CEBU, Philippines - To uphold the peace and order program in the metropolis, more than a thousand of barangay peace-keeping officers in Cebu City have been urged to undergo seminars on crime prevention and good governance.
The seminars are done by clusters to re-orient the barangay tanods, lupong tagapamayapa (peace council) and officials not only on peace and order but also on the rule of law, public accountability and good governance in battling criminalities and corruption.
The first cluster was attended by the barangay tanods of Barangays Quiot, Inayawan, Poblacion Pardo, Kinasang-an, Punta and Cogon Pardo. It was held at the City Hall sa Bukid in Barangay Taptap, a mountain barangay.
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, chairman of the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council, said barangay peacekeepers need to be re-oriented on the peace and order being the “first responders of criminalities and disasters.”
He said it is vital and necessary for the lupons and tanods to be knowledgeable on the rules, like on how to preserve crime scenes and the like.
“We have to consider that mountain barangays are quite far away from the police stations so practically the tanods have always been the first to respond in cases of crimes,” he said.
Labella recalled that Cebu City was recognized for its effective implementation and strengthening of Barangay Justice System in the grassroots.
In 2013, Barangay Adlaon was awarded the Lupong Tagapamaya Incentives Awards for being the most outstanding barangay in a highly urbanized city. The barangay was given recognition for its LT’s exemplary performance in public service.
Cebu City is home to around 800 lupons.
LTIA was established pursuant to Section 406 (b) of the LGC of 1991 which mandates the DILG to grant economic and other incentives to Lupong Tagapamayapa for their outstanding contributions to attain the objectives of the Katarungang Pambarangay. (FREEMAN)