LGU to cancel Inugyunay fireworks display; sends aid to typhoon victims

In the wake of the typhoon devastation in the Visayas that cost thousands of lives and to sympathize with the victims’ families, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tacurong decided to cancel some of the spectacles in the Inugyunay Festival in December, including the much-anticipated fireworks display.

On November 26, Mayor Lina Montilla and other city officials went to Iloilo to personally hand over to typhoon victims the cash assistance amounting to P800 thousand. Of said amount, P100 thousand each will be given to Passi City in Iloilo Province and Roxas City in Capiz. Twelve towns of Iloilo will also receive P50 thousand each. The city officials also brought the P20,000.00 donated by the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

Mayor Montilla was joined by Vice Mayor Joseph Lechonsito, Councilor Psyche Sucaldito, Councilor Rodrigo Jamorabon, Councilor Welson Ferrer and ABC President Silvestre Llanto. Tacurong City Employees Association president Amelia Bochorno also joined the group in their travel to Iloilo to hand over the association’s assistance amounting to P160 thousand.

Relief packs such as food, clothing, hygiene kits and wireless cellphone chargers donated by employees and private individuals and organizations have also been delivered to affected areas through the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Meanwhile, the decision of the Inugyunay Festival Committee to cancel some of the big events in the Christmas festival in December is seen as a fitting way of commiserating with the families of typhoon victims who are still grieving the death of their loved ones and loss of their properties.

However, aside from the spectacular fireworks display, other events in the festival including the nightly presentations, will still push through.

Mayor Montilla said that observing the annual Inugyunay Festival without the lavish celebration is one of our simple ways of sympathizing with our fellow Filipinos ravaged by the super typhoon in the Visayas.

As of November 27 report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) 5,500 individuals were reported dead, 26,136 and 1,757 are still missing. (LGU Tacurong Information)

18-day campaign to end violence against women kicks off

Spearheaded by the Men Oppose Violence Against Women and Children Everywhere (MOVE) with the local government unit, the regional kick-off of the 18-day campaign to end violence against women took place at the city grounds last November 25, 6:00 o’clock in the evening. This year’s theme says “End Violence Against Women (VAW) Now! It’s our Duty.”

Delegates from the different sectors of the community gathered for this advocacy to protect the rights of women. Employees of the city hall, delegations from the different barangays in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative (SUKELCO), Sultan Kudarat Water District (SKWD), Notre Dame of Tacurong College (NDTC), Philippine National Police (PNP), and guests from the neighbouring cities/municipalities were present along with Tacurong City Mayor Lina Montilla, Vice Mayor Joseph Jorge Lechonsito, City Councilors, and other key officials.

Gender and Development Committee Chairperson Hon. Psyche Sucaldito provided the rationale of the activity. Under the signed Republic Act 10398, November 25 of every year is declared as the “National Consciousness Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children.” The law also mandates key agencies to conduct activities that would raise public awareness regarding VAW.

As a symbol of the kick-off, lighting of the fountains was fronted by Mayor Montilla, Vice Mayor Lechonsito, Councilor Sucaldito, and Councilor Charito Collado. Simultaneous lighting of candles by all of the participants followed the said ceremony.

“Violence against women is everybody’s duty,” said Mayor Montilla in her message. She added that all citizens regardless of each one’s status have the capacity to help end violence against women. (Ariesha Faith M. Dimaano-LGU Tacurong City)

Defective weighing scales disposed for consumer protection

In line with the continuing efforts of the city government of Tacurong to protect consumer rights, the City Treasury Office with the Economic Enterprise Management and Slaughterhouse Team and Department of Trade and Industry disposed 76 confiscated weighing scales on November 20, 2013.

Confiscated weighing scales that were all found dubious, defective, and beyond repair were brought to the City Engineering Office and was rolled over by a 60-ton road roller truck. These were then burned and buried.

Over 100 weighing scales in varied kilogram categories (10-100 kilos) were confiscated from stall owners in the public market and peddlers around the city since 2012. Upon confiscation, these were brought to the Public Market Office for repair and documentation. “Confiscated items that were found repairable were fixed and handed back to the owners with corresponding certificates,” said City Treasurer Jessie P. Batchar. (Romulo Paclibar Jr. & Jezereel Louise Billano—LGU Tacurong City)

LGU receives commendation for effective riparian zone management

The city government of Tacurong was recognized as the Most Outstanding Local Government Unit (LGU) for its remarkable support in the Riparian Zone Management Program for Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Climate Change Adaptation.

Barangay Baras in Tacurong City was also recognized as one of the most outstanding Barangay Riparian Zone Management Councils in Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato.

The LGU received a plaque of recognition while Barangay Baras received a certificate and Php15,000.00 cash prize from the Allah Valley Landscape Development Alliance or AVLDA. These were awarded during the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Summit on 21 November 2013, Provincial Capitol, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

LGU-Tacurong, composed of its Office for the Development of Cooperatives, City Planning & Development Office, and City Environment and Natural Resources Office, continuously take active roles in the rehabilitation and protection of The Kapingkong River and other tributaries. Annual planting of trees, bamboo and vetiver grass in riparian zones started in June 2009. These activities are sustained through the help of AVLDA, non-government organizations, national line agencies, land owners, and other stakeholders.

On June 2009, a total of 3,300 bamboos and trees were planted along river banks and creeks of 10 barangays in Tacurong. On July 2010, an Agroforest Nursery Development Project in Barangay Baras was developed. Through this project, four thousand cutting of various bamboo species were prepared for planting. The cuttings were planted on October 2010. Another tree, bamboo, and vetiver planting activity was conducted on October 2012.

A bamboo and vetiver bagging activity was conducted at the nursery site of Barangay Baras. During this activity, three thousand bags were utilized. Bamboo and vetiver cuttings prepared during this activity will be used in the next planting activities.

Riparian zone management program implementation is one of the key elements of Tacurong City’s DRRM Plan. (Elizabeth Buenacosa & Jezereel Louise Billano—LGU Tacurong)

Photo News: Oath-taking Ceremony of Newly-elected Barangay Officials

Move Forward, Serve the People. 25 November 2013—Tacurong City Mayor Lina O. Montilla, during the Oath-taking Ceremony of Newly-Elected Barangay Officials, urged public servants to put aside political differences and to unite for the good of Tacurongnons. Montilla facilitated the oath of office of one hundred sixty newly-elected officials of the city’s 20 barangays. “Instead of a mass oath-taking..na sabay-sabay ang lahat ng opisyales ng 20 barangays, we decided that each set of barangay officials will take their turn..for them to feel the solemnity of their oath,” said City Local Government Operations Officer Alberto P. Sero Jr. The officials were accompanied by their families during the ceremony. Newly-elected barangay officials will officially assume office on November 30, 2013 at 12:00 o’clock in the afternoon.  

40 family-beneficiaries of Project PAGLAUM undergo orientation

Representatives of 40 family-beneficiaries attended the orientation-familiarization of Project PAGLAUM – Panata at Adhikain Gutom ay wakasan Lingap, edukasyon, kalusugan, Asal na mabuti ay isulong at Ugaling makamtan ay Malinis, matiwasay at maunlad na pamayanan -- on 23 November, GSP Training Hall, Tacurong City.

Project PAGLAUM is Tacurong City’s program for the Millennium Development Goals Family-based Actions for Children and their Environs in the Slums (MDG-FACES) of the United Nations. Tacurong City, as a dynamic partner of the National Government through Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) selected 40 families from the slums – identified in Purok 11 of Barangay Poblacion – to improve their quality of life specially the children.

The objective of this project is to achieve all eight MDG goals and better the lives of the beneficiaries. During the program, Mr. Alberto Sero, City Local Government Operations Officer, said that the only requirement of the program for its beneficiaries is their commitment and their trust. He also mentioned that the program is somehow alike to City Hall sa Barangay, but more focused on a smaller community, the purok.

The whole-day event included several team building activities that allowed interaction among the members of the project, full-length information of the MDG FACES, the election of officers, and enrolment of children beneficiaries. In the concluding portions of the orientation-familiarization, beneficiaries, project heads and members, partners, together with the Miss Nancy Bawe (CSWD representative), Mr. Jaime Cedullo (City Planning and Dev’t Coordinator), Mr. Albert Sero (CLGOO), Hon. Psyche M. Sucaldito (SP Member and MDG FACES-PMT Leader), and City Mayor Lina O. Montilla, signed the Pledge of Commitment Wall as portrayal to their dedication on the project.

Mayor Montilla, in her message, said that the LGU will help in acquiring all the goals of MDG FACES. She further said that the cooperation and support of everyone involved will be important to accomplish this program of DILG. She hopes for the success of the program and serve as an inspiration to other places in terms of implementation of this UN project.

The Memorandum of Agreement was signed last September 12, 2013 at the Bayview Park Hotel, Manila. Present at the MOA signing were Hon. Lina O. Montilla, Local Government Government Academy (LGA) of the DILG, represented by LGA Exec. Director Marivel C. Sacendoncillo and DILG XII, represented by OIC Regional Director Reynaldo M. Bungubung. (Ariesha Faith M. Dimaano)

Cities, towns in Capiz, Iloilo to receive 800K aid

Two cities and 12 towns in Capiz and Iloilo devastated by Super typhoon Yolanda earlier this month will receive Php800,000.00 aid from the City Government of Tacurong.

Of the said amount, Roxas City in Capiz and Passi City in Iloilo will receive Php100,000 each. The remaining amount will be divided to 12 towns in Iloilo (Estancia, Balasan Ajuy, Concepcion, Barotac Viejo, Carles, San Rafael, Lemery, Batad, Sara, Anilao, and San Dionisio) with Php50,000.00 each.

The 6th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tacurong approved Resolution 097-2013 that authorizes City Mayor Lina O. Montilla to allocate Php800,000.00 from the city’s 5% Calamity Fund. This action was preceded by a resolution of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council headed by Montilla.

In addition to the PhP800K, the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. donated PhP20,000.00. “Organizations, even individuals in the city have responded to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Visayas. Let us work as one to help them rebuild their lives,” said Montilla.

Montilla and other city officials will personally hand the cash donations to local chief executives of the beneficiaries on November 26, 2013.

Relief packs (food, clothing, hygiene kits) donated by employees and private individuals and organizations have also been delivered to affected areas through the City Social Welfare and development Office. 

Moreover, the Tacurong City Employees Association (TACEA) have already prepared PhP160,000.00 for Yolanda victims. Fifty thousand pesos will be donated through the Philippine Independent Public Sector Employees Association (PIPSEA) as aid to fellow government employees.

Super Typhoon Yolanda, dubbed as most powerful typhoon of 2013, had the strongest winds that brought devastating storm surges in Central Philippines. It caused an enormous loss of lives, and property and infrastructure. Yolanda hit land on November 8, 2013 leaving at least 4,000 dead and millions of people homeless.

 Jezereel Louise C. Billano (LGU-Information)

Photo News: Tacurong City Crisis Intervention Center for Women and Children receives Certificate of Accreditation

Tacurong City Crisis Intervention Center for Women and Children receives Certificate of Accreditation from DSWD Standard Bureau. The City Crisis Intervention Center for Women and Children satisfactorily complied with the First Level standards in the implementation of residential and community-based programs and services for women and children. This is in compliance with the provision of Section 23, Republic Act 4373 ‘An Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operations of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines and for Other Purposes. The certificate is valid from June 21, 2013 to June 20, 2016. 

Treasury Office achieves 103% tax collection efficiency

The Tacurong City Treasury Office (CTO) has collected PhP 71.6M from tax and non-tax revenues, 103% greater than the FY 2013 target PhP 69.2M as of 18 November, reports CTO Administrative Officer Romulo Paclibar.

By achieving local revenue collection target, the city government is able to sustain its operational expenditures on its programs and projects.

According to City Treasurer Jessie P. Batchar, this achievement is a primary effect of the effective implementation of the Local Revenue Code. The city revenue code was amended in 2012 and was fully implemented this year.

Among the collection strategies that the office employs, Paclibar cited the conduct of house-to-house tax bills distribution and house-to-house collection as an effective means to achieve collection efficiency. “Sometimes it is not enough to just post notices. We have to reach out, and we do it in a very professional manner,” Paclibar said.

The office also continues to enhance its tax education campaign in coordination with schools and barangays in the city. “We conduct our campaign throughout the year, asking time slots during barangays’ general assembly and parents-teachers meetings,” Paclibar added.

Tax revenues include real property tax and business and other taxes while non-tax revenues include regulatory fees, service or user charges, and receipts from economic enterprises and other fees.

The office expects to increase the collection efficiency in the remaining days of FY 2013.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano (LGU-Information)

PIA Director General: Maximize social media for nation-building

Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General Jose Mari Oquiñena challenged 76 information officers of local government units and national line agencies in Region XII to take full advantage of social media for nation-building.

DG Oquiñena was the keynote speaker during the opening program of PIA XII’s 3-day Seminar-Workshop on e-newsletter Production in General Santos City, 6 November 2013.

DG Oquiñena said that it is important to reach out to the online community and mobilize people for social good. According to him, the increasing trend of Internet and social media users in the country is a good reason for government offices to strengthen their online presence. This will allow government offices through its information officers to share timely information that will be helpful in empowering people and communities. He also emphasized the importance of stepping up the quality of content uploaded to government websites and social media accounts.

Moreover, DG Oquiñena encouraged information officers to share good stories that would build the hopes of the ‘successor generation’. "We write to inspire people..and to let the young generation see that there is hope for our country," said DG Oquiñena.

PIA XII organized the seminar-workshop to refresh/orient information officers on the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools that will be beneficial in strengthening each agency’s online presence through e-newsletters, social media networks, etc. Among the topics were  eNewsletter design and layout; eNewsletter using online templates; maximizing use of new media for government information and development communication; disseminating e-newsletter via hosting sites and maximizing Twitter, FB, blogs, etc.

Resource speakers were PIA Central Visayas Regional Director Minerva Neuman and PIA Cebu Information Center Manager Rachelle Nessia. (Jezereel Louise C. Billano-LGU Information)

Tacurong’s Most Outstanding Coops recognized in Cooperative Month culmination

Cooperatives all over Tacurong City gathered last October 31, 2013 as they finish the month-long celebration of the Coop Month held at the city gymnasium. About 17 cooperatives joined the occasion as well as the other activities held the entire month.

In the culmination, several cooperatives stood out and named Most Outstanding Cooperative 2013 in their respective categories. These are the following: Sultan Kudarat State University MPC (Medium Category); North Tacurong Teachers & Employees MPC (Small Category); and Sultan Kudarat Multi Cab Operators MPC (Micro Category). Certificates of recognition were also given to the volunteer doctors and nurses during the cooperative medical services – one of the activities for the coop month.

Sangguniang Panlungsod Member and Chairman of Committee on Cooperative, Hon. Joselito L. Cajandig, Sr. mentioned in his message that the celebration of this event is a good indicator that cooperatives are alive and kicking in the city of Tacurong. Assistant Regional Director (CDA-KEO) Engr, Doreen Ancheta, meanwhile, emphasized in her inspirational message the value of cooperatives in creating good change in the society thus reducing the poverty rate in the country – which is the focus of this year’s theme: Cooperative paves the way for inclusive growth.

Mr. Nestor C. Leguro, City Cooperative Officer, expressed his congratulations to all winners and thanked everyone who has been part of the success of the Coop Month 2013.

The culminating activity continued with the giving of prizes for winners of the ball games, an open forum, and parlor games participated by the members of the different cooperatives. (Ariesha Faith Martinez Dimaano)