Nothing unlawful with memo on barangay assembly — DILG

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) denied committing any infraction in enjoining local officials, especially those at the barangay level, to hold barangay assemblies last Saturday.

"There was nothing irregular, unlawful or illegal in our issuance of memorandum circulars enjoining all punong barangays (barangay heads) to conduct barangay assemblies last March 25," DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Wencelito Andanar said.

In a press conference held at the DILG’s central office, Andanar issued the clarification in reaction to reports that the DILG erred in issuing Memorandum Circular 2006-25, enjoining barangay heads to conduct barangay assemblies on March 25 to tackle current issues affecting the country.

Andanar explained that this circular was only the second memorandum the DILG had issued to local officials. The first was on Feb. 23 this year.

"I signed both memoranda in my capacity as acting secretary of DILG, and they were issued to implement existing laws. And we have to issue these directives, lest (we) be charged with negligence of duty," he said.

Andanar said the senators "may have been misinformed" about the nature of these barangay assemblies.

He cited Section 397, Paragraph B of the Local Government Code of 1991, which provides that "barangay assemblies shall meet at least twice a year to hear and discuss semestral reports of the sangguniang barangay concerning its activities and finances as well as problems affecting the barangay."

"To me, the barangay assembly is the best forum for development because it is during this forum that the barangay residents and their barangay officials discuss the state of their barangays, their accomplishments, their finances, problems and solutions — anything under the sun, even issues that directly affect them — the pros and cons of people’s initiatives," Andanar said.

Meanwhile, mayors and governors said they intend to rev up their respective Charter change advocacy campaigns despite already having gathered five million signatures — nearly enough to support a people’s initiative for constitutional change.

Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) head Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado said that despite nearing the requirement of 5.16 million, governors will team up with the grassroots-based Sigaw ng Bayan coalition to hit their actual target of 10 million to 12 million signatories.