ITOGON, Benguet – Mayor Victorio T. Palangdan assured the people that the implementation of development projects in the rural areas of the country will continue based on the annual development and investment plans that emanate from the grassroots level.
Palangdan pointed out that the identification of priority development projects that must be funded by the limited funds of concerned government agencies and the local governments must adhere to the prescribed processes under the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local Government code unlike in the present set up where projects are simply selected based on the lobbying of contractors who have interests over such infrastructure projects.
He claimed that such wrong practices must be corrected and not simply tolerated because there are really areas that need the implementation of development projects compared to the areas where many multi-million projects are now being implemented.
Further, the local chief executive also wants that the communities where development projects should first be consulted by the concerned government agencies and the local governments to ascertain their suggestions and recommendations before the finalization of the programmed projects that will be implemented in their places so that adjustments could be done instead of ramming the projects on the throats of the affected people living in the communities that benefit from the said projects.
He emphasized that he is not against the implementation of development projects but what he wants is that concerned government agencies and local governments should first consult the stakeholders on what are their needs so that whatever their inputs will be considered in the final plans of the projects that will serve as the basis for the works that the implementers will be working on.
According to him, the participation of the beneficiaries to the development projects being planned out is very important because not all planners are aware of the real situation on the ground and that such needed inputs can be provided by those concerned once they are consulted about the matter and not simply disregarded by the powers that be.
Under the pertinent provisions of the Local Government code, barangays are mandated to prepare their respective annual investment plans which will be submitted to the cities and municipalities where the same will also serve as the basis for their similar plans. The cities and municipalities will in turn submit their respective annual investment plans to the provinces which will use the same as their basis for their similar plans.
The plans of provinces will also serve as major components of the regional development plans of the region where the provinces belong before the regional plan will be submitted to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for the consolidation of all the regional plans that compose the Philippine development Plan where the identified development projects will be provided funds by the concerned agencies upon the direct supervision of the budget department.
Palangdan expressed hope that whatever mistakes that were done in the past will be corrected once responsible and compassionate leaders will be elected into office by the people during the May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections.
