Honasan advocates FOI in MindaComm Congress

Sen. Gregorio Honasan II, Chairman of the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, presented the salient features of the Freedom of Information Bill during the Mindanao Communicators Congress and Workshop on November 29, 2012. Participants of the said congress were government information officers from Regions IX, X, XI, XII, CARAGA, and ARMM.

The FOI Bill, according to Honasan, aims to hasten the process by which the public is able to access government information therefore promoting a culture of ‘openness in the government’. Honasan noted the presumption that the people, for so long, feel alienated from the government by holding back information. With FOI, Honasan said, disclosure of government information will not only be a matter of transparency but a matter of duty.

“We must ensure that public access to information serves the public interest. Ang impormasyon, pag aari ng tao,” Hon. Honasan said.

However, Honasan cited instances with which public access may be disallowed as stated in the FOI Bill:     revelation of the information will create a clear and present danger of war, invasion or any external threat to the State; unduly weaken the negotiating position of the government in an ongoing bilateral or multilateral negotiation or seriously jeopardize the diplomatic relations of the Philippines; among others.

“Once information is transparent, there is a risk of abuse; FOI is not pure liberty, it is responsibility,” Honasan reminded the communicators.

MindaCom Network members, with their President Efren Elbanbuena of PIA XI, expressed their support to FOI by passing a resolution to urge the congress and the senate to pass the Bill and to make public information office mandatory to all government units and line agencies.

2012 Mindanao Communicators Congress and Workshop themed Communicating Mindanao’s Opportunities and Best Practices ran on November 28-30.

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SP approves 2013 City Budget

                During their regular session on November 7, 2013, the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Tacurong approved Ordinance No. 11 Series of 2012 or An Ordinance Appropriating an Amount of 343, 531, 335 pesos for the Annual Budget of the City of Tacurong for Calendar Year 2013.  The ordinance was approved through the motion of Councilor Cirilo Y. Flores, seconded by all council members.

Of the approved amount, P150,137,227.00 will go to Personal Services that comprise employees’ salaries and wages, other benefits and allowances. This also includes the General Fund Adjustment and lump sum appropriation for the City’s 3^rd class classification. Meanwhile, P83,949,684.00 was allotted for Maintenance and Other Operating Expense (MOOE) and P347,500.00 for property plant, and equipment. The amount of P22, 950,000.00 has been earmarked for other development projects and other needed services under the Locally Funded Projects.

Aside from a reserve fund amounting to P16,133,067.00 for Local Risk Reduction Management Program, the city government allotted 40 million pesos for 20 barangays taken from 20% Development Fund and Locally Funded. The said amount is evenly distributed with 2 million pesos for each barangay. This has been appropriated for infrastructure and development projects such as construction/concreting of roads, drainage canals, and box culverts. The 2-Million City Aid to Barangays is one of LGU-Tacurong’s innovations since 1992.

The City’s 2013 budget increased by at least 23 million pesos compared to this year’s budget of 320, 037,355 pesos.

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LGU new entrants undergo orientation

           Newly hired permanent and casual employees of the City Government of Tacurong undergone an orientation-workshop on November 13-15, 2012 at the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) Hall. Eighteen new entrants from different departments participated in the orientation which was conducted by the City’s Human Resource Management (CHRM) training staff.

             During the opening ceremony, Mayor Lina O. Montilla addressed the group: “We hope that the positive values you develop in the LGU will be evident anywhere you go. I expect that each of you will be an asset of the city government. Do your job. Do your best.”

The participants were briefed of the LGU’s policies and programs geared towards providing clients and employees with a more service-oriented system and environment. Among other topics discussed were Excellence in Public Service; public servants’ Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards set by R.A. 6713; Grievance Machinery; Career Development Plan; Merit Selection Plan; R.A. 7877 Anti-Sexual Harassment; and Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence. Speakers from the City’s Pool of Trainers also imparted information on monetary and non-monetary benefits and mandatory salary deductions. During the final day of orientation, the participants learned about the LGU’s performance evaluation system (PES). They were tasked to accomplish sample PES forms according to their job descriptions.

 

              Participants were all praises to the speakers and training staff that made the acticity very light yet informative. “We have learned that public service is really a serious matter to the city government. We are now well aware of our responsibilities and rights; so we feel empowered,” one of the participants said. The new entrants vowed to become excellent public servants in and even out of the office.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

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