TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The City Special Concerns and Coordinating Office (CSCCO) went to Ilocos Norte to benchmark Batac City government’s best practices in their programs for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens as well as their scholarship program.
Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua along with other officials warmly welcomed the 25 employees of the CSCCO led by department head Glen Wansi as the latter arrived at the Batac City Hall on July 29, 2022.
In an interview, Wansi said it was the first benchmarking activity for CSCCO aimed to improve its performance considering it is one of the newly created departments under the city’s reorganization. He added that Batac was chosen for the benchmarking as it is one of Tabuk’s sister cities.
Wansi said among the best practices they learned is that aside from a centenarian incentive program, Batac is also implementing a pre-centenarian program in which 90-99 year-olds are also eligible for cash incentives of up to Php 20,000.
Wansi shared they were also impressed with Batac’s stimulation and therapeutic activity center or STAC where 0-14 year-old children with disabilities receive free occupational therapy, behavioral management, socialization activities, among other treatments.
Wansi also noted how Batac has sped up the process of dispensing aid for assistive devices for PWDs by giving it in cash, unlike in Tabuk where the assistive devices are purchased and distributed to the beneficiaries, a process which entails a lengthy bidding process.
Wansi also mentioned that Batac’s scholarship program has a higher grade requirement, higher stipend, and has a wider coverage in that it includes junior high students.
“Dagituy ti best practices nga napintas nga mai-adopt dituy Tabuk,” Wansi said.
In the meantime, the CSCCO will propose to amend the city’s scholarship program to increase its grade requirement, Wansi said.
Wansi said it has been observed that due to the low grade requirement of 75% many students get complacent and are not challenged to improve their performance. “Haan da metlang nga maitultuluy. We want to amend it,” he said.
He said they also want to bring back BIR certification as one of the proofs of indigency to ensure that the program will really benefit poor students who have no other means of funding their education. By Tabuk City PIO
