Mayor Sara Z. Duterte has ordered City Hall department heads to intensify dialogues and consultations with barangay leaders to orient the latter on the different programs, projects and activities of the offices operating the local government to facilitate easier access to basic services.
Last Tuesday, the first cluster of barangay leaders from Barangays 1A to 6A and Barangays 8A to 11B attended the Barangay Orientation and Development Planning wherein they were briefed by key department heads on the nature and processes involved in availing of the city government›s different services.
From the City Accounting Office and City Budget Office to other administrative and economic agencies, the barangay leaders were given orientation on the procedures in properly handling their financial resources including the calamity fund and the barangay development fund.
“This activity is designed to empower the barangays and enhance their capabilities in the management of their resources as well as their responsibilities in handling funds,” said city planning and development coordinator Roberto P. Alabado III.
The City Planning and Development Office and the City Engineer’s Office also briefed the barangay leaders on the key steps and procedures in identifying and implementing priority programs and projects including infrastructures.
“We like to enhance the capability of the barangays in formulating and setting up their own development plans and courses of action. It is our aim to broaden their technical knowledge, enhance their skills and apply in the process of developing barangay development plans,” Alabado said.
The City Disaster Coordinating Council, the Central 911 and the Public Safety and Command Center also briefed the barangay leaders on the proper and timely utilization of their calamity funds and the need to come up with precautionary and mitigating measures against man-made and natural calamities and disasters.
The barangay leaders were also asked to update their barangay profile by filling up the simplified format drafted by the city planning office.
“We would like to generate and maintain baseline information on the situation, issues and concerns both emerging and existing in every barangay,” Alabado said.
Frontline agencies such as the City Social Services and Development Office, City Health Office, City Agriculturist’s Office, City Environment and Natural Resources, City Civil Registrar, Integrated Gender Development Division, City Veterinarian’s Office and City Cooperative Development Office also participated in the orientation.
The agencies presented their programs and services and the prompt and easy procedures involved in availing and accessing them without necessarily approaching personally the city mayor.
Alabado said the 182 barangays of the city are grouped into 22 clusters. The second cluster is scheduled on October 4 while the orientation of the last cluster is set on November 29. [City Information Office]
