BONTOC, Mountain Province – The provincial office of the Department of the Interior and Local Governments is now housed in a building at the known Bilibid compound in Upper Caluttit, this municipality.
During the inauguration program held on February 10, 2016, the staff and personnel of the agency were all expressive of their gratitude for the provision of the facility by the provincial government in the presence of Governor Leonard Mayaen, Regional Director John Castaneda, Mayor Franklin Odsey, representatives from the various municipalities, barangay officilas of Caluttit, and retirees of the DILG in the province.
The building was funded by the Performance Challenge Fund of the DILG in 2012 in the amount of P7 million as an incentive of the province for garnering the Seal of Good Housekeeping award. P5.8 million was used for the construction while P1.2 was earmarked for the purchase of an emergency ambulance.
Governor Mayaen, in his message during the program emphasized that an additional amount of P1.3 million in 2015 completed the first floor now occupied by the provincial office of the DILG.
Provincial Director Anthony Ballug cited the need for the turnover of the building to the DILG even as more funds need to be infused to complete the three storey building. He said that his office will work out for the downloading of more funds for the purpose.
He may get his wish soon as the provincial chief executive announced the possibility for the turn-over.
“We will work out for the turn-over of the building to the DILG as technically the building is owned by the provincial government”, Mayaen said. It is to be noted that the building stands on a parcel of the provincial lot.
Originally built as the Disaster Emergency Operations Center, the building is planned for a three storey building to house the DILG office, emergency operations center, and function halls.
Regional Director John Castaneda challenged the provincial governor to work out for the improvement of the second floor to be used for Operation Listo of the Disaster Operation Center underscoring the opportunity for the latter to make a legacy.
“The building is an edifice of good governance” he said pointing out that good politics is good governance crediting the awards received by the province to good performances.
The officials awarded the following checks for projects under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) and Bottom Up Budgeting (BUB) programs of the agency for 2016. PAMANA: P1.5 Million for completion of the evacuation center in Besao, P1.0 M for the improvement of Caneo waiting shed, P6.0M for the improvement of waterworks in Tadian, and P20M for Betwagan Access Road in Sadanga.
Under the BUB: P5.0M for evacuation facility in Sadanga, P4.0M for the provision of potable water supply in Bauko, P3.0M for waterworks in Besao, P6.3 for waterworks in various locations in Natonin.
Meanwhile, the two highest provincial officials, the congressman and the governor, incidentally bank on good performance and good governance as the main reason of their being unopposed in the coming elections.
“The would be candidates see the good performance we have done as a practical reason for them to think twice in opposing us”, quipped Governor Mayaen.
By Roger Sacyaten
