DILG releases P3M incentive to Tacurong for Seal of Good Housekeeping

(November 28, 2011) After being awarded the Seal of Good Housekeeping by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier this year, the city government of Tacurong has already received the P3 Million incentive dubbed as Performance Challenge Fund (PCF).

DILG 12 Director Buagas Sulaik personally handed the P3M check to the city officials of Tacurong during a turnover ceremony in front of the city hall on November 28.

The PCF, given to LGUs conferred with SGH Seal, is an incentive that the LGU beneficiaries should use in the implementation of their projects. Before officially getting the PCF however, an LGU recipient has to allocate a financial counterpart (to be taken from the 20% component of the LGU’s Internal Revenue Allotment), of the same amount or more. The LGU is also required to complete at least 40 percent of the project before DILG releases the fund.

The PCF Technical Working Group of the LGU identified the road concreting in Barangay Upper Katungal as the project for the PCF, and after going through the process, started and completed the 40 percent of the concreting in October.

Tacurong is one of the only five cities in the Philippines, and the only one from Mindanao, belonging to the 4th to 6th class to be conferred with the award this 2011.

The other awardees for the cities category are Alaminos, Pangasinan; Candon, Ilocos Sur; Passi, Iloilo; and Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Tacurong and the rest of the awardees belong to the 2nd batch of SGH recipients this year. They are joined by municipalities belonging to the 4th to 6th class stamped also with SGH seal.

The Seal of Good Housekeeping is a mechanism comprising a set of criteria aimed at recognizing Local government Units (LGUs) with good performance in internal housekeeping particularly in the areas of Planning, Sound Fiscal Management, Transparency and Accountability, and Valuing Performance Management.

Among the key components of the SGH criteria are compliance to the mandates of the Anti-Red Tape Act as well as to the Full Disclosure Policy of the DILG. Further, LGUs stamped with Good Housekeeping Seal should have “no adverse” report from the Commission on Audit, which means that they should have complied with all the requirements of the government’s auditing agency.

Emphasis is also given to the LGU’s compliance to the mandates of the Anti-Red Tape Act.

Tacurong was evaluated in May by a team from DILG Regional Office. Several data were gathered from offices concerned; interviews were conducted; and even the records of the local police station were checked as to the peace and order condition of the locality.

After passing the regional evaluation, Tacurong made it through the National Table Assessment and Validation, and subsequently stamped with SGH Seal.

“I am very happy with the most recent award we received, but then again ,we only have to work harder; after all, this is what we, public servants, are expected to do,” Mayor Montilla said. (Allan S. Freno)

LGU Tacurong mourns Maguindanao Massacre victims

(November 24, 2011) The Local Government Unit of Tacurong joined the whole country in commemorating the second anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre with a meaningful ceremony on November 23.

LGU Tacurong employees convened in front of the city hall with their candles, hopes, and prayers to finally deliver justice to the victims of the bloodbath in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

           

The ceremony was headed by the Human Resources Management Office. A prayer was dedicated by Mr. Danilo Lorizo and the Talakudong choir offered a song of comfort not only for the souls of the victims but for their families and loved ones who continue to grieve from the barbarous mutilation.

The horrifying slaughter on November 23, 2009, left 57 people dead, including unarmed women, journalists, and lawyers along with members of the Mangudadatu clan, in Ampatuan town while on their way to file the candidacy papers of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, who was then Buluan vice mayor.

Among the victims was a resident of Tacurong City in the person of Reynaldo Bebot Momay, 60, photojournalist of Midland review, who has not been found until now.

Other victims included were LGU Tacurong employees namely Eduardo Lechonsito (and his wife Cecille), Mercy Palabrica, Daryll delos Reyes and Wilhelm Palabrica who, on their way to Cotabato City, just accidentally joined the convoy of Mangudadatu's group when the incident happened. 

This dastardly act makes words meaningless to convey the outrage felt by the whole country. Adding to the horror is the fact that two years after the massacre occurred, more than half of the nearly 200 suspects still remain at large.

However, the primary suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr., is currently being tried by a Quezon City court for multiple murder charges on the subject of the massacre.

On Wednesday, two party-list lawmakers filed a measure which urges the government to declare November 23 of each year as “National Consciousness Day to End Impunity" to commemorate the Ampatuan massacre.

Under the proposed House Bill 5529, the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) is ordered to lead certain programs to commemorate the Maguindanao Massacre. They are also tasked to create programs directed towards educating the people about human rights issues and the need to uphold these rights on November 23 of each year. (Jessa Billano)

Tacurong joins the Philippine Cities Global Convention and Exposition in Manila

Resorts World, Pasay City (November 17, 2011) – The City of Tacurong gets another chance to showcase itself as it joins other cities in the country in the 3^rd Philippine Cities Global Convention and Exposition, which kicked off today, November 17 at the Resorts World in Pasay City.       

            The convention, first to be hosted by the League of Cities of the Philippines, also gathered cities from other countries such as Japan, Australia and Canada. The event carries the theme ‘Bridging Cities, Transforming Lives’ and aims to put the Philippine Cities at par with their international counterparts.

Mayor Lina Montilla headed the delegation from Tacurong, which included other city officials and heads of the various departments of the city government.

Plenary and breakout sessions were held at the Resorts World and nearby Marriott Hotel where international experts and city officials build network and share inputs on common issues such as climate change, environment, local economy, and urban shelter.  

Participating cities also joined other international and private exhibitors in the exposition that simultaneously opened today at the adjacent new Port City Terminal. With the exposition, the public is given the rare opportunity to see the wonders of the country as cities from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao display the best of their cities. People wanting to buy local products unique in each city are also given a one-stop-shop offer.

 Mayor Montilla, who stayed at the Expo venue the whole morning before proceeding to the convention, got the chance to meet and talk with international entrepreneurs from Japan and officials from Blacktown City, Australia who were also delegates to the convention.

Chris Shannon, a delegate from Blacktown City expressed his amazement to the Baras Bird Sanctuary, one of the centerpiece exhibits of Tacurong in the exposition.

 By knowing more about Tacurong, many people from other parts of the Philippines and other countries have been given a new information on Mindanao geography particularly Tacurong, a budding city in the central part of Southern Philippines.

            The convention and exposition are on until November 19 culminating with a tour to selected cities in Metro Manila to give delegates a personal feel of the issues faced by urban cities as well as let them know of their best programs and practices. (Allan Freno, LGU-Tacurong City)

LGU Tacurong joins 11th PSEAS Foundation Anniversary Celebration

            (November 15, 2011) The Local Government Unit of Tacurong adhered to the Public Sector Employees Alliance of SOCSKSARGEN (PSEAS) in celebration of their 11^th Foundation Anniversary succeeded various socio-cultural competitions on October 20-21 at the London Beach Resort, Bawing, General Santos City.

            The Tacurong City Employees Association (TACEA) was among the 24 member unions of the Alliance which espoused the occasion’s theme: “PSEAS: Nagkakaisa sa Pagtugon sa mga Hamon ng Pag-uunyon.” The event entailed a showcase of not only talents and skills, but of genuine spirit of unionism.

            79 LGU Tacurong employees participated in the different events including song solo and duet, pop dance, and folk dance competitions. The foremost Mutya ng PSEAS was also witnessed in this year’s Foundation Anniversary.

            Mr. Eduardo Garcia got the first place in song solo while Ms. Ma. Teresa P. Dinero stood head and shoulders above the candidates of other teams and proudly brought home the bacon as the Mutya ng PSEAS 2011.

            TACEA President Ms. Amelia Bochorno vigorously conveyed her glee with the participation of LGU Tacurong in this year’s PSEAS Foundation Anniversary celebration. She also emphasized that the competition was not the highlight of the event but the intensified bond between the LGU Tacurong participants.

           

            Moreover, according to her, success was not only measured by the wins they have achieved but on how they prepared and fought with all their talents and efforts. (Jessa Bilano)