March 18, 2016 – Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mel Senen Sarmiento relays to the Department’s Family the developments the agency undergoes on a short meeting held at the DILG Pampanga Provincial Office, Capitol Compound, City of San Fernando (P).

SILG Sarmiento said in the meeting that the entire Department should be ready to keep up with the advancements of technology, and be prepared to raise the bar on basic operations for the maximization of efficiency and effectivity on delivering services on fulfilling the very mandate of the agency.

He also relayed that the fire trucks are already available and ready to be turned over to all cities and municipalities in the whole country. He also shared the central management’s plan to strengthen the forces of the fire bureau through hiring more personnel based on their respective localities, and immersion of personnel through various, rigorous trainings.

On the other hand, Secretary Mel also shared on the continuous upgrading and provision of additional firearms for the Philippine National Police, targeting to provide each policeman their service firearms. He also took pride on the downloading of the mobile patrol cars to municipalities which manifested the upgrade in the Department, and that the cities will be next in line.

The Secretary also shared his vision for the jail bureau, taking pride that he wishes to make the province a pilot on the introduction of the new program and upgrading of jail facilities where there shall be no direct contact among the visitors and the incarcerated, in which conversation shall take place in a room divided with mirrors, and the intensification of the Oplan Galugad to ultimately eradicate the transaction of illegal drugs in the prison.

On another note, SILG shared that Governor Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda committed that the provincial government shall provide a counterpart in the amount of 20 to 30 Million pesos atop the 20 Million peso-allocation of the Department on the construction and renovation of the Guagua district jail.

Finally, the SILG shared on the impacts and insights for the successful implementation of the Bottom-Up Budgeting and the positive reactions on the introduction of the Barangay BuB. He lauded the Pampanga Field Officers for their unquestionable and noteworthy commitment on the advocacy of the Department, further expressing his gratitude that all the efforts exhibited by each field officer is contributory to the success of the Department.

                                                                                                             

Present during the interface were DILG Regional Director Florida Dijan, and Pampanga Field Officers headed by Provincial Director Myrvi Apostol-Fabia, along with the regional directors of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, the National Police Commission, and the Bureau of Fire Protection.