LGU-Tacurong assesses business permit and licensing system

Key officials and heads of offices of the LGU-Tacurong City and partner-agencies participated in the Diagnostic Workshop on the Regulatory Simplification for LGUs (RS4LGUs) on Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) on March 26, 2014. Through the workshop, participants assessed the current system of business permit and licensing, determining strengths and areas for improvement. Professor Simeon Elago of UP-NCPAG, workshop facilitator, emphasized the importance of assessing the LGU’s BPLS from the perspective of the business applicant. "The LGU must ensure that regulatory policies support simplification of the process for the clients," Elago said. This workshop is the LGU’s first step in improving its BPLS. The RS4LGUs program applies a four-phase approach: diagnosis, design, implementation, and evaluation. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

DOH XII Rabies Coordinator: Be an advocate of wound care

Department of Health (DOH) Regional Rabies Coordinator for SOCCSKSARGEN Ali Tumama, MD advised all participants of the Rabies Awareness Month forum to educate the community regarding wound care, specially those who are exposed to animals who might be infected with rabies virus.

The City Health Office spearheaded the event and was attended by the different City Community Volunteer Health Workers of the 20 barangays in Tacurong City last March 26 at Edjin Pension House.

The event aims to educate all health workers in the city on the upshots of rabies and how it infects its victims as well as the do’s and don’ts in providing treatment of those infected. Lectures on “Rabies on Dogs” and “Rabies on Humans” were discussed by City Veterinarian Hermenegilda Sanque, VMD and Asst. City Health Officer Efraim Collado, MD respectively.

Dr. Tumama also commended the city government for its immense support in the advocacy of making Tacurong City a rabies-free community, having no record of rabies cases for the past year.
Tacurong is also one of the two nominees of Region XII on the national level as a “rabies-free area” together with Cotabato City.

This activity is part of the scheduled events in celebration of Rabies Awareness Month which kicked off on March 8. It carries the theme “Working together for a Rabies Free Philippines.” (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

Phil Army celebrates 117th Anniversary

Walk for Peace 2014. Approximately 500 students, civilians, and soldiers celebrated the Philippine Army (PA) 117^th anniversary on March 22, 2014 by joining the Walk for Peace 2014. The 601st Unifier Brigade organized this event to commemorate the national celebration. The event gathered PA’s public and private partners in maintaining peace and order. These include various organizations such as: LGU-Tacurong City; Rotary and Rotaract Club of Tacurong; religious sector; business sector; the Philippine National Police (Tacurong and Sultan Kudarat); Local Women Development Federation; academic institutions; and media. Prior to the walk, participants enjoyed a Zumba session. “Kailangang unahin ang pagbigay-pansin sa kapakanan ng mga mamamayan. Kaya nagkaron kami ng paradigm shift: instead of winning the war, we want to win peace,” said Col. Melquiades Feliciano, 601^st Brigade Commander. Phil. Army’s 117^thAnniversary carries the Army Core Purpose as its theme—Serving the People, Securing the Land. (LGU Tacurong City Information)

Project PAGLAUM in Tacurong wins more support from stakeholders

Sino pa ba ang magdadamayan, kundi tayo-tayo rin, says a song for the achievement of the Millenium Development Goals.

These lines were truly evident during the Project PAGLAUM Strategic Formulation and Action Planning Workshop on 21 March 2014. LGU-Tacurong City’s Project PAGLAUM continues to gain support from local stakeholders for the improvement of the lives of 40 family beneficiaries in one of the city’s slum areas—Purok Onse, Barangay Poblacion. During the workshop, stakeholders identified and submitted their proposed services and programs that could strengthen Project PAGLAUM.

Prior to this planning workshop, family beneficiaries identified three key problems and issues through surveys and interviews: economic (poverty, hunger, and low family income; peace and order (illegal drugs and gambling); environmental (improper solid waste management and unsanitary/no toilet ).

Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative or SUKELCO committed to help in addressing the problems on peace and order by rehabilitating street lights in the area. This includes free light inspacetions and free light installations. Families said that dark alleys encourage lawless acts at night. SUKELCO will also explore the possibilities of funding livelihood programs for the families.

Meanwhile, the Extension Office of Sultan Kudarat State University-Tacurong Campus guaranteed their support in the conduct of livelihood trainings through their existing programs such as urban gardening and Cavendish banana processing. With the LGU Agriculture Office, SKSU is determined to offer these trainings to uplift the economic status of the 40 families under Project PAGLAUM.  

The Tacurong City Police Office also vowed to intensify Oplan Kalampag, its campaign against illegal drugs. Drug users and pushers are said to usually take refuge in Purok Onse because of its location.

DepEd Tacurong further committed to conduct drug education symposia to spread awareness on the disadvantages of illegal drugs. This effort will supplement PNP’s goal to eradicate the use of illegal drugs.
Tacurong City Employees Association and Tacurong City Employees Cooperative are also determined to help families by conducting parent effectiveness seminars.

Aside from these local partners, other LGU offices such as the Planning and Development Office Coordinating Office, Engineering Office, Public Employment Service Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Health Office, Treasury Office, Accounting Office, and Registry Office committed their services for the project. The barangay government of Poblacion has also expressed its commitment in sustaining the project.

“We will consolidate these plans of action for finalization. We will unify our efforts so that there will be no duplication of programs; DILG and the LGU will make sure that our efforts will converge towards poverty alleviation,” said City DILG Officer Alberto Sero.

Project PAGLAUM prioritizes children’s rights to a peaceful and healthy environment. This project was conceived when LGU-Tacurong City became a recipient of DILG’s MDG Family-based Actions for Children and their Environs in the Slum (FACES) Program. One in every three slum dwellers is a child.

 “I believe that we will achieve our goal. Project PAGLAUM will be sustained because of this tremendous support from local partners,” said Mayor Lina Montilla during the workshop.

Project PAGLAUM monitoring team is headed by City Councilor Psyche M. Sucaldito. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

LGU promotes gender sensitivity in public service

The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tacurong City engaged 34 city, barangay, and DILG officials in a Gender Sensitivity Training on February 27-28, 2014 at Edjin Pension House & Restaurant, Tacurong City.

The activity facilitated awareness on gender concerns affecting public offices and clients, and even those that affect the participants and their families. Participants were also informed about gender and development laws. Equality of women and men officials and officers in development and nation building was also emphasized. 

Through the training, the LGU hopes to encourage the integration of gender and development perspective in the workplace. It gears on making the local government unit employees strong partners of the community in promoting gender and development in Tacurong. 

Republic Act 7192 or the Women in Development and Nation Building Act Sec. 27 and Republic Act 8174 (1996 General Appropriations Act) mandates all government agencies and instrumentality to integrate gender and development concerns into their plans, programs, projects, and office activities.

The resource speaker on gender sensitivity from the Civil Service Commission was tapped for this training.

LGU gender sensitivity trainings are conducted through the initiative of the City Human Resource Management Office. (LGU-Tacurong City Information)

MOA for Iskolar ng Lungsod ng Tacurong underway

The local government unit of Tacurong and colleges in the city will soon enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the Iskolar ng Lungsod ng Tacurong (ILT) program in the first semester of school year 2014-2015.

The ILT Board will formulate and finalize the MOA on April 1. It will then be presented to all representatives of colleges in the city on April 15.

In an initial meeting on March 20, city officials and representatives of Notre Dame of Tacurong College and Sultan Kudarat State University discussed the salient features of the City Ordinance 08-2012. The ordinance known as an ‘Ordinance Establishing and Institutionalizing the Iskolar ng Lungsod ng Tacurong Program and Appropriating Funds Therefor’ was approved in 2012, with an aim to implement the program in 2013.
However, the program implementation was affected by the city and barangay elections ban.

During the meeting, City Budget Officer Nestor Nomananap and City Accountant Elma Bides confirmed that ILT program has a budget allocation of P500,000.00 for every school year. Each ‘iskolar’ will be entitled to a P5,000.00 aid every semester, given that he/she passes the selection process.  This program will be open to incoming freshmen students of SY 2014-2015.

Applicants must be residents of Tacurong with good moral character, and whose parents’ annual gross income is not over 120,000.00. An applicant must not be over 22 years old and must have an average grade of 80%, without a failing grade in all his/her high school subjects. The program will not be accommodating those who have already availed government scholarships. No two members of a family shall be granted with ILT benefits at the same time. Grantees of the Special Program for the Employment of Students or SPES are also disqualified to avail of this scholarship.

“We are very eager to pursue with what we have started in 2012. We will identify and support brilliant students belonging to indigent families,” said Mayor Lina Montilla.

The ILT Board through its coordinator, Mr. Allan Freno, will soon release an announcement indicating the date of listing of applicants.

Councilor Ariel Ferdinand dela Cruz (author), Councilor Psyche Sucaldito (co-author), and Councilor Benjamin Fajardo Jr. are positive that this program will not only sustain the iskolars’ education but will also give them opportunities to establish their careers.

ILT grantees will be supported by the LGU until they graduate from any vocational or tertiary courses.
-LGU Tacurong City Information

PNP-Tacurong receives new patrol car from Fil-Chinese Chamber

The Sultan Kudarat Tacurong Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FCCCII) turned over a new patrol car to the PNP-Tacurong City through the local government unit on March 17, 2014.

The turned over vehicle is a multicab fabricated into a police mobile to further PNP-Tacurong’s operations.

The Rotary Club of Tacurong also turned over a stereo/amplifier set to help PNP with its information dissemination activities.

“This gesture from the business community manifests the strong public-private partnership in the city,” said Mayor Lina O. Montilla.

P/Supt. Junny Buenacosa, PNP-Tacurong chief, signified his group’s commitment to sustain the city’s peace and order, and public safety. “Our [relatively] peaceful status..is a result of our partnerships with the LGU, non-government organizations, different sectors, city and barangay officials, and our friendly forces—the AFP, barangay intelligence networks, barangay tanods, CVOs, EORAs, etc.—their visibility makes lawless elements doubtful to do terroristic acts,” said Buenacosa.

Rotary Club of Tacurong is headed by Mr. Rey Miguel Lopez while FFCCCII is chaired by Mr. Manuel Ang. FCCCII actively represents the private sector in the City Peace and Order Council. (LGU Tacurong City Information)