CEBU, Philippines - Barangay officials from typhoon-ravaged towns in northern Cebu dominated the search for Ten Outstanding Barangay Officials and the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards 2013.
In the municipal level, barangay captains Dolores Gigante of Poblacion, Santa Fe and Romeo Batiancila of Maricaban in the same town won as top barangay officials. Along with them were Leticia Perpetua and Agnes Yaun of Pajo, Daanbantayan and Caputatan Norte, Medellin, respectively.
Councilman Clyde Briones of Tinubdan, Daanbantayan bested other barangay kagawads.
Others awarded were barangay secretaries Ledesma Carlos of Poblacion, Medellin and Elsa Pepito of Pajo, Daanbantayan; barangay treasurer Tomas Furton of Southern Poblacion, San Francisco; and Sangguniang Kabataan Chairpersons Joshua Manuel Bacolod of Hagnaya, San Remigio and Queenie Arni Pontillas of Flores, Catmon.
In the city category, the awardees were all from Toledo City, namely barangay captain Jose Letrago of Daanglungsod; barangay secretary Apolinar Silab and barangay treasurer Ma. Fe Paliota of Don Andres Soriano; and SK chairperson Klein Rowen Cantiveros of Don Juan Climaco Sr.
The Department of Interior and Local Government conferred the awards during the assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay yesterday at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
According to DILG, the annual search is designed to give recognition to barangay officials who have shown exemplary performance in the discharge of their duties.
Each of the awardees received a plaque of recognition and a token, and will also be competing with other barangay officials in the regional level.
“Let others see what they are doing in all levels. Kung motrabahao ta unya di nato i-communicate, di ta ka-inspire sa uban. This is an attempt of recognizing and rewarding aron ma-inspire pud ang uban,” said DILG provincial director Jerome Gonzales.
Fixing term
Meanwhile, in the same program, Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona said he will file a bill that will fix the term of barangay officials in the country.
"I will be filing a bill that will fix your term to six years," Guingona told an excited crowd of Cebuano barangay officials in their assembly yesterday.
Guingona, one of the event’s guest speakers, said aside from fixing the term to six years, there should no longer be a limit on the number of terms in which barangay officials wish to serve.
"Under my proposed bill, aside from fixing it to six years, dapat unlimited na. If they want to run again after the end of their six-year term, pwede ra gihapon sila magpapili og usab," said Guingona in a separate interview.
Guingona added that he will also work on increasing the current burial assistance of P22,000 and P12,000 for barangay captains and councilors, respectively, who die while in the performance of their work.
Senate majority floor leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who was also one of the guest speakers, urged barangay officials to use their league as a means to get projects and services to be funded by the national government.
Cayetano said projects of the government should not be concentrated in Metro Manila only but have to be dispersed in other parts of the country.
"Kasi dapat yung mga proyekto at serbisyo na nandoon lang sa Metro Manila, dapat makarating din sa inyo. They have to trickle down to the barangay level," Cayetano said.
"Gamitin ninyo ang league ninyo para makakuha kayo ng mga proyekto at serbisyo para sa ikabubuti ng inyong mga constituents," Cayetano added. — (FREEMAN)