LGU, PA pay tribute to WWII veterans

“On this day, we recognize the heroes responsible for our freedom...those who died for it and those who are still here to tell us their story.”

That was how Col. Edmundo R. Pangilinan summed up the purpose of the 71st commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan conducted by LGU-Tacurong and Philippine Army (PA) on April 9, 2013, City Hall Grounds.
Col. Pangilinan served as the Guest Speaker of the program devoted to honoring the heroes of World War II.

The program was graced by the presence of veterans residing in the city namely Pvt. Jovencio Ledda (92 years old), Mr. Santos Laygan (97 yrs old), Pvt. Eugenio Somera (89 yrs old), and Private First Class Bernardo Francisco (91 yrs old).

Pfc. Francisco shared his memoirs as a young soldier during the War. As a 21-year old lad in the 1930s, he was one of those who were trained as Philippines’ reserve forces. He reported to the nearest camp in Panay, following the order of then Pres. Manuel Quezon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and of the military bases in the country. They fought the Japanese forces in Panay but his team was captured. He was imprisoned and served as a laborer to Japanese soldiers. He witnessed cruelties, and even executions of Filipinos in the communities that the Japanese penetrated. After nine months, he escaped from the garrison with 2 Filipino comrades. He became a Philippine Scout in 1946 and was discharged in 1949.

LGU-Tacurong and PA value stories shared by veterans such as Pfc. Francisco as part of the rich oral history of the War.

“The freedom you fought for us shall be the freedom we shall truly defend. Where you are relieved of your duties, we shall carry on,” said Col. Pangilinan as he gave his snappy salute to the guest veterans.

The 601st Brigade, 6th Infantry Battalion, PA conducted the pass and review in honor of the guest veterans. The wreath laying ceremony was led by Mayor Lina O. Montilla and Vice Mayor Charito L. Collado.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

Brgy. Upper Katungal to represent R12 in Nat’l Lupong Tagapamayapa Awards 2013

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) XII had chosen Brgy. Upper Katungal, Tacurong City, as regional entry for the 2013 National Lupong Tagpamayapa Incentives and Awards (LTIA)-Component City Category.

LTIA Regional Evaluation Committee conducted a site evaluation in Brgy. Upper Katungal Lupong Tagapamayapa (LT) Office on March 21, 2013. Its profile, accomplishments, and innovations were presented by Brgy. Chairperson Hernane Fermo. Fermo noted that LT’s members are well-respected in the community. “Dahil nirerespeto sila ng mga tao, mas madali para sa LT ang pagsasaayos ng mga hidwaan sa barangay. Nakikinig sila sa amin,” said Fermo during the evaluation. LT members, being purok leaders, are able to settle cases in the purok level thus lessening the number of cases filed in the Barangay LP. For 2012, 90.91% of the cases filed in the barangay were settled; zero cases were repudiated; and 100% non-occurrence of settled cases.

Upper Katungal vied with two other barangays of Cotabato City and Koronadal City for the said award. "Brgy. Upper Katungal really worked hard, not only for this award but to help the city maintain peace and order in the community," said Alberto P. Sero, Tacurong City Local Government Operations Officer.

SP Committee Chairperson on Peace and Order Rodrigo Jamorabon, representing LGU-Tacurong during the evaluation, also expressed his confidence on the Upper Katungal-LT. "This barangay is smaller than other barangays but they have proven how a small community can significantly contribute to the fulfillment of the city's objectives," said Councilor Jamorabon.

Meanwhile, Brgy. Katangawan of General Santos City will represent Region 12 for the LTIA-Highly Urbanized City Category, and Brgy. Poblacion of Polomolok, South Cotabato will be Region 12’s entry for the Municipal Category.

Lupong Tagapamayapa is a local/barangay justice system that takes charge in settling civil disputes and cases to ensure community peace and order. LTs work with PNP to fulfill their purpose.


Jezereel Louise C. Billano (LGU Information) with report from City Local Government Operations Office

LGU unveils GAD Code replica

Mayor Lina O. Montilla and Hon. Psyche Sucaldito with representatives of various women organizations in the city unveiled the City’s Gender and Development (GAD) Code replica during the City’s Women’s Month Celebration on March 22, 2013.

Hon. Sucaldito authored the GAD Code which is ‘a local legislation that spells out the City’s Government’s objective in safeguarding women from gender disparities, inequities that deprive them of equal opportunities to enjoy rights and fundamental freedom.’ Public and private agencies will be provided with handbooks of the GAD Code.

After the unveiling, Mayor Montilla inducted the officers of the newly-created Local Women Development Council (LWDC). LWDC officers and members are heads and representatives of various women organizations in the city.

The Purple Walk and Hataw (mass exercise) was conducted before the program, uniting 24 women organizations and public and private agencies in the city. The LGU also offered free medical and dental check-up for women throughout the day.

This year’s Women’s Month Celebration is themed Kababaihan: Gabay sa Pagtahak sa Tuwid na Daan.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano (LGU.Information)

Tacurong strengthens City Documentation Team

Twenty-five LGU-Tacurong employees participated in the Echo Seminar on the Documentation and Replication of LGU Best/Exemplary Practices on March 20-21, 2013 in Edjin Pension House, Tacurong City.

After the seminar, the participants are expected to come up with reference documents of their respective offices’ best practices. As official members of the City Documentation Committee, they are to help in properly documenting LGU activities, especially those sponsored by their departments.

The seminar was facilitated by the core members of the City Documentation Committee who attended the same seminar conducted by the Philippine Association of Records Officers and Archivists (PAROA) on Feb. 12-14, 2013 in Davao City.The were assisted by the CHRMO training staff.

“I hope that proper documentation will also be one of our exemplary practices in the LGU, in addition to our existing best practices,” said Mayor Lina O. Montilla during the seminar’s opening. Mayor Montilla emphasized how proper documentation was one of the reasons why the City was able to receive awards and recognitions in the past years. The City was recently awarded by the DILG as National Finalist of the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi Awards.

The Tacurong City Documentation Committee was created through Executive Order No. 7 Series of 2013.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano (LGU-Information)

MSEACs to help SUKELCO in info advocacy

Multi-Sectoral Electrification Advisory Councils (MSEAC) of Tacurong City, Lambayong, Isulan, Columbio, and Pres. Quirino committed to help the Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SUKELCO) in its information advocacies during the MSEAC first quarterly meeting on March 19, Edjin Pension House, Tacurong City.

“MSEAC-Tacurong members guarantee SUKELCO that we will be active in sharing information about the current power situation and other issues concerning the welfare of member-consumers,” said MSEAC-Tacurong Chairperson and Transport Sector Representative Rogelio Villaraiz.

MSEAC-Tacurong Chairperson Villaraiz expresses the council's support to SUKELCO's information advocacy.

Each MSEAC is composed of representatives from the education, women, senior citizen, media, local government unit, barangay, youth, religious, and agro-fishery sectors in each municipality/city.
The meeting, facilitated by SUKELCO, aimed to update MSEACs on the power supply outlook of Mindanao and Sultan Kudarat.

Presently, SUKELCO is only able to distribute approximately 17 MW electricity to all its member-consumers in Sultan Kudarat, Datu Paglas and Buluan—12.21 MW of which is supplied by NPC-PSALM while the remaining 5 MW supply is from Therma Marine. This 17 MW-supply definitely could not suffice the 24 MW-demand of the areas covered by SUKELCO. This situation, according to SUKELCO Senior Business Strategist Engr. Jomar Sevillano, may worsen in the months of April-June.

SUKELCO Senior Business Strategist Sevillano presented the 2013 scenario of SUKELCO's supply and demand

Given this situation, SUKELCO devised a load curtailment scheme, popularly known as ‘rotational brownout schedule’. Daily schedules are uploaded on www.sukelco.com.ph and on SUKELCO Facebook Fanpage. Load curtailment schedule for a day may only be posted on the same day since NPC-PSALM and Therma Marine’s supply advisories are received from 10AM-5PM of the previous day.

NPC-PSALM, SUKELCO’s power source, was able to supply 22 mega watts (MW) annually from 2009 to 2011. However, due to privatization, this supply was reduced by 25% in 2012.



by Jezereel C. Billano (LGU-Information)

Tacurong’s Sucaldito among The Ten Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines

The Junior Chamber International Philippines (Philippine Jaycees) with the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) and the Office of Sen. Edgardo J. Angara recognized Tacurong City Councilor Hon. Psyche M. Sucaldito as one of The Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines (TOCP) for year 2012.

Sucaldito, along with 9 other awardees, received a trophy and cash incentive worth P1.5 million pesos during the TOCP awarding ceremonies on March 7, 2013, SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

Sucaldito is Tacurong’s no. 1 elected city councilor during the 2010 elections. She is known for pioneering environmental activities in the city. One of these is the Limpyo Kalog (Linis Kanal) which gathers all sectors in the community to clean and desilt canals and drainages to prevent flooding in the city. She also authored the Integrated Solid Waste Management Ordinance and the landmark 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan of the City.

For the present three-year term, she authored the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Ordinance;  Ordinance Prohibiting the Nailing, Posting, and Hanging of Streamers, Posters,    Banners, Political Ads, and Other Advertising Materials on Trees;  Ordinance Declaring May 19 of Every Year as Blood Donors’ Day; Ordinance Providing Guidelines for the Increase of Monthly Honorarium of Day Care Workers; Ordinance Regulating Smoking in Public Places and Prohibiting Smoking for Minors; and Ordinance Enacting the Gender and Development Code of the City.

According to the TOCP award citation, Hon. Sucaldito’s ‘remarkable achievements and sterling track record coupled with her talent, dedication, and sincere passion to serve the people of the City of Tacurong are clear indicators of her competence as a legislator and leader of impeccable integrity.’

“My accomplishments are products, not only of my own hard work, but of cooperation and unity of the officials, employees, and the people of Tacurong,” said Sucaldito. “I assure Tacurongnons that this recognition will benefit them through a project that will be funded through the P1.5 million cash incentive I received,” she added.

TOCP was conceptualized to recognize excellence in legislation output and participation in the conduct of local government programs and projects. The award is now on its 3rd year of implementation.
This year’s TOCP was divided into two categories: Municipal Category with 6 winners (2 from Luzon, 2 from the Visayas, and 2 from Mindanao); and City Category with 4 winners (1-NCR, 1-Luzon, 1-Visayas, 1-Mindanao).

Jezereel Louise C. Billano-LGU Information

GSIS increases minimum pension from P3,000 to P5,000

All old-age and disability pensioners of Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) who were receiving less than P5,000 is now receiving the new monthly minimum pension of P5,000, according to GSIS Trustee Mario J. Aguja during a forum on GSIS Reforms and Initiatives on March 11, 2013 in Gen. Santos City.

Trustee Aguja answers participants' queries on GSIS services.

Among the information officers and media practitioners in attendance, Aguja stressed that this is only one among the many initiatives undertaken by the new GSIS Board with their commitment for a ‘more Aside from the increased pension, GSIS also revoked the personal appearance requirement for pensioners.

Instead, they now partner with the National Statistics Office to determine status of members.
To make services more accessible, GSIS is deploying 500 additional GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) Kiosks in the country.

Survivorship pensioners who were previously denied of their benefits because of gainful employment (earning P7,575 equivalent to Salary Grade 1, Step 1) can now receive monthly pension. According to Aguja, more than 6,000 surviving spouses whose pensions have been stopped since August 2009 benefitted from the new survivorship policy.

Moreover, interest rate on emergency loans was reduced to 6%, service fee was waived, and grace period for payment of the first amortization was extended to three months.  

Other initiatives include: renewed partnership with LandBank as additional service bank; relaxed the policy on the 4-year prescription period for survivorship benefit; revived the payment of proportionate pension; rationalized the home lending program; enhanced scholarship program; increased minimum pension to P5,000; settlement of claims of Paz Memorial plan holders; etc.

The new GSIS Board also proposes for the amendment of R.A. 8291 or the GSIS Act of 1997 to allow single members to designate beneficiary before age 50; remove remarriage and cohabitation as basis for cancellation of survivorship benefits; give members option to continue membership beyond age 65; provide members with an option to claim separation benefit before age 60; increase funeral benefit from P20,000 to P30,000; and for provision on members' rights.

“We are also actively conducting pre-retirement counseling seminars to assist members in computing lump-sum and pensions, modes of retirement, and even investment possibilities” said GSIS Gen. Santos Manager Deity Manampan.

GSIS Dialogues are being conducted nationwide to disseminate information on the agency’s new reforms. GSIS now has at least 1.7 million members across the country.

Jezereel C. Billano