Friday, October 17, 2008 Pangan: Prioritizing priorities By Benjie R. Pangan At Close Range
THERE are government offices that deal directly with Juan dela Cruz. Offices that need to be attended to by the town or city executives as the former are the "show windows" of the local government units.
I am referring to the Public Employment Service Office or Peso, Civil Registrar and the rural or city health units or centers, which touch base daily with the inhabitants. Here, every Juan, Tomas and Pedro go to get his documents, employment and health requirements.
It is not often that said Juan dela Cruz goes to the budget office, or for that matter, to the treasurer's office to get his daily requirements, except perhaps when he needs to get his business permit or collect on some receivables.
Speaking of the treasurer's office, it is a tough job being in this office as demonstrated by Mabalacat Treasurer Myrna Ocampo and her deputy Marlene Molina-Mendiola as they attend to the mounting payables as fast as the money comes. To their credit, however, they cope up with the pressure of facing up to the claimants and satisfy their claims.
The three offices, namely: Peso, Civil Registrar and the health office or center are the personification of the LGU where they are located and it is the kind of service that they dispense which reflects on what type of governance the officials give to their constituents. And, rightfully, the requirements of these offices deserve to be prioritized, attended to and satisfied, no more, no less.
This piece might be timely as a call to those concerned as the 2009 budget is about to be deliberated on, scrutinized and, hopefully, passed by the Sanggunian. Di ba, Ka Roger T?
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I give it to Engineer Bien Mateo and his officers Lana and Wesley at SM Clark for swiftly reacting to my previous column about the "gap" on a portion of the fence at Bayanihan park.
Bien immediately ordered the repair of the breached portion and instructed personnel assigned thereat to be more alert and vigilant to fend off vagrants who prey on lax security and tempting junk items.
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Parallel recall. Now that the Comelec has approved the recall petition against Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, is it farfetched that a similar petition against Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio be not given due course by the election body?
According to reports, the Comelec director for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Vidzfar Julie disclosed that the Comelec gave merit to the petition because it was signed by more than 10 percent of the registered voters or 50,000 as required by law, out of 400,000 voters in that area.
Julie, however, clarified that the approval of the petition filed in August did not mean that an election will automatically be held as the Comelec has to determine the authenticity of the signatures which exercise will need time and probably extend up to
the prohibited period (for hearing the petition, that is) in 2009.
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Angeles City Administrator Irineo "Bong" Alvaro called me up to say that the P200-million standby credit extended by Land Bank will remain at standby status yet and, definitely, will not be used for any other purpose as that contracted for. Well, ok, Dr. Bong, with or without the standby credit line, Pasko will come through, di ba, kaibigan?
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The Mabalacat Clark extension office will be inaugurated, probably, between November 17 and 20 by Mayor Marino "Boking" Morales who, by the way, will observe his 58th birthday on November 15th.
Costing some P8 million, according to the good mayor, the renovated (and fully furnished) Barn 2081 will host the offices of the mayor, vice mayor, information center, legal counsel, Balacat News, treasurer and other offices deemed vital to the operations of the LGU at Clark.
Someone volunteered a good-natured joke that Mayor Morales will become the first Clark mayor in years!
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Speaking of priorities and accomplishments, the Municipal Agriculturist Office is also an activity-laden unit of the Mabalacat LGU. Headed by Lourdes Balatibat, MAO initiated a season-long training on Green House and Open Field Vegetable Production Technology last October 10 at Barangay Atlu Bola, Mabalacat.
It is to the credit of MAO that projects such as these are being undertaken at the volition and initiative of MAO even though funds are not then available to defray expenses for the projects. Nang aabono muna si Lou at nagbabakasakaling makasingil agad. Well...
