Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Cebu City makes it to finals in Galing Pook
CEBU City is one of the finalists in the Gawad Galing Pook Awards for outstanding local governance program.
The City was recognized for strengthening its grassroots system. A panel of evaluators is here today to do site validation for its entry on the series of seminars on the barangay justice system in 2005 and 2006.
The seminars, brainchild of the office of City Councilor Edgardo Labella and supported by the City Council and the Liga ng mga Lupong Tagapamayapa, targeted barangay officials and employees.
These aim to “professionalize” public accountability, good governance and the justice system in the barangays.
Representatives from the City’s 80 barangays converged in strategic locations and were taught alternative dispute solution.
Barangay mediation is recognized as having greatly helped unclog regular courts’ dockets.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) even reported that for every case settled at the barangay level, the government saves P10,000.
In her letter last July 10, Gawad Pook program officer Pamela Grafilo told Mayor Tomas Osmeña that they have seen “promising initial results in this program.”
In partnership with the DILG, the foundation launched its Gawad Galing Pook search in October 1993, and has since recognized 215 local government units “for outstanding and trailblazing local governance programs.”
The criteria are positive socio-economic and environmental impact, promotion of people’s empowerment, transferability and sustainability, and efficiency of program service delivery.
Today, the panel, led by Dr. Emma Porlo, will meet with Osmeña and City officials and Liga mga mga Lupong Tagapamayapa leaders.
In the afternoon, it will visit Barangay Busay and the members of the DB8 of 8, a group of eight north district barangays that banded together to mutually enforce peace and order in their respective turfs.
Labella wants to come up with more trainings and seminars, including barangay budgeting and financing and tanod training on limits of warrantless arrest. (RHM)
