“TESDA sa Barangay” program pushed in Soccsksargen (Region 12)

 TESDA Director General Sec. Suharto Teng Mangudadatu (right) 

and TESDA 12 Regional Director Rafael Y. Abrogar II listen to Sultan Kudarat TESDA stakeholders.

About 17,000 TESDA slots are up for grabs in The “TESDA sa Barangay Program in 1,165 barangays in  the Soccsksargen Region (Region 12), said Suharto Teng Mangudadatu, Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). 

To start during the opening quarter of 2024, Mangudadatu is planning to open more programs in the barangays and enhance the capabilities of trainers for more Technical Vocational programs.

In his meeting with the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Government, together with TESDA 12 Regional Director Rafael Y. Abrogar II, Mangudadatu discussed the different activities and plans for the barangays especially the implementation of various programs for the marginalized sectors.

“We will open opportunities for those people who want to have a job or to start a business by bringing our services to their reach,” Mangudadatu said.

He also considered the strengthening of the CTEC or Community Training and Employment Coordinators which is seen as vital support in ensuring the implementation of various TESDA programs.

Community-Based Trainer’s Methodology Course (CBTMC) is one of the TESDA programs to maximize the number of trainers in the region.

In his 10-point agenda, Mangudadatu will prioritize the “TESDA sa Barangay,” “Youthpreneurship,” an efficient and easier way of registering or applying for TESDA scholarship programs and HALAL TVET programs.

“Sultan Kudarat will start the plan because I know we can do it and we can perform the task,” Mangudadatu said.

It will cover thousands of marginalized individuals in the region that will undergo upskilling and reskilling to strengthen employment opportunities. (Source: NDBCNEWS) 

Pasig City Vice Mayor Jaworski leads launching of ‘Talakayan sa Barangay’

Vice mayor Robert “Dodot” Jaworski Jr. and the 11th City Council led the 'Talakayan sa Barangay' held last Friday at the Barangay hall of San Miguel in Pasig City.

                                                                                

Photo from Facebook Page of Vice Mayor Dodot Jaworski

Expected to improve relations between residents and local officials, the Barangay Talakayan is like a townhall meeting wherein the vice mayor and city councilors answer questions, hear requests, and remedy complaints from residents.

It will be held weekly and will continue until the end of the officials’ terms.

The Vice Mayor said the initiative will be an opportunity to hear the residents’ concerns directly and help officials to make their policies more effective and substantial for their constituents.

He added that he and Mayor Vico Sotto do ‘Oplan Kaayusan’ by making the rounds everyday to meet with people in the city and the Talakayan in every barangay facilitates the proper setting to have a dialogue with them. 

To be better prepared in making the rounds of the barangays, officials were asked to make a list of concerns/problems of their residents.

Negros Occidental Liga ng mga Barangay holds election of officers

DILG Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay recently announced January 12, 2024 to be the holding of elections for the officials of Liga ng mga Barangay in the province. 

PHOTO from Negros Occidental PIO

She said that the DILG will oversee the election process in the presence of representatives from the Commission on Election and civil society.

The front runner in the elections is Victorias City Brgy. 2 chairman Richard Julius Sablan.  He is replacing Juvy Pepello, also a barangay chairwoman in Victorias City whose term has ended. 

Once elected, the Liga president also sits as an ex-officio member of the Sanggunian Panlalawigan of the Province of Negros Occidental.

Director Sumagaysay added that The Liga ng mga Barangay provincial elections  scheduled on the 12th day of January is conducted simultaneously nationwide. 

Barangays and NGOs commended on best practices on juvenile justice and welfare programs

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) awarded the winners of the Search for Good Practice of Barangays and Non-Government Organization (NGO) Partners Implementing the Diversion Program of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA) on November 25, 2022 in Manila 

This year’s celebration carried the theme, “Pagbabago ay Panigurado kung Tututukan natin ang Juvenile Justice Law!” which calls for the strengthened implementation of the JJWA to ensure that the rights of children in conflict with the law (CICL) and children at risk (CAR) are upheld at all times.

The Search was part of the 11th Juvenile Justice and Welfare Consciousness Week (JJWeek) which was held on November 20-26, 2022. It aimed to recognize the mechanisms and good practices of duty-bearers and stakeholders in implementing diversion programs, which is one of the key features of the JJWA, that provides alternative processes in determining the responsibility and treatment of CICLs without resorting to rehabilitation away from their families and undergoing formal court proceedings.

In the message of Secretary Erwin T. Tulfo, which was delivered by Undersecretary Charles Frederick Co, the DSWD executive recognized the efforts of the barangays and other stakeholders implementing the JJWA.

“Today’s event is a celebration of your efforts and the lives of children that you have helped changed for the better. We, at the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the JJWC commend your initiatives in fulfilling your mandates under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act,” he said.

“We recognize the challenges and gaps, and like you, we remain committed to find ways to strengthen the full and proper implementation of the law. This search is one of our strategies to advocate for and support the implementation of diversion. By packaging good practices, we create knowledge products that duty-bearers and stakeholders can learn from and encourage the full implementation of the law,” he added.

The following are the winners of this year’s Search for Good Practice of Barangays and NGO Partners Implementing the Diversion Program of the JJWA:

Barangay Category

• 1st Place – Brgy. Balili, La Trinidad, Benguet
• 2nd Place – Brgy. Kulapi, Lucban, Quezon
• 3rd Place – Brgy. Lomoyon, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao

Shortlisted entries under the Barangay Category: Brgy. Calumpang, Iloilo City and Brgy. Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet

Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) Category

• 1st Place – Brgy. Cabanbanan, Oton, Iloilo
• 2nd Place – Brgy. Camino Nuevo, Zamboanga City

NGOs in the Barangay doing Diversion Programs

• Quidan Kaisahan in Negros Occidental

Aside from the Search, the JJWC also conducted various activities during the JJWeek to advocate for the effective and efficient implementation of the JJWA. Among the events include: the handover of assistance kits to 84 Bahay Pag-Asas (BPA) as part of the Support to Bahay Pag-Asa Project; the launching of the Prosecutor’s Manual on Handling Cases of Children; the Ceremonial Signing-in of the Buklod Paglaom Learning Management System; and, the RJJWC Functionality Awarding Ceremony.

The DSWD and the JJWC commit to continue to enhance systems and mechanisms to improve the implementation of the JJWA in coordination with duty-bearers and other stakeholders. Content and (Journalonline)

The Barangay Justice System: A community view

The Barangay Justice system has been around in the Philippine Justice System since 1978. Former President Ferdinand E. Marcos enacted PD 1508 to institutionalize the creation of Barangay Courts throughout the country. 

The law creating the system recognized the Filipinos’ time-honored tradition of settling disputes amicably within the confines of the family and the community. It also aimed at decongesting the courts with pending cases.

After the Edsa Revolution, the establishment of the Barangay  Justice System became part of the 1991 Local Government Code. The code highlighted the strength of the Barangay Justice System lies in the community.

But how far are community members aware of the functions of the Barangay Justice System? How many of them, do in fact, believe that it can be part of the efforts to build peace in the community?

To answer these questions, Synergeia, in partnership with the Global Community Engagement Resilience Fund (GCERF), conducted a series of town-hall meetings in the municipalities of Piagapo, Lanao Del Sur; Buldon, Maguindanao, and Jolo, Sulu. The activity is a part of a broader program that Synergeia conducts in BARMM in partnership with GCERF.

In 2020, Synergeia launched Project BRAVE ( Building Resilience Against Violent Extremism) in the three previously mentioned municipalities and the Municipality of Kapatagan, Lanao Del Sur. The whole project aims to mobilize communities to create strategies to prevent violent extremism (PVE). It calls for Local School Boards and School Governing Councils to make PVE activities part of their community action plans. The project also recognizes the need to establish effective grievance systems in the community and allow members to resolve conflicts peacefully. In acknowledging the need for a grievance system, Synergeia has included raising the awareness level of the community on the Barangay Justice System. It also will implement activities to help members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa ( Barangay Courts) better dispense their duties to the community.

So what were the results of the town hall meeting?

A look at some of the results of the baseline assessment conducted at the start of the meeting, revealed the following:

• Seventy-five percent (75% out of a total of 239 participants ) had no experience with the Barangay Justice System.
• 49.72% – thought that it referred to the community assembly held to discuss government programs.
• Almost everyone ( 93%) knew that the Barangay Captain sits as the head.
• Half of the respondents were aware that some prefer to settle disputes outside the Barangay Justice System.
• 76% believed that timidity was the main reason for settling disputes outside the barangay.
• A quarter of disputes are settled amicably between conflicting parties; ANother quarter mentioned that they sought the help of the Barangay Chairman. 12% would approach their elders. 13% went directly to the police to ask for assistance.

From those who already experienced being part of the Barangay Justice System, Synergeia was able to gather the following:

• The most common cases brought to the attention of the Barangay Courts were:
• Family Conflicts
• Conflicts between neighbors and other community members
• Trespassing
• Non-payment of Debts

-87% shared that the Barangay Chairman helped resolve the conflict by calling everyone involved and listening to both sides.

Towards the end of the workshops, the participants also shared their commitments to strengthen the Barangay Justice System.

Apipa Acoon, a participant from Piagapo promised to campaign, “about the existing Barangay Justice System to her constituents. She will also encourage them to raise disputes to the Barangay at once.
A young participant spoke of the need to be vigilant about his surroundings and be courageous enough to report suspicious activities to the Barangay Officials

Babuh Amma , from Jolo emphasized the need to listen to both sides and avoid the trap of believing in baseless assumptions.

Overall the respondents had a consensus on how to strengthen the Barangay Justice System. More than half suggested the following steps:

• Build the capacity of the residents to understand what their rights are.
• Build the skills of the barangay on conflict-mediation.

– Organize more barangay assemblies.

– Enable the residents to become more familiar with the responsibilities of the barangays.

Synergeia will strive to work on these suggestions in our upcoming activities under Project Brave. In doing so, we do hope to make the Barangay Justice System an effective tool for peace-building.  Photo and content reposted from Page One.

Farm-to-market road boosts economy of CamSur barangay

Residents of Barangay Sagrada in Minalabac, Camarines Sur has been reaping the benefits of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) completed farm-to-market road (FMR) in their community. 

According to Secretary Mark A. Villar, the improvement into concrete of the 1-kilometer FMR was implemented by DPWH Camarines Sur 2nd District Engineering Office (DEO) from July 2020 to December 2020. 

Secretary Villar, citing a report from District Engineer Ruben S. Santos, Jr., further explained that the road construction costing P12.44 million was sourced from Department of Agriculture’s (DA) fund for fiscal year 2020. 

“The new road has been improving local mobility in the area resulting to increased income for farmers by providing a more effective road for transporting their products to market centers,” said Secretary Villar. 

The time needed for people to reach basic services in their community such as educational, health, and business establishments was lessen by the convenience brought upon by the completion of the road project. 

Secretary Villar added that the FMR has also provided locals a chance to access better employment and trade opportunities in and outside of their community. (Content reposted from Philippine News Agency) PHOTO; FB Page Barangay Sagrada)

Barangay chiefs to take over responsibility over LGU-cleared roads

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) today announced that Barangay Captains will be made to sign contracts legalizing their responsibility in maintaining roads cleared by their respective local government unit (LGU).

“One of the strategies that we will adopt is that once a road is cleared by the LGU, a contract is drawn up and signed by the Barangay Captain who then is now responsible for maintaining the cleared roads," DILG Officer-in-Charge (OIC) and Undersecretary Bernardo C. Florece, Jr. said following a meeting of Task Force Road Clearing composed of the DILG, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchise and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways, Metro Manila Council, Philippine National Police and other concerned agencies on Thursday at the DILG Central Office.

"There will also be an exit conference with the mayor so that he is advised of the results of the validation,” he added.

Florece also reminded all LGUs of the deadline on February 15 of Road Clearing 2.0 and the validation of program starting February 16-March 2.

He, however, assured that the DILG will be fair in the road-clearing validation but will point out the deficiencies so that this can be acted upon soonest by the LGUs.

The DILG chief also said no-parking signs and visual cues must be placed in cleared roads so that the residents do not go back to their old ways. 

Florece acknowledges that with the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines, LGUs may have their hands full but he nonetheless challenges them to comply with the President’s directive. 

“Nais po nating makita ang tagumpay ng road clearing operations sa buong bansa ngunit ayaw rin nating maantala ang rollout ng vaccine kaya’t dapat galingan ng ating mga mayor,” he said.

February 16 to March 2 is the validation period for all provinces, cities, and municipalities, while March 9 is the deadline for all DILG Regional Offices (ROs) to submit their respective compliance data and forms as well as attachments to the DILG Central Office (CO) - Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS).

The Department, through the BLGS, will ensure that all LGUs adhere to the principles of road clearing, even beyond the validation period making it a whole-year-round program. Personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), as well as representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), will be part of the local Validation Teams. (Content reposted from the Philippine Information Agency)