Allan: Accountability

HERE, I share a portion of my speech during the flag ceremony last February 8, 2021. When Mayor Benjamin Magalong took the lead of Baguio, he has not monopolized Monday speeches but has allowed members of the City council to take turns as a speaker.

I was informed by the host- the human resource department that the character focus of this week is accountability. A constant reminder that Baguio is a character city.

The first time I did a report card was just after crossing the 100 days as an elected official, we are now on our one and a half year of government service. Let me give a short account on that we have done during the pandemic, as it has challenged me and others to hold the helm of innovation, new learnings, and new strategies.

Never did my office slacken in our pursuit of good governance, commitment and dedication to serve our people and our city. The pandemic has taught us how to use the zoom, the chat groups, the webinar, Viber, WhatsApp, social media and other programs and applications to continue communication towards accomplishing our goals in our work.

Our office was the first to implement the blended SP public consultation -- partly in zoom, FB and face to face. My team and I are accountable, being the chairperson on market, trade, commerce and agriculture and being a member of several executive committees and groups. We have passed developmental ordinances including the coffee processing center ordinance, the creation of the barangay agriculture and fisheries council (BAFC) and passed several resolutions that redound to the benefit of our constituents, like - urging business in the barangay to register, allowing temporary satellite markets to operate during the pandemic.

Pending in the city council are proposed ordinances including the need to train our meat vendors towards a zero violation and better meat market; monitoring of Agri chemicals in our market, the Gibraltar satellite market and other relevant ordinances.

As part of an accountable governance -- our office has conducted activities helping the people in the market and homeowners with the market to home delivery in Baguio and helped in implementing the barangay market day ordinance.

Although being a highly urbanized city, we have agriculture. At the start of the year, we have passed the resolution changing the name of the office to City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) passed the agriculture plan, passed the agriculture barangays, passed the resolution giving the city organized farmer's coop a stall in the city market.

Our committee was tasked to help organize 5 BAFC, we surpassed that -- as we now have 8 BAFC and conducted training for them to register and undertake a project. We are working with CVAO, DA and Mayor's office towards the Baguio coffee brand, mushroom project, a rabbit project and urban agriculture.

Accountability is taking my governmental responsibility seriously. I know, I will not be in government for the rest of my life. This is my 4 and a half years in government and I realize that boldness, honestly, truthfulness, compassion, openness, single mindedness, determination and perseverance are interpreted differently and sometimes taken negatively.

Accountability is sharing to co-workers -- the dream, the goal I wish to accomplish. Accountability is making others feel comfortable taking full responsibility of one's words and actions and the confidence in saying "sorry" and "thank you."

I am not a doctor of medicine but a doctor of philosophy - accountability means being responsible in obeying health protocols during this pandemic. Being considerate and compassionate to those who have turned Covid-19 positive, and being supportive to our front liners. We are held liable on how we act towards others.

I believe our City Mayor Magalong has shown us exemplary leadership and accountability during these trying times. He needs our cooperation and understanding.

Accountability is being responsible to God almighty, the creator and finisher of life. So that when we pass on from this state and go back to him, we could say, "God, you gave me life and this is what I have done so that your kingdom on earth increase, showed compassion and now I give the full account of my life." It is our life not the life of others that we are held accountable. As Romans 14:12 says "so then each one of us will give an account of himself to god."

It is knowing that whatever we do here on earth -- is a responsibility...we report back to our creator how we lived as a family, as a worker, as a servant. Let us be mindful that life is borrowed and be accounted on how we lived it when we meet our maker.

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