued clearances and will be facing sanctions.

The documents submitted by the outgoing barangay officials will be submitted to City DILG to be forwarded to the department’s central office to monitor the compliance of outgoing barangay officials, said Panes.

The Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit are also furnished copies.
“The documents are being monitored strictly by no less than our Secretary, and our Undersecretary Martin Diño. The memorandum circular provides penal sanctions that is why these outgoing barangay officials cannot go away with liability, either they will go to jail or held liable civilly,” said Panes.

ICATT is headed by City Accountant’s Office and is composed of DILG-Iloilo City, Liga ng mga Barangay, representatives from City Internal Audit and Services Office, City Budget Office, City General Services Office, City Planning and Development Office, and Barangay Secretariat.

(Reposted from Philippine News Agency. Original title: Turnover of documents for incoming barangay officials starts)