Nutrition scholars to be appointed in every barangay in Muntinlupa City

Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon recently signed a municipal ordinance passed by the City Council designating at least one Barangay Nutrition Scholar or BNS for each of its nine barangays to strengthen the city's barangay nutrition program. 

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon (Photo from Muntinlupa PIO)

“The BNS Program is one of the Philippine Plan Of Action for Nutrition's human resource development strategies” according to the ordinance based on Presidential Decree No. 1569, which requires the designation of a BNS in every barangay. 

A barangay nutrition scholar is “a barangay-based volunteer worker responsible for delivering nutrition services and other related activities such as community health, backyard food production, environmental sanitation, culture, mental feeding, and family planning to the barangay.” 

"To qualify, a BNS should be  a) a bona fide resident of the barangay for at least four years; b. possess leadership potential and the initiative and willingness to serve the barangay for at least one year; willing to learn and teach what he/she has learned to barangay residents; at least a high school graduate; physically and mentally fit; at least 18 but not more than 65 years old; and willing to report to the health center for the agreed number of hours.” 

The appointment of a BNS is co-terminus with the barangay chairman unless reappointment with the concurrence of the Sangguniang Barangay. 

The duties of a BNS are: 

a. To undergo the required training as required by law;

b. Locates and identifies malnourished children through a community survey called Operation Timbang Plus; 

c. Based on the results of the annual survey, the BNS weighs all undernourished preschoolers monthly;

d. Monitors the growth of all 0-23 month-old children to evaluate if the children are reaching their growth targets according to the accepted child growth standard;

e. Performs quarterly follow-up weighing of children, 24-59 months old, to monitor their growth rate and determine any need for counseling of parents and/or caregivers or referral to appropriate service providers;

f. Engages the community to action by organizing families into clusters or into community-based organizations working and helping the barangay to improve the nutrition situation among the vulnerable;

g. With the barangay master list of wasted, stunted, under and overweight children, pregnant and lactating mothers, the BNS links the people needing nutrition intervention and the barangay service providers 

h. Performs other functions as may be provided by ordinance, law and other CNC mandated policies. (Read original story at: MANILA BULLETIN)

 

“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)