Laoang Lady Mayor institutionalizes anti-poverty initiatives of the national government

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
July 23, 2010

TACLOBAN CITY  –  Lady Mayor Madeleine Mendoza-Ong of Laoang, Northern Samar, is indeed a champion Mayor.

Under her steadfast leadership, her municipality has showed other municipalities how every local government units must align its programs with that of the national government in order to have synchronized development process.

After the prescribed three-year implementation of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) in Laoang, the Lady Mayor has approved Ordinance No. 130, S.210, firming up its commitment to adopt the project’s principles and processes.

The KALAHI-CIDSS is the country’s flagship anti-poverty community development project being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The ordinance created the Municipal Coordinating Team of the Municipal Community Driven Center as an institutional mechanism to ensure the adoption and sustainability of the completed KALAHI-CIDSS sub-projects.

The Ordinance explicitly stated that even if the project has been completed, principles and processes will be integrated into the municipal local government development and planning framework.

By adopting processes and principles of transparency and accountability inherent in the KALAHI-CIDSS Community Empowerment Activity Cycle, problems needing immediate solutions will continue to be identified in the respective barangays and appropriate funds will be allocated where these are badly needed. Careful identification need to be done since there are 56 barangays in the municipality.

Selected volunteers will take the lead in implementing and managing subprojects as well as see to the operations and maintenance of completed structures.

The ordinance took effect last June 30, 2010, 15 days after the regular June 15 session of the Sangguniang Bayan convened by Vice-Mayor Fred Daenaneas. The legislation was duly approved by Mayor Mendoza-Ong.

Overseeing the processes and the volunteers will be the responsibility of the Municipal Coordinating Team under the direct supervision of Mayor Madeleine Mendoza-Ong.

The team is composed of one municipal area coordinator, a municipal community driven development specialist, one technical assistant, one municipal finance analyst, and two municipal roving bookkeepers. The team is supported by an administrative staff, utility worker, and one draftsman.

Funding for the maintenance and operations of the municipal coordinating team was drawn from the 20 percent Economic Development Fund (EDF).

Available savings from the General Fund will also be tapped for the team’s operations.

Moreover, in anticipation of future development projects, Mayor Ong is eyeing for negotiations with the Development Bank of the Philippines, the Municipal Development Fund Office, the PDAF allocation of Rep. Emil Ong, senators and Party List representatives, small embassy funds, and funding networks of civil society organizations for funds that will finance development projects in the barangays.