Interior dept. tells Eastern Visayas villages to hold Assembly Day on Oct. 9

TACLOBAN CITY, Sept. 21 (PNA) -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on 4,390 villages in Eastern Visayas to hold a Barangay Assembly Day for the second half of the year on October 9.

DILG-Eastern Visayas regional director Marivel Sacendoncillo cited Proclamation No. 260 issued on Sept. 30, 2011, declaring every last Saturday of March and the second Sunday of October as assembly days.

In a directive, Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno said the upcoming village assembly should discuss issues affecting the community, such as the illegal drugs problem, the peace and order situation, disaster preparedness and solid waste management, among others.

The activity should be in line with the Masa Masid (Mamamayang Ayaw Sa Anomalya, Mamamayang Ayaw Sa Iligal na Droga) program, said Sacendoncillo.

“This is also a venue for local officials to orient residents on community and family disaster preparedness protocols. The region, which faces the Pacific, is frequently hit by storms, the strongest being super typhoon Yolanda,” she said in a statement.

Among the hazards that residents of the region’s six provinces have to contend with are landslides, floods and earthquakes.

The village chief and council members are also expected to deliver their State of the Barangay Address (SOBA), detailing their accomplishments and financial reports for the first half of 2016.

The DILG asked village officials to invite members of faith-based groups in their area, civil society and other community organizations to “attend the assembly and rally for their support and involvement in project monitoring and evaluation and in advocating good local governance”.

The department also directed barangay officials to publicize the event by hanging posters and banners in conspicuous places, such as the barangay hall, the plaza, main streets, public market, or transport terminals.

Local officials are encouraged to hold medical and dental missions, trade fairs and cultural presentations to draw the public to participate in the assembly. (PNA)
CVL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO