NINE barangay finalists in the province are vying for this year’s Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards (LTIA).

The Provincial Awards Committee (PAC) of the LTIA of Negros Oriental has been visiting nine villages for an onsite assessment and validation of its lupon performance and operations as it vies for outstanding barangay justice committees or lupong tagapamayapa for their excellent performance in settling neighborhood disputes.

The committee also evaluated the lupon’s conduct of settlement procedure, techniques, proper and systematic recording of every disputes.

But it is noted that mediation, conciliation, and arbitration take a lot of wisdom, patience and understanding to hear cases for the speedy administration of justice at the barangay level.

The Lupong Tagapamayapa is an administrative body created by law to perform as barangay justice system or Katarungang Pambarangay (KP) to provide a venue for amicable settlement of disputes and prevent the costly filing of cases in regular courts.

This year’s LTIA nominees include Poblacion of Sta. Catalina, Puhagan of Valencia, and South Poblacion of La Libertad for the first and third class municipalities category.

Villages in the component cities category entries involve barangays Buñao of Dumaguete City and Pobacion 2 of Bais City.

For the fourth to sixth class municipalities, barangays that participated are Tupas of Manjuyod, Ba-e of Jimalalud, Linantayan, Basay and San Miguel, Bacong.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government is set to recognize the outstanding barangay justice committees or lupong tagapamayapa as soon as the onsite and table assessments are done by the PAC. (PIA)