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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Committee evaluates Tacurong for Local Legislation Award

               The Provincial Award Committee of the Local Legislative Award evaluated the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Tacurong on November 8, 2012.

                The Local Legislative Award is given to component cities and municipalities that exhibit excellent performance based on the effectiveness of local agenda and legislative tracking system, availability of legislative documents, efficiency of performance, and quality of office set-up and staff complement.

                Tacurong Sanggunian boasts of its 1,247 ordinances since 1956 to June 2012. In 2012, city councilors passed and approved 11 new ordinances on: requiring pregnant women to give birth in the city birthing home; establishment of bagsakan center; drag racing ban; institutionalization of the Iskolar ng Lungsod ng Tacurong program; prohibition of posting/nailing/hanging/pasting political and advertising materials; and budget appropriations.

                The provincial Committee lauded the unit’s performance including its efficient processes in dealing with clients and its office ergonomics.

Members of the Provincial Award Committee during their
courtesy  call with Mayor Lina O. Montilla.

As the only component city in Sultan Kudarat (SK), Tacurong hopes to make it to the regional level and compete with Koronadal City and Kidapawan City.

                “Of course, our qualification will not only be about Tacurong being the only city in SK. I believe that our sanggunian’s performance is really worth recognizing,” said Mayor Lina Montilla.

Mayor Montilla also spoke well of the outstanding leadership of Vice Mayor Charito Collado. In 2009 and with VM Collado at the helm, the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tacurong was recognized as Regional Local Legislative Award winner. The City represented Region XII to the national level.

The Local Legislative Award was launched in 2006 by the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to recognize the exemplary performance of Sanggunian of component cities and municipalities in legislating measures that establish meaningful local administration and development. 

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

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Aboitiz Foundation facilitates school infra rehabilitation

            Pupils of San Rafael Elementary School are now happier with their newly rehabilitated comfort rooms. Thanks to Aboitiz Foundation, pupils of one of Tacurong’s most distant barangays can now enjoy a more sanitary abode. Aboitiz Foundation representatives Theodore U. Bisnar and Kenneth Manzano graced the turn-over ceremonies on November 7, 2012.

The Rehabilitation of School Infrastructure project is one of Aboitiz’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies that prioritize the needs of ‘depressed’ and distant communities. Aboitiz Power through the Aboitiz Foundation had closely worked with the Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative (SUKELCO), DepEd-Tacurong, and the local government unit for the project to materialize.

DepED Tacurong is convinced that the project will not only benefit the students but the community as well. “In DepEd, we advocate for transformation not only in schools but in the whole community. That is why we tap external stakeholders who are also concerned with the improvement of school infrastructure and services,” said Mr. Jesus de Gracia of DepEd.

Mayor Lina O. Montilla also agreed that the project is a ‘useful and sensible gift’. “Of course we thank Aboitiz not only for this project in San Rafael but also to the recently installed weather station that they donated to the city,” Mayor Montilla said. The weather station worth $2500 allows Tacurong to send weather data to PAG-ASA’s Project NOAH (www.noah.dost.gov.ph).

San Rafael Elementary School Principal Melanie delos Santos  delivers her word of thanks to Aboitiz, SUKELCO, and LGU-Tacurong.

In the end, Principal Melanie delos Santos assured the project stakeholders that the school will maintain the cleanliness of the comfort rooms. She looks forward to more partnerships not only with Aboitiz but with other organizations as well. 

Stakeholders pose in front of the newly rehabilitated comfort rooms.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

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DepEd-Tacurong trains campus journalists

   The City Schools Division of Tacurong conducted the annual Division Training for School Paper Advisers and Campus Writers on October 30-31, 2012 at the Tacurong City Pilot Elementary School Gymnasium. Over four hundred budding journalists from public and private elementary and secondary schools in the city were involved in the two-day lecture and workshop series. 

            The training refreshed student writers and their mentors of the essentials in news writing, sports writing, feature writing, editorial writing and cartooning, photojournalism, and radio broadcasting.

            “This activity is purposely done to prepare our student writers for the upcoming Division Schools Press Conference, and hopefully for the regionals and nationals as well,” said Superintendent Gildo Mosqueda. DSPC 2012 will be conducted come November 27-28, 2012.  

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Over 1,000 join Tacurong’s 5th Limpyo Kalog activity

www.pia.gov.ph

TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat, Oct 31 (PIA) -- More than a thousand people joined the city government here in the latest massive cleanup of the drainage canals dubbed "Limyo Kalog".

Already on its fifth year, the cleanup drive held last Friday gathered young and adult participants from different sectors of the community.

Carrying various tools for cleaning, participants trooped to their respective areas of assignment beginning at 5 a.m. to rid waterways of cellophanes and other plastic materials, rotten leaves and woods, and other wastes that could cause clogging especially during heavy rains. Surroundings were also weeded out.

Mayor Lina Montilla led the city officials and employees in cleaning the drainage canals surrounding the city hall compound.

Faculty members and students of educational institutions here comprised the largest group who joined the activity.

The Philippine Army, PNP, Bureau of Fire, and BJMP also sent a huge number of participants. National line agencies, business groups, NGOs, transport groups, religious groups, rescuers/barangay tanods, and other groups also joined.

Also notable in the 5th Limpyo Kalog was the participation of the barangay constituents who cleaned the canals in their respective barangays.

Sangguniang Panlungsod Environment Committee Chairperson Psyche Sucaldito said that the latest Limpyo Kalog activity had the largest number of individual participants. It is also the second cleanup drive this year.

Limpyo Kalog is a regular activity of the city government that aims to clean and desilt drainage canals to avoid flooding due to heavy rains.

It also serves as a campaign to destroy the habitats of dengue-carrying mosquitoes through facilitating free flow of water in the canals.

The city government initiated Limpyo Kalog in 2010 when Tacurong joined the worldwide “10.10.10 Campaign (October 10, 2010)” that sought stakeholders’ positive action on climate change.

It is the city government’s response to the said campaign and it solicited positive responses from the community.

Since the local government had made the cleanup drive a regular activity, huge turnout of participants had been recorded every year.

Mayor Montilla said that the public’s willingness to join in the cleanup drive manifested how every member of the community took seriously ways to take care of Mother Earth. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12/Allan Freno-Tacurong City LGU)

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