by Claro A. Lanipa
Pagadian City, Mar 30 (PIA) – Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 342, the last Saturday of March and the third Sunday of October have been designated as Barangay Assembly Day. For this year, it’s March 31 and October 28 respectively.
The proclamation acknowledges the vital role that the barangays play in local governance and citizen mobilization. The proclamation is also in accordance with Section 397 (b) of the Local Government Code of 1991, which mandates all barangays throughout the country to hold simultaneous Barangay Assemblies at least twice a year.
During the said assembly, barangays are encouraged to undertake the following activities: Presentation of accomplishments and financial reports; discussion of problems, issues and concerns affecting the barangay particularly on peace and order situation, disaster preparedness, solid waste management, proliferation of illegal drugs and other illegal activities, and other prevailing concerns among others.
Being the basic political unit of our country, the barangay is an important vehicle for eliciting citizen opinion on pressing issues affecting the local community and mobilizing participation in local and national programs and projects.
City Local Government Operations Officer Paulina Gadiano, in an interview with PIA said, barangay assembly is the most appropriate venue for clarifying issues, discussing community concerns and problems, offering suggestions to improve the delivery of basic services, and proposing income-generating projects to improve quality of life of local residents.
Gadiano encourages all barangay residents to attend and participate in this twice-a-year activity to air their concerns and problems, offer suggestions to improve their local communities, and probably propose, livelihood, sanitation, beautification, and peace and order projects. All residents should be involved in community initiatives to make this basic political unity fully functional and productive, Gadiano emphasized. (PIA9/CAL)