Saturday, August 18, 2007 Adlaon officials to set example
TO punish colleagues who misbehave, Barangay Adlaon officials agreed to pay fines and impose the same sanctions on employees who do not observe their rules.
Barangay Captain Nieves Narra, her seven councilors, the barangay’s Sangguniang Kabataan chairman and seven others pledged to avoid getting drunk, to refrain from gambling and engaging in all illegal activities, to maintain cleanliness and avoid spitting and urinating in public places.
“We should be noble and decent in carrying out our duties as barangay officials,” they said in a resolution approved in 2005 yet, but submitted to the Cebu City Council for approval only last Aug. 10.
“We are the ones elected and appointed into office to take charge of the problems and concerns of our constituents. We should lead by example, do good deeds, show good manners, right conduct and cleanliness within our homes and in public places,” they said.
Fine
The first offense is fined P500; second offense, P800; and third offense, P1,000.
For tanods, lupon members, caretakers, day care and gender and development employees, the first offense means a fine of P400; second, P600; third, P800.
Tanods and lupon members who are either caught spearheading a gambling session anywhere in the barangay or sniffing and selling illegal drugs will immediately be removed from office.
Narra did not provide an explanation on why it took them two years to ask for the City Council’s approval of the proposed measure.
They also did not specify who will enforce the ordinance, especially that the barangay officials themselves are supposed to be the ones to implement a law.
Except for two-way radios, Adlaon, a very remote mountain barangay, does not have any means of communication with the City Government.
Correspondence between the barangay and the City Government has to be hand-carried.
Last Wednesday, the city council referred the barangay ordinance to the committee on laws, ordinances, public accountability and good government for comments and recommendations. (RHM)
