Pampanga barangay residents say no to being used as Clark entry gate

A group of residents in Barangay San Joacquin, Mabalacat City are opposing the opening a new gate leading to Clark Freeport.

The village's main road, named Imelda Marcos Street, will be opened to motorists once the ongoing construction of the Clark Mabalacat Angeles Road (CMAR) extension is completed.

But the residents asked the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the local government here to consider other routes.

They claimed that San Joacquin is residential and thickly-populated barangay and Imelda Marcos Street is the only road they use.

The opening of the road will compromise the safety of the school children and people living in community, according to the group of residents who prepared a position paper against the project.

The 15-meter street is not sufficient to serve as an access road to Clark at the same time service road of the residents.

During the time of the US military, Barangay San Joaquin was never used as an entry point to Clark, according to the residents. “Historically, Barangay Dolores was where the gate of Clark for the entry of supplies was located.”

Local officials earlier asked the CDC to extend the CMAR to the city's northern villages in a bid to decongest the MacArthur Highway.

The residents claimed that the government implemented without consulting the people living in the area.

Vice Mayor Christian Halili said they have recommended to CDC alternative routes including a road leading to Barangay Dolores.

The CDC said that the road project was envisioned to help decongest traffic at Macarthur Highway per arrangements with Mabalacat City Government, it being primarily affected by congestion. Safety and security of all concerned have also been factored in by way of added provisions like lighting, canal and narrowing the road width.

“But given all these features, CDC will always consider the decision of the LGU Mabalacat — them being considered not just the beneficiary but also our partner in progress.” (Reynaldo Navales)

Source: SunStar Pampanga. Photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org 

Kagawad loses protest due to a day late in filing of appeal

The Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) Second Division in Intramuros, Manila has dismissed the instant appeal of a losing candidate for the position of barangay kagawad (village councilor) in Dumaguete City due to her failure to file the Notice of Appeal within the prescribed period.

The case stemmed from the protest initially filed before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) by then incumbent Taclobo barangay kagawad Jocelyn Z. Ombos against newly-elected councilor Enrique S. Oira, which was resolved in the latter’s favor.

Records show that MTCC Branch 1 presiding Judge Dinah B. Tabada-Chu ordered the dismissal of the protest filed by Ombos against Oira last June 8. Both parties received a copy of the decision on June 13.

Instead of filing a Notice of Appeal consistent with the rules of procedure in election contests before the courts involving elective municipal and barangay officials and the Comelec Rules of Procedure, Ombos filed a Motion for Reconsideration on June 14, which was eventually denied by the trial court in its order dated June 19.

It was only on June 28 that Ombos filed her Notice of Appeal and settled the corresponding court appeal fee.

Considering that a motion for reconsideration is a prohibited pleading, the June 14 motion for reconsideration of Ombos did not interrupt the period prescribed by the rules to file a requisite Notice of Appeal.

It said that Ombos only had five days from receipt to file the notice but the notice of appeal was filed only on June 28, or 15 days from receipt of the June 8 order of the MTCC.

Thus, premises considered, the Comelec 2nd division resolved to dismiss the instant appeal. Presiding commissioner Luietito F. Guia penned the decision.

Oira won by only two votes against Ombos who landed in the eighth position.

Meanwhile, the camp of newly-elected barangay kagawad of Looc, Sheila Mae Catada, awaits a resolution from the MTCC on the recount filed by Anna Marie Larena who lost by only one vote to Catada.

According to Catada, two more votes were added to her name in the recount. (Juancho Gallarde)

Source: Philippine News Agency. Photo credit: gmanetwork.com

Barangay officials urged to accredit barangay-based NGOs

DILG officer-in-charge (OIC) Eduardo M. Año stressed that barangay officials must be proactive in ensuring all NGOs within the barangay are accredited for proper accounting as they should partner with the Barangay Development Council (BDC) and other barangay-based institutions (BBIs) to facilitate progress.

“As partners of the government in its pursuit for progress, NGOs play a crucial part in delivering services to the people, especially in the grassroots level. And as such, it is imperative that they are accredited to formalize their operation in the barangay and for their voice to be heard in the BDC, BBIs,” Año said.

“The punong barangay, SB must therefore carefully enforce their mandated functions of accrediting barangay-based NGOs under their jurisdiction,” he added.
Under Article 64 (a) of the Local Government Code, within 30 days from the organization of the newly elected sanggunian, each sanggunian concerned shall call all community-based people’s organizations or NGOs, including business and professional groups, to apply with the same LGU concerned for accreditation for membership in the local special bodies.

Accreditation process
A DILG directive compels the punong barangays and SBs to ensure participation of NGOs by undertaking information campaign and to encourage all barangay-based NGOs participation in the accreditation and selection process.
The DILG also noted that all community-based NGOs, whether previously accredited or seeking accreditation for the first time, shall be handed with the Notice of Call for Application and Accreditation.

It added the same Notice shall be posted in three conspicuous areas of the barangay, on social and print media or on the barangay website, if available.

The SB, through the barangay secretary, shall then prepare the list or directory of interested NGOs containing the name of the organization, contact information of the head of the organization, and services offered, among others.

Interested parties are requested to submit a letter of application for accreditation, and the accomplished Application and Accreditation Form (AAF) to the SB with the inclusion of Certificate of Registration issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission, list of current officers, and the annual accomplishment report and financial statement for the immediately preceding year.

“Failure to submit all the requirements shall cause the denial of the NGOs accreditation which is why it is important for them to produce all of the supporting documents. Ngunit maaari pa din naman nilang ipasa ang mga requirements basta makumpleto nila,” Año warned.

The SB will then pass an ordinance or resolution setting the additional criteria, if necessary; set the day for the conduct of assessment and evaluation; assess and evaluate the submitted AAF and other requirements; and direct the barangay secretary to document the assessment and evaluation process.

Participating NGOs will then be notified by the punong barangay regarding the status of their application for accreditation. Qualified NGOs will be issued with a certificate of accreditation indicating the concerned BBI to be represented.

In the same directive, it is stipulated that as much as practicable, only one NGO per sector will be accredited.
But in the event that there are multiple applicants catering services to the same sector, heads of those NGOs must convene to elect a leader among themselves.

The DILG chief also reminded interested NGOs and the barangay officials that the accreditation process shall not cost anything hence “collection of any amount in connection to the accreditation shall be subjected to appropriate sanctions, in accordance with the law.” (Chito Chavez)

Source: Manila Bulletin. Photo credit: AP Photo/Bullit Marquez /MB)

880 Cebu City barangay officials to train on tasks and responsibilities

To ensure that they can perform their mandated tasks and responsibilities with efficiency, around 880 newly elected barangay officials in Cebu City will undergo a three-day orientation on barangay governance and developmental planning.

The orientation training, which will be conducted in batches this month and next month, is pursuant to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum 2019-7. The DILG memo enjoins newly elected village officials to participate in the Grassroots Renewal and Empowerment for Accountable and Transparent (GREAT) Barangay Program.

Under the order dated May 24, the GREAT Barangay Program is “designed to meet the challenge of reinvigorating the political and administrative leadership at the community and barangay level. It also prepares the barangay and its officials in actively fulfilling their roles and their relevance to development. During last week’s regular session, the City Council passed a resolution charging P3 million against City-sponsored activities for the activity. The approved measure was the first resolution filed by ex-officio member Franklyn Ong after he was elected as Association of Barangay Councils president last July.

It will be participated by the barangay captain, councilors, secretary, treasurer and Sangguniang Kabataan chairman. A barangay agenda for governance and development, which will serve as the initial action plan of barangay officials for the first 100 days in office, is expected to be completed once the orientation is finished. They are also expected to submit a report on their respective barangay development plan for the next three years. (RTF)

Source: SunStar Cebu. Photo credit: cebudailynews.inquirer.net

Barangay nutrition scholar works for passion not for salary

People work to earn for a living, so they could enjoy a decent and comfortable life.

While this is true to most, Aurelia Aguilar or Aling Aurelia as she is fondly called says working in her community is not about salary but rather about her passion to serve.

Aling Aurelia, a 60-year old widow, is a barangay nutrition scholar (BNS) of Barangay Oaqui, Luna, La Union. She lives with her only son.

With her dedication to implement health and nutrition programs in their locality, she was awarded recently as the 2017 Region 1 BNS champion.

I have loved this job and I enjoy it so much helping the young children,” Aguilar shared in Ilocano.  

Her work as a BNS started when she had to quit her job as a factory worker in Makati after she and her husband met an accident. The mishap left her unfit to work with her impaired leg, thus decided to move back in their hometown.   

She was initially offered a much better pay by their barangay captain to become the barangay secretary, but she declined and chose instead to give her services as a BNS.

As an active BNS, Aling Aurelia receives a meager payment of P754 per month from the barangay, P300 from their municipal government, and P1,000 from the provincial government.

As the regional winner of Ilocos Region, her exceptional initiatives led her to becoming one of the five finalists to the Search for Outstanding BNS at the national level.

Having served as a BNS for 13 years, she initiated projects that include the construction of sanitary toilets for four identified poorest families of their locality which contributed to the barangay’s declaration of zero open defacation. These families, she said, have preschoolers so, she did her best to make it possible through solicitations.

Another humble project she did was posting of nutrition-related information materials like the “Ten Kumainments” and “Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos” along the barangay roads, which she said could create awareness about the importance of healthy nutrition that can help improve their health status.

Having just a measly nutrition fund in their barangay, Aling Aurelia seeks for some other ways in coming up with possible nutrition-related projects through the very supportive barangay nutrition committee of Oaqui, chaired by their barangay captain.

She added that being a BNS is “the fulfillment of my dreams as a nutritionist.”

“When we talk of nutrition, team work is a very important factor. Every little thing that’s being done will have good results,” she added.

Aling Aurelia received P10,000 and a certificate for winning the 2017 Provincial Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar; P20,000 and a plaque of recognition as the regional winner; and P15,000 and a plaque as one of the top five finalists in the national search.

The Regional Nutrition Month Awarding Ceremony was held on August 30, 2018 at the Vigan City Convention Center in Ilocos Sur.  (Miriam P. Aquino)

Source: Philippine News Agency.   

Nueva Viscaya barangay officials trained in legislation

More than 600 barangay officials of the province recently received enhancement training to improve their skills on legislation.

Board member Elma Pinao-an Lejao, president of the Lady Local Legislators’ League of the Philippines, Inc. (FOUR L)–Nueva Vizcaya Chapter said the training intends to expose barangay officials on the principles of legislation.

“Many of our barangay officials from barangay captain to Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members are new in their positions and with this training, we can teach them to write quality local ordinances and resolutions,” she said.

Pinao-an added that the participants came from the 275 barangays of the province.

According to Pinao-an, the participants were oriented on local budget preparation and authorization, the new Government Procurement Reform Act or RA 9184, local legislative processes, parliamentary procedures, and the workings of the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) and Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Desk.

 

“An open forum also clarified the queries of the participants on various issues and concerns on local governance,” the lady legislator said. (Benjamin Moses M. Ebreo)

 

 Source: Philippine Information Agency. Photo credit: nuevaviscaya.gov.ph