As the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election draws closer, Senator Alan Peter “Companero” Cayetano urged the national and local government to come together and talk about how the barangays can be allotted more resources in order to better fulfill their multiple responsibilities.
“After the barangay election, we really have to sit together as a nation and find out how we will add resources sa isang grupo na pinakamalaki y’ung responsibility,” Cayetano said in his speech during a recent meeting with local officials of Zamboanga City.
He lamented how the barangays are often given the least amount of funding among all other government units despite the numerous grassroots problems that they regularly need to address.
“Executive [head] kayo dahil barangay captain, legislative [official] dahil head ng Sangguniang Barangay, and judiciary din dahil [pinuno ng] barangay justice system. Pero pagdating sa pera, kayo ang pinakamaliit,” he said.
Cayetano encouraged barangay officials, especially those who are in the farther areas of the country, to periodically visit the Senate and the House of Representatives in order to “make their presence felt here.”
“Sana po twice or thrice a year, o kung hindi man yung buong grupo but quarterly may presence kayo,” he advised them.
“And pipilitin ko rin naman na mas makapasyal din sa inyo,” he added.
‘Do what is right’
Cayetano, whose leadership is based on faith-based values and principles, urged the barangay captains to practice and promote good morals in their barangays, saying those are the foundation of a successful and developed community.
“‘Pag inuna natin halimbawa na pinayagan natin lahat ng ilegal, smuggling, kidnapping, ilegal na sugal, maniwala po kayo panandalian lang OK ‘yon. Babagsak at babagsak hindi lang ekonomiya kundi masisira ang mga pamilya,” he told the local leaders.
“‘Wag nating ipagpalit y’ung tama sa mali para sa panandalian,” he added.
Cayetano cited how the City of Taguig worked towards socio-economic progress by “seeking first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness.”
“N’un pong [unang] naging Mayor si Lani, ang akin pong better half, noong 2010, ang utang ng Taguig is 1.6 billion, ang income ng Taguig 2 billion. By the time na nag-third term siya in 2019, walang utang ang Taguig, 10 billion pesos ang aming income, and almost 700 million ang scholarship,” he said.
“So if every single thing that you propose, ang sagot sa inyo ‘subject to the availability of funds,’ ‘wag po kayong mawawalan ng pag-asa,” he added.
Citing a verse from the Bible that says God has a great plan for everyone, Cayetano said progress and development are not exclusive to Metro Manila.
“Ang Ama natin, gusto niya para sa lahat y’un,” he said.
“We focus on doing what is right, we focus on the economy also with the caveat na pag ginawa natin ang kalooban ng Diyos ay dadating at dadating all other things that shall be added unto you,” he said.
