CALAMBA CITY, Laguna — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Calabarzon has cautioned all local government officials and the general public against scammers operating in the region who are claiming they could have people appointed as OIC-barangay and local officials under a federal system of government and a revolutionary government (RevGov).
In an interview with PNA on Monday, Fredmoore S. Cavan, DILG Calabarzon information officer, said Regional Director Manuel Q. Gotis and other DILG regional directors in the country, were directed by Secretary-in-charge Catalino S. Cuy during a meeting on November 29, to issue a strong warning to all local government units (LGUs) about the scam that had been going on for some time.
The scammers were reportedly demanding money in return for what turns out to be a false and non-existent claim.
During the regional directors’ meeting, Cuy confirmed that numerous reports have reached the central and field offices regarding various groups masquerading to be affiliated or permitted by the government or the DILG to campaign for federalism or RevGov and “asserting’ they could have people appointed to local positions.
Accordingly, scammers lure both incumbent and aspiring local government officials into being included in a supposed priority list of “appointees” should the country shift to a federal form of government or undergo a RevGov.
In exchange, unwitting victims give money to con groups for membership fees or donations.
President Rodrigo Duterte himself already made it clear during a November 21 event in Taguig City that the claims of establishing a Revolutionary Government were all false, Cuy said.
“Sabi nga po ng Pangulo, huwag po tayong maniwala sa RevGov dahil wala tayong makukuha diyan and let us focus on building our country,” Cuy added.
Meanwhile, Gotis said that newly installed DILG Assistant Secretary for Communications and Capacity Development Jonathan E. Malaya had been assigned as the administrator of the DILG’s federalism program pursuant to DILG Order No. 2017-1212.
Malaya encouraged the public to get in touch with his office or with the Local Government Academy (LGA) about concerns on the government’s federalism campaign.
He also urged “all DILG field officers to be vigilant and proactive and to immediately warn all barangay captains and local government officials in their respective jurisdictions of the scams being perpetrated by these unscrupulous individuals.”
According to Malaya, all federalism-related information campaign initiatives of DILG operating units, regional and field offices, as well as local governance stakeholders, are implemented within the standards and parameters set by the DILG in terms of content, activities and resource management.
He likewise clarified that activities include, among others, orientation sessions, seminars, knowledge exchange sessions, focus group discussions, forums, and symposia.
He expounded that the Local Government Academy (LGA), as the training arm of the DILG, is responsible for training resource persons on DILG’s key messages and content parameters for all federalism information campaign activities.
Resource persons who successfully complete the training shall be issued certificates and their names will be included in the national database of resource speakers on federalism for the DILG’s Transition to Federalism Project.
He said local government units (LGUs) may also conduct their own federalism information campaign activities in coordination with DILG field offices whose staff would guide LGUs on the key messages and content to be delivered to ensure that these are consistent with those set by the department. (Zen Trinidad/PNA)
