Biliran Mayor prioritizes the “intangibles”

By LANIE PITAO-TUPAZ, PIA Biliran
January 17, 2011

NAVAL, Biliran  –  Unlike other politicians who prefer to give their constituents concrete projects to prove their performance, Biliran Mayor Leandro B. Enage of the province of Biliran, took the unconventional by prioritizing the intangible projects which his constituents cannot see but feel in the long run.

Since his assumption to office in June 30 last year, Mayor Enage first started his job within the very organization he is facing everyday – the municipal employees and officials – where he continuously holds dialogues with the town’s legislators to come up with practically significant ordinances and resolutions, and held their executive budget hearing open to the public in order to know the real sentiments of each employee and official of the local government unit.

Employees were consulted as to their demands for benefits and working conditions where Mayor Enage granted them the extra cash gift as mandated by law, and assured the second phase of salary increase based on the Salary Standardization Law.

Mayor Enage also required LGU employees to undergo a reorientation seminar to reexamine and rehash their conduct as they deal with their clients to be more effective in the delivery of their services.

As a tyro local chief executive who wants to bring progress to the town he calls his home, Mayor Enage is reviewing and studying the resolution and ordinances passed by the Sangguning Bayan so that they will be strictly implemented by the concerned departments.  He also has to learn to say “NO” to demands which are detrimental to public service.

Biliran being a fifth class municipality with an annual budget of more or less P33 million and a population of 14,947 as of August 7, 2007, Mayor Enage made representations with various government agencies in both local and national levels for assistance to fund tangible projects so as not to deplete their meager budget.

The municipality of Biliran received medicines in the amount of P1.6 million from the BANAT Partylist in November last year and was assured to be continuously given medicine donations.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also funded the repair of Brgy. San Isidro Day Care Center.  The repair of Brgy. San Roque will also follow soon with funds from the same source.

The town’s health center is also subjected to renovation and expansion once Senator Zubiri fulfills his commitment to fund the project.

All these efforts may not be tangible to the people but they will soon feel the benefit these “intangible projects” will bring them.