“ Our priority this year is the implementation of the Department’s locally- funded projects such as PAMANA, SALINTUBIG, and the projects funded under Bottom Up Budgeting,” said DILG-9 Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil during the media interview last week.
The huge amount of Bottom-Up Budgeting Projects alone, according to him, amounting to Php 383,354,450 million to cover 149 subprojects to 64 Local government units in Zamboanga Peninsula, is a great responsibility that this Department is currently monitoring.
As to the breakdown of these BUB projects, the DILG-9 is set to implement Php 195.722-M for water projects to 44 LGUs. Remaining balances are also allocated for some various projects such as roads and bridges, flood control, evacuation centers, CapDev, and rescue equipment.
He continued that another Php 203.5-M is also allocated for Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program this year for peace development initiatives.
“ Aside from that, the Department will continue to provide capacity building programs to enhance capacity of the LGUs in scaling up delivery of basic services,” he added.
SGLG Continued
The Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) will also be pushed through. Last year, the Department has accomplished assessment of 75 LGUs in Region-9. As to the result, the region is still waiting for the release of passers in the first quarter of the year.
DRRM Monitoring
On relative issue on the misuse of Calamity fund, Dir. Abutazil urged the LGUs to properly use the funds intended only for the said program.
“The directive of the Secretary is very clear. The fund shall only be used for a calamity in the LGU. We are continually monitoring not just only on the compliance to RA 10121 otherwise known as Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2010 but also the inventory of the LGUs with functional DRRM Councils, Offices, and Incident Command System, among others,” he added.
“In relation to DRRM, the Department is set to launch “LISTO” (Alert) to selected LGUs in Zamboanga Peninsula this February 17,2015 to orient them on the LGU Preparedness Manual and Operation Listo,” he said.
SK Postponement
Dir. Abutazil noted that at present, the Department has not received any official communication on postponement on the election for Sangguniang Kabataan although it has been announced in the media by the Congress.
On Peace and Order
“ As far as Peace and Order is concerned, the Department continually coordinates among the members of the Peace and Order Council. In fact, the Regional Peace and Order Council is set to convene by February to talk on some isolated cases”, he said.
In closing, he urged the LGUs to continually support the initiatives of the Department especially the implementation of the locally-funded projects in their areas.
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