By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – An official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the “Retooled Community Support Program” (RCSP) is a major boost to the local government units (LGUs) capability to achieve their peace and economic development goals.
DILG director Rene Valera said the RCSP’s success is evident in the basic service delivery (BSD) where the regional agencies serve as the link of the national government in channeling the rightful services down to the barangay level.
He cited as examples the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd) as among the agencies tasked to deliver the national government’s services to the LGUs.
“Sa ilalim nito, ang Retooled Community Support Program ay binigyan ng kapangyarihan ang mga barangay at apektado ng hidwaan at nasa laylayan. Habang ang Capacitating Urban Communities for Peace and Development Program ay binigyan ng kakayahan ng mga unit ng pamahalaang lokal sa pamamagitan ng mga lokal ng punong bayan, lungsod at panlalawigan upang maitaas ang pamamahala sa pagtalakay sa mga mahihinang sektor (Under this, the retooled Community Support Program gave the barangays the power and those groups at the bottom level affected by the conflict. While the Capacitating Urban Communities for Peace and Development Program was tasked by the local government units through the barangay captain in the cities and municipalities to upgrade their governance pertaining to the weaker sectors),’’ Valera said during the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) online press conference on Monday, Feb. 1.
He clarified that certain requirements need to be met in the implementation of the RCSP where the first line of business is in the preparatory landscape.
Under this initial phase, Valera said this is where the planning, orientation of the local chief executives (LCE) and Sanggunian Bayan (city/municipal council) and the barangays get to know their respective functions.
The second phase that will be done concerns the organization of the local core team that will be headed by the barangay captains, mayors, and governors which convenes the stakeholders.
This gives the LGUs the authority to come up with the platforms with the involvement of the public to find solutions towards proper governance and attaining progress.
Through various schemes like regular service caravans, the LGUs will directly discuss relative issues through the careful scrutiny of their programs in cooperation with the national government agencies.
The third phase will ensure that the RCSP gives priorities to the programs, projects, and activities that are aligned with the government and the Barangay Development Plan (BDP) while the next phase empowers the LGUs and the communities which center on providing the stakeholders with the authority to resolve pressing issues and expedite the delivery of improved public services. (PNA) – bny
