BAGUIO CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cordillera reminds the local government units (LGUs) in the conduct of barangay assembly for the second semester of 2022 with a theme “Barangayanihan: Barangay at Mamamayan Sama Sama sa Pagtaguyod ng Bayanihan Tungo sa Mas Ligtas at Maunlad na Pamayanan” to allow wider participation of the barangay constituents and promote greater transparency and accountability of barangay officials in the region.
“We are encouraging our barangay officials to hold their respective barangay assemblies every Saturday and Sunday of March and October of every year following the Local Government Code of 1991 which mandates the conduct of barangay assembly to hear and discuss the semestral report of the Sangguniang barangay concerning its activities and finances as well as the problems affecting the barangay,” said Regional Director Araceli San Jose.
RD San Jose added that the Punong Barangay or the 1st ranking Sangguniang Barangay Member should deliver the State of Barangay Address (SOBA) during the conduct of the Barangay Assembly highlighting the accomplishments of the 1st Semester of CY 2022, the financial report for the 1st Semester of the fiscal year (FY) 2022, updates on the CY 2022 Programs, Projects and Activities (PPAs), ongoing and planned PPAs to effectively prevent and minimize the spread of COVID19, newly-enacted barangay ordinances, resolutions and status of vaccination with emphasis on the data of fully vaccinated and partially vaccinated barangay constituents and other reports and issues or concerns affecting the barangay.
She underscored that while there are still threats of COVID-19 variants in the country, the Barangay Assembly for the Second Semester of 2022 may be conducted through social media, in blended mode (face-to-face and online) or face-to-face and urged the barangay officials to strictly adhere to protocols such as wearing facemasks for indoor private or public establishments, and for outdoor settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Likewise, she advised those who are not fully vaccinated, senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals to wear their masks and to observe physical distancing at all times.
“Punong Barangays should provide information on Executive Order No. 3 which allows the voluntary wearing of facemasks in an outdoor setting and reiterates the continued implementation of minimum public health standards during the conduct of the assembly,” said RD San Jose.
RD San Jose advised the barangay officials to comply with their mandate on the conduct of the Barangay Assembly composed of all persons who are actual residents of the barangay and duly registered in the list of barangay assembly members to avoid relevant sanctions.
“Any resident of the barangay, concern citizen, governmental or non-governmental entity may file an administrative complaint against the barangay officials who fail to conduct the barangay assembly before the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang bayan concerned,” she said. By BLM
