Barangay San Isidro of San Luis, Aurora was chosen as the Regional Showcase Barangay in Region 3 for the conduct of Synchronized Barangay Assembly for the Second Semester of CY 2014.
DILG Region 3 in celebration of the 23rd Anniversary of the Local Government Code with the theme “Ang LGUng Magaling, May Nararating”, started the month of October with a blast! The Department conducted a Motorcade for Good Governance on October 1, 2014 which ran across the national and city roads of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
The motorcade with 62 registered vehicles was participated in by representatives from the different National Government Agencies, local media and Local Government Units in Pampanga, Zambales and Cities of Angeles and Olongapo. A similar activity will be conducted by all provinces in Central Luzon.
DILG Region III conducted two batches of Basic Training on Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) for LGUs on September 10-12, 2014 and September 16-18, 2014 at Subic Bay Traveler’s Hotel, Olongapo City. The training was aimed to capacitate the LGUs in disaster preparedness and response, and climate change adoption by using Quantum GIS, a free and open source software which can be used to create maps. Participants consisted mainly of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officers (DRRMOs) and IT staff of 26 LGUs which are located in the Pampanga River Basin (PRB) and/or considered to be prone to hazards. With a good grasp of QGIS, the DRRMOs and staffs could surely help the LGUs in the formulation of detailed plans with the help of the accurate determination of hazard-prone areas, formation of evacuation routes, and drawing of barangay hazard maps among others.
Regional Director Florida M. Dijan, in her message, encouraged the participants to take full advantage of the available technologies in the implementation of programs and projects. In addition, RD Dijan hoped that the outcome of the training will enable them to recommend new strategies and innovations in the LGU aside from the mere creation of maps.
Resource speakers from the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). Housing and Homesite Regulations Officer III (HHRO III) Danny D. Palomo, together with HHRO II Engr. Julia Angela Mae E. Collado RPAE were tapped. They discussed the basic use of the open-source software, the processes of digitizing and geo-referencing, and the usage of GPS devices for map creation.
At the end of the 3-day training, the participants were able to produce the initial target outputs which were geo-referenced city/municipality maps fitted with existing hazard maps. Further, DILG tasked the participants to make more detailed versions of their maps when they go back to their respective offices to further utilize their learning during the activity. It was also stated that the output maps could be utilized as inputs in the formulation of the Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP), Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and other development plans in the LGU.
DILG R3, under the stewardship of RD Florida M. Dijan, in partnership with DOST-PAGASA, DENR-MGB3 and OCD3, conducted the Roll-Out of the LGU Guidebook on the Formulation of Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) for Fourteen (14) Municipalities of the region on September 15-18, 2014 at the Subic Bay Travelers Hotel, Aguinaldo Street, Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
The activity was aimed to orient the LGU Core Team in the step-by-step process on the formulation of the LCCAP and its eventually mainstreaming in the Comprehensive Development Plan-Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CDP-CLUP).
Modules of the training include: Getting Ready for LCCAP Formulation, LCCAP Formulation: Data Gathering, Participatory Vulnerability Adaptation Assessment, Analysis and Validation; Prioritizing, Planning and Budgeting; and Monitoring and Evaluating the LCCAP.
RD Dijan, in her message, encouraged everyone to give their full participation in the course of activity and challenged them to have a model and best LCCAP which can be adopted by other regions. Moreover, she stressed that we need to be enthusiastic in doing our jobs as she quoted Ginebra’s tag line “Ganado sa Buhay”. She reminded everyone as civil servants to maximize the resources we have to deliver the best services to our constituents and this is where the importance of planning comes in. She ended her message by quoting Piolo Pascual’s ad PYOLO- “Plan, You Only Live Once”.
The participants were the: City Planning and Development Officers; City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officers; City Zoning/Building Officer; Municipal Health Officer; Municipal Agriculturist or Environment and Natural Resources Officer; and City Local Government Operations Officer.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government in Region III conducteda3-day training-workshop under the Newly Elected Officials (NEO) program entitled, “Treading the Path towards Excellence in Local Governance: Capacity Building for Sanggunian Members and Staff”. The activity aimed to provide enriched understanding and appreciation of their mandated roles/legislative function as Sanggunian Members particularly on Local Legislative Review Process,Crafting of city/municipal ordinance and resolution,Legislative Oversight, Administrative Investigation Procedure for Elected Officials,Investigation in Aid of Legislation,Indigenous People Mandatory Representation (IPMR),Civil Service Eligibility for Elected Local Officials (RA10156), andOther LGUs Best Practices on Local Legislation. It also enabled them to review and re-plan their legislative priorities as well as update them on DILG programs.
The training–workshop held in 4 batches at Crown Legacy Hotel, Baguio City, was attended by a total of seven hundred eighty nine (789) sanggunian members and staff, and almost fifty percent (50%) were newly minted elected officials.
Topics discussed during the activity were Mandated Roles/Legislative Function of Sanggunian Members, Local Legislative Review Process, Crafting of ordinance and resolution, Legislative Oversight, Administrative Investigation Procedure for Elected Officials, Investigation in Aid of Legislation, Indigenous People Mandatory Representation (IPMR), Civil Service Eligibility for Elected Local Officials (RA 10156) and other LGUs’ Best Practices on Local Legislation.Speakers during the training were Atty. Genaro Jose Emeterio S. Moreno, Jr., Former Assistant Secretary for Legal and Human Resource Development of DILG-Central Office, and Atty Romeo P. Benitez, Chief Trial and Investigation Division, Legal Service.
Other highlights of the activity were the sharings of LGU best practices on local legislation by Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando of the Province of Bulacan and Sanggunian Panlungsod Member Eduardo J. Piano of the City of Olongapo.
Regional Director Florida M. Dijan, in her message, emphasized the three roles of a leader as servants, learners, and fearless change makers. She ended her message quoting, “Always remember, a paper, a pen and a legislator can make a difference in the lives of many. Let us all aim high and continue the journey towards excellence.” She said that she expects that with this activity, number of queries to her office shall be reduced and that there will be better harmonious relationship between and among Sanggunian members.
