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

 

 

 

Farmers in Negros barangay trained in raising free-range chickens

Some 80 farmers from eight farmer associations in Barangay E. Lopez in Silay City, Negros Occidental were trained on poultry health management and value adding, and received free-range chicken livelihood project.

These farmers were also beneficiaries of the veterinary medical mission courtesy of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), in collaboration with the Silay City Veterinary Office.

Silay City Mayor Mark Andrew Arthur J. Golez led the local officials of Silay while Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Renante J. Decena led the personnel from the PVO, in gracing the activity.

About 400 heads of two-week old chicks were distributed to farmer associations of the barangay.

Decena emphasized to farmer recipients the need to have passion in raising livestock and poultry animals as well as for them to know their responsibility as association members and beneficiaries of government programs and projects.

“The objective of the program is to primarily help alleviate the economic status of our farmer raisers by stressing the marketing opportunities in raising livestock and poultry,” Decena said in a statement.

This PVO-initiated livelihood program also extends to the marketing aspect of value adding and meat processing, by conducting actual training to interested farmer raisers and housewives in the said barangay.    

Decena underscored the importance of an organized association as the key to access government programs and projects as well as ensure its success. (Easter Anne D. Doza)

Source: Philippne News Agency. Photo credit: youtube.com

Catanduanes barangay urged to fence tourist spot for trekkers

Since Binurong Point in Baras town was opened to tourists, the primary beneficiary of the influx of sightseers has been the barangay, particularly the barangay council and the barangay tour guides for obvious reasons.

The recent incident in which a cow lunged at a 12-year old girl who was visiting the place along with her family. It is just fortunate that the girl managed to grab the cow’s horns before she was thrown a few meters away, with the tour guide showing the animal away. Nevertheless, the incident proved traumatic for the girl, who barely ate for several days and refused to go to school.

The question now is what the barangay council will do to prevent a repeat of the incident or risk letting its cash cow, pardon the pun, run away.

It must be understood that the entire scenic Binurong area, except naturally for the foreshore, belongs to a private owner, the Sorreta family.

Entry to the sprawling property was made possible through an arrangement between the owner and the barangay council headed by Chairman Emerito Tariman.

It should also be understood that the grassland through which tourists hike to get to Binurong Point has been a grazing land for the Sorreta family’s cows for decades now. Recently, according to knowledgeable sources, the provincial government even asked the Sorretas to allow the use of the grazing land in the administration’s milk production program intended to reduce malnutrition among children in the island.

Rather than ask for assistance from the Department of Tourism, Chairman Tariman should now use part of the barangay’s earnings from the tourist spot and start constructing a fence to separate the grazing cows from human visitors. The fence does not have to be concrete since a bamboo one with wooden posts can serve to provide separation between animals and humans.

Tourist guides who depend on the site and its visitors for their livelihood will not find it hard to volunteer in helping put up the fence.

They should realize that the Binurong property owners can close the area if they so desire and the consequence would be adverse for the barangay and the entire province. (Fernan A. Gianan).


Source: Catanduanes Tribune.  Photo credit: www.gocatanduanes.com

Household mapping pushed in Cagayan de Oro barangays

A city official urged barangay officials to conduct household mapping as part of Cagayan de Oro's efforts to pursue a more concentrated urbanization path.

In the next years to come, City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a hopes that every household in every barangay is profiled and identified through household mapping.

Sabuga-a said the city might not be able to control the pace of its fast-growing population, but it will work to at least monitor movement in the barangay level.

After training barangay tanods, Sabuga-a said they are now aiming at making efficient partnership with the barangays especially in terms of responding to calamities.

"Our problem now is when calamities strike, for example, if there's fire, and when our social workers respond to the area, the assessment of the total household affected is doubled. More people are coming in and are asking for assistance even if they are not affected with the fire, so this becomes a problem, we have no validation," he said.

"The household mapping also allows us to monitor the people coming in and out of your barangay," he added.

Sabuga-a said this effort might be small, but this is first step toward realizing the vision of President Rodrigo Duterte to make the city the country's fourth economic center.

"In the long-term plan, we want to have a system to make it easier for us plan the development of Cagayan de Oro," he said. (PJ Orias)

Source: Sun Star Cagayan de Oro.  File photo: Cagayan de Oro City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a.  Photo credit: Facebook.

Iloilo City barangays urged to put into effect drug abuse councils or else

LIGA ng mga Barangay-Iloilo President and City Councilor Irene Ong called on barangay officials to comply the documentary requirements for the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC).
“All barangay officials must comply with the BADAC committee and your report in your respective barangays. Ang mga newly elected officials, they have to reconstitute the BADAC and they will be given extension,” said Ong.
Ong emphasized that the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) can file administrative cases against officials who cannot comply.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III also called on the public officials to pass the necessary requirements.
“Tani you do your job as elected public officials. You have to do your work. And if it is required by law na may BADAC kamo tani himuon niyo man ang inyo responsibility,” he said.
Meanwhile, DILG-Iloilo City head Atty. Ferdinand Panes reiterated that all barangay officials, especially the newly elected officials, must constitute not only the BADAC but also with other committees.
“Term-based ang creation sina so they have to constitute almost 16 committees and not just the BADAC. To be fair with them taga-an man namon sila time basta they can submit the confidential list by November,” Panes added.
Under the law, all barangays in every local government unit shall establish the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) within its territorial jurisdiction, which shall render assistance to law enforcement agencies in the eradication and clearing operations of illegal drugs.
The council which is headed by the village chief will have kagawad, SK chairman, school principal/representative, chief tanod, civic society representative, and faith-based organization representative as its members.
Meanwhile, the city or municipal chief of police will be its adviser.
It is also a mandate to gather and update all drug related incidents and its effect on peace and order situation in the barangay including listings of suspected drug users and pushers.
They are also authorized to conduct an inventory of drug personalities who were identified to be involved in drug related activities and identify drug affected house clusters, sitios, work places, streets, puroks where there are violations of Republic Act 9165 or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Source:  The Daily Guardian. In photo: Iloilo City Hall. Photo credit: iloilometropolitantimes.com