New village execs told to make governance functional

Año said the new Liga officers have a critical role in rallying barangays to be reliable and proactive partners in advancing the government’s priority thrusts on anti-illegal drugs, anti-criminality, and anti-corruption, as well as the campaign for federalism. (File Photo: DILG)

MANILA — Newly-elected national and regional officers of the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB), the largest local government association in the country, are prodded to make barangay governance functional and “felt by the public”.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-In-Charge Secretary Eduardo Año calls on the new set of LnB officers of the 42,044 barangays to do the duties and functions vested upon them by the law, particularly the Local Government Code.

“Kayo pong namamahala sa mga barangay ang pinakamalapit sa mga mamamayan at maalam sa mga suliranin at pangangailangan ng mga komunidad. Kayo ang sumasalamin sa gobyerno. Maging matino, mahusay, at maaasahan po nawa kayo sa inyong sinumpaang paglilingkod-bayan (You who govern the villages are those closest to the people and know very well the concerns and needs of communities. You mirror the government. You should be sensible, good and can be relied upon to do what your sworn duty to public service),” Año told the new LnB officers.

Año said the new Liga officers have a critical role in rallying barangays to be reliable and proactive partners in advancing the government’s priority thrusts on anti-illegal drugs, anti-criminality, and anti-corruption, as well as the campaign for federalism.

Faustino A. Dy V of Isabela now serves as the new LnB national president succeeding Edmund R. Abesamis.

“Nananawagan po tayo sa mga halal na opisyal sa barangay na maging aktibo sa pagpapatupad ng serbisyo publiko na ramdam ng mamamayan at maging katuwang sa pagkamit ng mga layunin ng nasyonal na pamahalaan (We are calling on all the elected village officials to be active in implementing public service that is felt by the people and be partners to achieve the goals of the national government),” he said.

Other new LnB officers are Executive Vice-President Eden C. Pineda, Secretary-General Jorge Daniel S. Bocobo, National Auditor Jose Lorenzo T. Almeda, Vice-President for Luzon James Marty L. Lim, Vice-President for Visayas Celestino A. Martinez III, and Vice-President for Mindanao Edgar R. Ibuyan, Sr.

As for regional LnB chapters, the regional presidents are Mario B. Subagan for Ilocos Region, Victor B. Gines, Jr. for Cagayan Valley, Ramilito B. Capistrano for Central Luzon, Wilfredo M. Maliksi for Calabarzon, Abelardo S. Pangilinan for Mimaropa, Joseph Philip L. Lee for Bicol Region, Dorothy G. Paes for Western Visayas, Romulo G. Cepedoza for Central Visayas, Ricarte A. Estrella for Eastern Visayas, Rogelio M. Isip for Zamboanga Peninsula, Cesarve C. Siacor for Northern Mindanao, Rustan R. Castillones for Davao Region, Dulia D. Sultan for Soccsksargen, Gemma P. Tabada for Caraga, Abdulrashid A. Balindong for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Michael L. Lawana for Cordillera Administrative Region, and Joseph William D. Lee for National Capital Region.

Functional barangay units

Año said among the barangay organizations that must be organized and made functional is the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), which plans, strategizes, implements and evaluates programs and projects on drug abuse prevention in the barangay.

Before the May 2018 barangay elections, the DILG filed administrative cases at the Office of the Ombudsman against 16 barangays in Metro Manila and Bicol for their failure to organize BADACs.

The DILG and Dangerous Drugs Board recently released Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2018-01, the Implementing Guidelines on the Functionality and Effectiveness of Local Anti-Drug Abuse Councils.

The DILG also encourages the retention or reappointment of Barangay Violence Against Women (VAW) desk persons or officers, who have been trained by the national or local governments, for the continuous effective handling of VAW and children cases.

As for the anti-corruption mechanism, the DILG said it is closely monitoring compliance to the Barangay Full Disclosure Policy which requires the posting of barangay budget, statement of income and expenditures and other barangay financial transactions and annual procurement plan in an area inside the barangay hall that can be easily viewed by the public.

DILG spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya said the barangays are the most important partners for a grassroots, wide-reaching advocacy for correct public information on the proposed shift of Philippine governance to federalism.

“Next month po ay barangay assembly na muli. Dalawang beses lang ito sa isang taon. Sikapin po ninyo sa inyong barangay na dumalo ang mga residente sa Assembly kung saan tatalakayin ang mahahalagang usaping dapat nilang malaman at mabigyang boses (Next month will be barangay assembly again. This is held twice a year. You should try to entice residents in your barangay to attend the assembly where important issues are discussed and which they should know and for them to have a voice),” Malaya said.

The DILG is assisting in the special Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to be held in Marawi City on September 22.