Almost all 1,904 Newly Elected Barangay Officials of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region attended the President’s Dialogue in Barangay Good Governance and Oath Taking Ceremonies last June 26, 2018 at the Molave Gymnasium, Molave, Zamboanga Del Sur.

The Oath Taking Ceremony was led by no other than the President of the Republic of the Philippines, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who also reminded the barangay officials of their duties and responsibilities in the fight against illegal drugs, corruption, and criminality. 

“What (laws) I have to impose, you should also implement,” Dutere said.

He also ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to conduct an audit of the performance of all Local Government Unit (LGU), as well as those LGUs and barangays who have high crime rates and persisting drug problem; and to file charges against them if they are incompetent.

Before the President’s arrival, DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin M. Diño led the “Panunumpa sa Pakikiisa” of the barangay officials together with DILG Officer-In-Charge Secretary Eduardo M. Año.

Secretary Año challenged local officials to be responsive and active in the implementation of the priority programs of the Duterte administration especially the activation and functionality of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADAC).

Aside from Usec. Diño, Assistant Secretaries from DILG Central Office were also present in the forum: Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Janvier M. Echiverri, who presented the BADAC and its responsibilities; Assistant Secretary for Mindanao and Special Concerns Marjorie N. Jalosjos, who conversed with local officials on Federalism; Director for Bureau Of Local Government Supervision (BLGS) Atty. Odilon L. Pasaraba, who presented the Bantay Kaagapay – an anti-corruption program of the deparment; and Director for National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) Leocadio T. Trovela, who talked about the role of the barangay on the campaign against criminality.

Other invited speakers were PDEA IX Regional Director Laurefel P. Gabales, who talked about the drug clearing program of government and Director for Analytics at the Strategy Economics  and Resource Group (SERG) of the Department of Finance Arnelyn Abdon, who talked about the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.

The event was organized by the DILG IX led by Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil with the assistance of LGU Molave led by Municipal Mayor Ireneo Q. Glepa.

The President’s Dialogue on Barangay Good Governance in Zamboanga Peninsula, which was attended by 98 percent of the total barangays in the region, was one of the administration’s stop; as the President is going around the country to seek the support of barangay officials in the implementation of his priority programs. #