The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 11 has called on barangay officials to be cautious about individuals introducing themselves as contractors wanting to clinch a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on solar light projects.
DILG pitched this call in the recent meeting of the Regional Task Force (RTF) on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) during which updates on the Support to the Barangay Development Program (SBDP) were discussed.
In her presentation, DILG 11 Project Development and Management Unit (PDMU) chief, Engineer Charito L. Cinco said “these contractors are convincing the barangays to change their priority or proposed projects to solar lights”, in the guise as representatives from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) or the DILG.
In a separate query, DILG XI Regional Director Alex Roldan advised the barangay officials to seek the assistance of DILG or other pertinent government agencies to check the legitimacy of the individuals claiming themselves as contractors.
DILG raised this call in the light of the Php6.336 Billion fresh funding for SBDP due for release to implementing cities and municipalities based on the Special Provision No. 2 of the Local Government Support Fund under the Fiscal Year 2023 General Appropriations Act, Republic Act No. 11936.
The funding is appropriated to implement the identified SBDP priority projects of 959 cleared barangays of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
Per NTF ELCAC memorandum dated December 22, 2022, the fund allocation per barangay is intended for priority projects particularly farm-to-market roads, school buildings, water sanitation systems, health stations and electrification projects.
Engr. Cinco reported that Davao Region is appropriated a total of Php508,729,927.00 for 77 cleared barangays which will each be receiving a funding of Php6,606,882.17 to put on ground their respective priority projects.
Davao City has one recipient barangay; Davao Occidental, 10; Davao Occidental, 10; Davao del Sur, three; Davao del Norte, four; Davao Oriental, 15; and Davao de Oro, 44. (PIA XI, Jeane Duron Abangan)
