80 Cebu City village chiefs tasked to form barangay eco committees

All 80 barangay captains in Cebu City are mandated to create Barangay Ecological Solid Waste Management Committee (BESWMC) for further monitoring of waste segregation, among others.

Association of Barangay Councils-Cebu City President Franklyn Ong said the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued Memorandum No. 2018-112 directing all barangay captains to issue an executive order for the creation of BESWMC.

As of now, Ong said only the barangay captain and the chairman of the City Council committee on environment are involved in formulating policy for the solid waste management of the barangay.

He already issued a memorandum to all 80 barangay captains on the issuance of the executive order for the creation of the committee.

“Nag-issue lang kog circular memorandum nga all the punong barangays should issue an executive order. We just provided them the template, each of them should issue executive order,” he added.

During the third general assembly of the barangay captains last Wednesday, Ong also reminded the barangay captains of the issuance of the executive order.

For easy reference of the barangay captains, he provided a copy of the draft executive order that can be used by the barangays.

In the draft EO, the composition of the BESWMC is consisting of the barangay captain as chairperson and the members are; one barangay councilor, SK chairperson, president of homeowners association, public/private school principals or representatives, representatives of Parents, Teachers Association, religious organization, environmental NGO, junkshop owners, bus community, and market vendors.

The committee has several functions such as the formulation of the solid waste management program, segregation, and collection of biodegradable and other wastes, the establishment of materials recovery facility, allocation of barangay funds.

They should also submit monthly report to the Cebu City government.

Ong cited that Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 provides the creation of the barangay solid waste management committee.

He said those barangay captains who have issued the executive order should furnish the office of ABC for its guidance. (Jean Marvette Demecillo)

Source of news: The Freeman Photo credit: SlideShare

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Batangas mayor who removed Liga president from post gets jail term

The mayor of Laurel, Batangas has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison over the ouster of the president of the town’s Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in 2012.

Randy James Amo and his co-accused Severino Endaya Jr., chairman of Barangay Poblacion 3, were found guilty of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Sandiganbayan’s First Division said in a 40-page decision promulgated on Sept. 24 and released yesterday.

Section 3 (e) of RA 3019 prohibits public officials from giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to any party or from causing any party, including the government, undue injury.

Amo and Endaya were also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last year, the case stemmed from the ouster of Eusebio Bilog, chairman of Barangay Bugaan West, as ABC-Laurel president.

The ombudsman said Endaya was elected to replace Bilog even though the election “was not in accordance” with the constitution and by-laws of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas.
Aside from supporting the illegal election, graft probers said Amo issued a memorandum withholding Bilog’s salaries and benefits. 

The Sandiganbayan gave weight to the testimonies of officials of the Sangguniang Bayan, Provincial Liga ng mga Barangay and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Calabarzon affirming the legitimacy of Bilog’s assumption of the post as ABC president following the death of its former president Cantucan Carsocho. Bilog was Laurel ABC vice president at the time.

“Meddling with the affairs of the Liga to suit his political agenda, supporting the manifesto to hold an election...and... unjustly depriving Bilog of his salary and other benefits... despite demands to release the same, constitute evident bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence,”the Sandiganbayan ruling read.

The Sandiganbayan also cited a letter of the DILG-Calabarzon office to the Sangguniang Bayan of Laurel that Bilog was the legitimate president of the town’s ABC and there was no need for an election because there was no vacancy. 

Amo “did not lift a finger” despite the opinion of the DILG, the court said.

“Up to the present, (Amo) ... failed to act on the demand of Bilog to release his salaries and benefits despite the recognition by the National Liga,” the court added. (Elizabeth Marcelo)

Source of news and photo: Philippine Star 

Tabaco City's Barangay Mariroc hosts P50M sanitary landfill

A 5-hectare sanitary landfill (SLF) facility will soon rise in Barangay Mariroc in Tabaco City next year, Mayor Cielo Krisel Lagman Luistro said Wednesday.

Luistro said the construction of the SLF facility would now comply with the government’s proper waste disposal program under RA 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.


Luistro, in a phone interview, said the Dynamic Builders and Woodfields Consultants, Inc. was contracted to build the PHP50-million facility.


She said “construction work would start next month and the facility would be fully operational by July of next year.”
 
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) to start the SLF construction project at Barangay Marirok, an upland village in Tabaco City.


In 2015, Luistro and Polangui Mayor Cherilie Mella Sampal were suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for operating an open dumpsite in their respective localities.
 
Ombudsman Samuel Martires, however, lifted the suspension order last Sept. 3 and directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement the recall order.


Martires, in recalling the suspension order, also asked for a review of the implementation of the waste disposal program under RA 9003.


The review would determine how capable are the local governments to finance and comply with the law in the setting up of sanitary landfill facilities in their areas of jurisdiction.


It would also define the role of the national government in assisting LGU in carrying out the waste disposal program.
As for the 3-hectare open dumpsite in Barangay San Antonio, which according to Luistro was already closed last year, the city government would pour in an additional PHP18 million for its rehabilitation.


She said that even before her suspension she has already complied with the order closing the open dumpsite on March 17 last year.


She said “when I received the order on March 2015 for us to close the 3-hectare open dumpsite I immediately scouted for an alternative area where we can build a sanitary landfill as compliance to the order.”


Meanwhile, Polangui Mayor Cherilie Mella Sampal, in an interview, said she is negotiating with Daraga Mayor Awin Baldo for the use of the Daraga Sanitary Landfill once the facility becomes operational next year.


She said that the open dumpsite in Sitio Barobo, Barangay Sugtad was already closed in compliance with the law.
 
Sampal said lack of resources in preventing them to build their own SLF which prompted them to negotiate with Daraga town for the use of their facility.


Polangui, in partnership with the EMB, is now conducting a waste analysis on 44 town villages as well as the business establishments operating in the municipality.


Sampal said the town collects six tons of garbage daily and these waste are segregated and goes to a material recovery facility. (Mar Serrano)

Source of News: Philippine News Agency  Photo credit: Facebook

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Poor barangays in Eastern Samar gets relief from poverty

The government's livelihood program dubbed Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) alleviates poverty for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Hernani, Eastern Samar.

According to Denise Jo O. Glino,  Hernani Municipal Link, the DSWD is the reinforced commitment of the government to alleviate poverty and empower the disadvantaged sectors through the provision of appropriate interventions.


There are some 542  Pantawid Pamilya members and about 124 Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCTs) beneficiaries in Hernani town.


Under the SLP, beneficiaries are given the option to register in either micro-enterprise development track or the employment facilitation track after participating in social preparation and capacity building activities.


Glino said they organized some 25 members in every barangay. Most recipients ventured into a micro-enterprise where they formed an association called “Bigasan ng Barangay". 


After the social preparation and capacity building activities, beneficiaries were given P10,000.00 for every member  which will serve as a capital for their micro-business.


Merlita V. Anos, resident of Barangay 4 also a parent leader, said when DSWD introduced the livelihood project in their barangay, she was inspired to join the organization, tried to participate in the activities actively and encouraged other residents to join the group for a chance to change their lives.


Their group opted to venture into a 'Bigasan ng Barangay.'
Anos immediately formed a group of 29 members from the 4Ps, the total capital they received was P290,000.00. The said money they used in the rice retail business which started on August 23, 2017.


Through her leadership and the group’s unity and perseverance, the livelihood project has grown into a grocery store.  Each member is able to earn dividends that help them slowly improve their quality of living.


Anos admitted, "Like any other livelihood association, ours encountered several challenges during the implementation of the project,” but added, "Somehow, we surpassed the challenges and emerged as better persons."


Presently, Anos claims that their business is quite improving.
The SLP is a community based capacity building program that tries to improve the socio-economic condition of poor Filipinos by facilitating opportunities for development and aims management of resources viable for micro-enterprise and employment facilitation.  (Samuel D. Candido)

Source of news and photo:  Philippine Information Agency

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Remote barangays in Aurora Province benefit from UP-Berkeley project

The joint research project of the UP-D and UC Berkeley enables basic calls and text at a fraction of the cost versus traditional commercial cellular networks. 

The initiative entitled “Village Base Station-Connecting Communities through Mobile Networks” or VBTS-CoCoMoNets bested 236 other entries from 28 countries across Asia to grab the ISIF Asia Awards 2018, a program supporting creative internet solutions to development needs in the Asia Pacific to achieve positive social and economic development.
 
VBTS-CoCoMoNets’ project leader Dr. Cedric Angelo Festin from UP College of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science and project investigator Dr. Eric Brewer from UC Berkeley’s Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, together with their team, will receive a cash prize amounting to USD3,500 or PhP185,500.
 
The VBTS-CoCoMoNets addresses the lack of mobile phone access by establishing community cellular networks (CCNs) in rural sites in the Philippines. The CCNs is a low-power, low-cost 2G base station that enables users to make basic calls and text in areas that traditional commercial cellular networks cannot reach.
 
To date, the following remote barangays in the Aurora province are benefiting from the VBTS-CoCoMoNets: barangay Dikapinisan, sitio Diotorin in barangay Dibayabay, barangay Dibut, and sitio Limbok Sabang in barangay Umiray These sites, nestled in the Sierra Madre mountains facing the Pacific Ocean, are home to some members of the indigenous peoples of the province. Two more CCNs are expected to be established by the end of the year.
 
Aside from the cash prize, the winners also bagged a travel grant to the 2018 Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Paris, France on November 12 to 14, 2018. The project will also be featured as part of the Seed Alliance Awards ceremony on November 13, 2018.(Merlina Hernando-Malipot)

Source of News and photo: Manila Bulletin/PCARI

Negros Occidental barangay chiefs, Army officers meet in peace forum

Some 19 barangay captains all from Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental met with officers and enlisted personnel of the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the 3rd Army Infantry Division yesterday at the City Hall.

Lieutenant Colonel Egberto O. Dacoscos, Commanding Officer of the unit, together with Lt. Col. Antonio Tumnog (INF) PA-Bde Ex-O, 1Lt. Maria Allein U. Veluz (FS)- AS7, 1Lt. Dexter N. Seragon (FA) PA-CO, BCoy, 1Lt. Raymond D. Jmaisal- CO, CCoy attended the Association of Brgy. Captains (ABC) meeting.
 
President of the ABC, Brgy. Captain Benjamin Jose Sian of Brgy. III- Poblacion presided the meeting.
 
Topic discussed was about the ongoing CSP deployment in Brgy. Buenavista, Brgy. Carabalan and Brgy. Mahalang.
 
Prior to the discussion proper, Lt. Col. Tumnog gave a background to all brgy. captains about the propaganda of the terrorists group CPP-NPA and how they exploit issues to influence and create an organization that will go against the government.
 
In addition, a video about the Peace Rally in Negros Occidental was presented to show that the NPA group already succeeded in organizing sympathizers.
 
Company commanders of Bravo and Charlie companies presented an update regarding their CSP effort in the areas of Buenavista, Carabalan and Mahalang. Such presentation gave emphasis to the insurgency of the terrorist group that was being traced up from history.
 
After the update, an open forum was conducted wherein Brgy. Captain Cherrie Hope M. Belarga of Su-ay suggested to all other brgy. captains that they should give their full support through giving information to the law enforcement agencies and investigate if necessary whenever there are suspicious groups in their areas.
 
Other barangay leaders also showed their active participation by asking questions.
 
Lt. Col. Dacoscos highlighted and shared about the incident that happened at Panciao, Manjuyod showing the merciless acts done by the CPP-NPA Terrorist group wherein the barangay captain was killed in the midst of his service and loyalty to his people. In order to prevent same incident to happen again, all barangay leaders present in the meeting were reminded that they should give their full support to the government.
 
They should not be deceived by the issues being propagated by the anti-people and anti-peace terrorist group. They should be reminded who are the real enemies and that the legitimate soldiers are always ready to bring peace and progress, he said.
 
Dacoscos added that, “We are of peace and not on threatening others. It is our dedication to service and duty that push us to do risky things like this. Your full support is highly needed in order to meet the objective of winning peace because we cannot succeed if only our organization puts endeavor for this. This is a collaborative effort.”(62IB)

Source of news and photo: Negros Daily Bulletin

Barangay officials urged to reach out to constituents via social media

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-In-Charge Secretary Eduardo M. Año enjoined barangays to utilize the social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter, to inform and remind residents of the barangay activities.

Barangay officials are urged as early as now to drumbeat public awareness and generate participation of their constituents particularly to the upcoming Barangay Assembly in all 42,044 barangays in the country on October 14.


“Social media is far-reaching and nowadays most Filipinos get news and public advisory online. Use this platform as we now embrace e-governance,” he said in a news release issued Monday.
He also urged the public to attend Barangay Assembly in their communities as their “right and responsibility.”

The conduct of Barangay Assembly is mandated by Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code which states that it should be conducted “at least twice a year to hear and discuss the semestral report of the barangay concerning its activities and finances as well as problems affecting the barangay.”

Año reminded that barangay officials’ failure to hold a Barangay Assembly can be a case for administrative complaint that may be filed by a concerned citizen or governmental or non-governmental entity before the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan or to the Office of the Ombudsman.

“To the public, make use of your right to have an interface with your barangay officials on issues that affect your community. To barangay officials, ensure maximum participation and meaningful discussion with your constituents,” he said.

Aside from using social media, Año encourages barangays to do medical or dental mission and cultural presentations to garner higher attendance in Barangay Assembly.

Barangay executives are also told to post or hang Barangay Assembly posters or banners in conspicuous places in the barangay like the barangay hall, plaza, main streets, transport terminals and market or talipapa.

As for DILG field officers, Año directed them to urge barangays to live stream their Barangay Assembly through Facebook Live and post pictures and videos of the assembly in various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #barangayassembly2018 on October 14.

Recognizing exemplary barangays
Meanwhile, DILG spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Jonathan E. Malaya, disclosed that the DILG through its National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) will be showcasing exemplary barangays.

DILG field offices have been directed to identify before October 5 a barangay in their jurisdiction that is not included in the list of drug affected barangays of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and has created or reorganized its Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC).

Its BADAC must particularly have a Committee on Operations and Advocacy and an Auxiliary Team. It should have also allocated a substantial portion of barangay's annual budget for anti-illegal drugs programs, projects and activities. It must have established Referral Rehabilitation Desk with a designated duty officer.

“The DILG recognizes that in the exercise of general supervision over local governments, acknowledgment of good performing local government units have a multiplying and motivational effect for others to do the same or do better,” Malaya said.

The theme of the Barangay Assembly on October 14 is “Nagkakaisang komunidad tungo sa Mapayapa, Maunlad at Matiwasay na Barangay”.

Barangay Assembly is held every last Saturday of March and second Sunday of October based on Proclamation No. 260. (DILG PR)

Source of news and photo: Philippine News Agency