Thursday, January 08, 2009 City prepares poverty survey
BACOLOD City has started printing survey forms on poverty mapping, and with the continuous support of Mayor Evelio Leonardia, it would be hastened, said Councilor Celia Flor Wednesday.
Flor said the survey must be implemented so the city would have a right plan to implement poverty programs. “A lot of programs should be implemented within this year” to cushion the impact of the economic crisis.
She cited that as per development community or non-government organization (NGO), one immediate solution is the implementation of conditional cash transfers, the idea of which, however, is yet to be presented to the mayor.
She also said the conditional cash transfer was proven effective and even done in First World countries. The scheme entails transfer of cash to the poorest of the poor with conditions attached.
Flor said the city could provide cash assistance if a child in a family is proven not enrolled due to poverty. The parents, however, should ensure that they use the money for their child’s enrollment.
Flor believes that one of the long-term solutions to poverty is education. She said livelihood programs could also help the poor.
The Bacolod Anti-Poverty Council was formed by virtue of an executive order issued by Leonardia. It is composed of representatives from the different sectors and aims to help the city draw up plans for various programs that would answer problems related to poverty.
City Administrator Roger Balo, meanwhile, said the Department of General Service Office (GSO) was tasked to conduct a physical inventory of real estate properties and the city’s supplies and equipment.
Balo said the physical inventory is a requirement that should be submitted to the Commission on Audit (COA) not later than January 31.
Last year, GSO head Gerome Solinap urged the city to conduct a physical inventory after noting that it failed to submit corresponding reports to the COA for the last four years.
Solinap claimed the city did not conduct a physical inventory of its facilities and equipments for more than three years.
He said the city should create a physical inventory team to do annual inventory based on Section 156 of Circular 92-386 and should be chaired by the mayor. Its members should come from the GSO and concerned offices where an inventory would be conducted.
The annual inventory should include the properties purchased by the city, the existing properties and their locations.
Balo said they created a committee that will evaluate the status of the city’s old equipment and properties since not all of the offices have yet transferred to the New Government Center (NGC). (Merlinda Pedrosa)
