Sta Rita drum n lyre

Sta Rita won the Gawad Kalasag

GMA AWARDS OLONGAPO CITY BARANGAYS & OCDCC

Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo handed plaques of recognitions to city and barangay officials of Olongapo at the awarding ceremonies held at Malacañang Palace on August 12, 2009.

President Arroyo awarded the following recognitions to Olongapo:

1. Gawad Kalasag for Olongapo City Disaster Coordinating Council,
2. Gawad Kalasag for Barangay Sta. Rita, and
3. 1st Runner-Up, Highly Urbanized Cities (HUC) category, Barangay
East Tapinac’s Lupong Tagapamayapa (LT).

Among the officials who represented the city at the said event were councilors Rodel Cerezo and Gina Perez, DILG City Director Eliseo de Guzman, Angelito Layug of DMO, Brgy. Captain Ben Franco of East Tapinac and Brgy. Captain Jerome Bacay of Sta. Rita.

East Tapinac bagged the said award due to its exemplary accomplishments in the procedural mechanism of the LT of Katarungang Pambarangay (KP). Earlier, East Tapinac was adjudged having the best LT in Central Luzon. Aside from using computerized data base for its KP, East Tapinac was the only lupon in HUC category that issues Barangay Protection Order (BPO) in compliance with RA 9262, in cases involving violence against women and children

On the other hand, the Olongapo City Disaster Coordinating Council (OCDCC) and Barangay Sta. Rita received the Gawad Kalasag recognitions for their commendable disaster risk management and preparedness programs. The OCDCC was also cited as Hall of Fame Awardee at the Regional Gawad Kalasag given at Camp Olivas last July 28, 2009.

“The awards and recognitions that Olongapo City received are all anchored to the excellent delivery of services provided by the men and women working in the local government. Let us continue to Fight for Excellence!” said Mayor James “Bong” Gordon Jr.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded three (3) plaques of recognitions to Olongapo City for the following feats: Gawad Kalasag for the Olongapo City Disaster Coordinating Council (OCDCC), Gawad Kalasag for Brgy. Sta. Rita and 1st Runner-up award for East Tapinac’s Lupong Tagapamayapa. Among the city officials who attended the awarding ceremonies held at the Malacañang Palace were (from the right) City Councilor Rodel Cerezo, Brgy. Captain Jerome Bacay, Brgy. Captain Ben Franco, Olongapo City adopted daughter and Buhay Party-List Representative Carissa Coscolluela, Angelito Layug, Councilor Gina Perez and Brgy. Sta Rita Kagawad Eric Jahnke.

Councilor Ed Piano infrastructure projects

PUBLIC SERVICE - INFRASTRUCTURES

Inspection of footbridge FOR REPAIR @ TALISAY ST. connecting Barangay Sta Rita and GORDON HEIGHTS .

ONE OF PROJECTS OF OLONGAPO SKILLS TRAINING CENTER UNDER COUNCILOR PIANO

WELDER TRAINEES WELD I –BEAM TO BE USE IN TALISAY FOOTBRIDGe SHOWN HERE PREPARING SOME COUNTER-WEIGHTS FOR BASKETBALL COURT

Students and Scouting, Child Friendly Brgy Sta Rita

CHILD FRIENDLY

Read along session being conducted by Councilor Ed Piano in various elementary schools
Scouting prepares future leaders

Using games and story-telling to start kid's interest in reading

Barangay Consultation

BARANGAY CONSULTATION. Mr. Piano conducts regular visits to the city’s 17 barangays to check the implementation of city ordinances, whether these are working according to the legislators’ intention or there are flaws that needed amendment. At the same time, he also hears out the problems and grievances of residents and later tries to find ways by which the city government could act on the matter.

Public consultation being a major part of legislation and public service, Councilor Piano sees to it that he personally talks to his constituents to give them relevant informations and hear their requests and opinions on matters at hand. Photos show Councilor Piano with barangay officials and residents.

Councilor Ed Piano took the chance to speak to his kabarangays during the activity at Tabacuan Sta Rita

Olongapo Sta Rita Tabacuan flood

Sta Rita Drum and Lyre: Best Band in the City

Barangay Sta. Rita information

Barangay sta. Rita is the largest of all the 17 barangays of the city. It is bounded to the north by sta. Rita river, to the east by east bajac-bajac, to the west by barangay mabayuan and barangay gordon heights and to the south by barangay old cabalan.

Barangay sta. Rita is generally a flat valley bounded by mountain ranges and the sta. Rita river that serves as the catch basin of water during rainy season. Its land elevation is below sea level and considered the flood plain of the city of olongapo. Flooding that occurred can be attributed to the overflowing of the mabayuan and sta. Rita river where strong water emanated from the mountains surrounding it.

The shallowing of the river brought about by the eruption of mount pinatubo in 1992 is also one factor in the frequent flooding of the area. Dredging is given priority top priority with the simoultaneous operation of two dredging machne.

In spite of all the aforesaid difficulties, barangay sta. Rita is considered the most active barangay in terms of development. It surpasses other barangays in terms of number of puroks, number of population and the vastness of land area. Horticulture and residential lands exist.

Sta Rita Barangay Official Directory

STA. RITA 222 - 4172
Capt Jerome Michael Bacay 0919-647-9402
Raquel Y. Atienza Councilor 0920-928-4326
Rodolfo Neil Guevarra Councilor 0921-446-9775
Eric P. Jahnke Councilor 0918-618-8524
Emerlito Linus D. Bacay Councilor 0920-823-7317
Rosita J. Piano Councilor 0927-518-7592
Elsa V. Flores Councilor 0918-369-6329
Virginia C. Bitangcol Councilor 0916-259-6759
Sk. Chair. Mo-an De Guzman Sk Chairman 0928-546-1038

Disaster Readiness and Mitigation activities

FLOOD CONTROL AND ROAD CLEARING OPERATION

Turn-over of 2,000 sacks for sandbagging operation tomorrow at Sta Rita Village and Jolo Tabacuan.

Meeting with brgy officials: Capt Bacay, kgds, purok leaders

Councilors Piano and Cerezo supervises the flood control and debris clearing operation after typhoon "labuyo" and "Maring" where 80% of the city's roads were affected

Sta Rita pambato sa Gawad Kalasag

BARANGAY STA. RITA ADVANCES TO NAT’L LEVEL OF GAWAD KALASAG 2009

The Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council (BDCC) of Barangay Sta. Rita is one of the finalists for this year’s Best BDCC in the urban category of the 2009 Gawad Kalasag award.

“This is a first for Barangay Sta. Rita. After being hailed as the Best BDCC in the Regional Level, they automatically qualified for the National Level of the Gawad Kalasag 2009,” according to Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr.

Originally pitted against two other cities, Bacolod and Davao City, Barangay Sta. Rita is now set to go one-on-one against Davao after Bacolod dropped out of the competition.

According to Captain Jerome Michael Bacay, “Barangay Sta. Rita takes pride in having our own Fire Rescue and Disaster Response Unit with Chief Arturo De Jesus.”

The said unit provides immediate response to emergency situations in the barangay during calamities and other disaster situations and even responding to calls outside the bgy.

“Patuloy kaming sinusuportahan ni Mayor Bong Gordon sa pamamagitan ng mga trainings at kagamitan na ipinagkakaloob niya sa aming barangay. Malaking tulong din na kaagapay ng mga barangay officials ang aming mga kabarangay sa pag-iwas sa sakuna. Kung walang kooperasyon ang lahat, hindi natin makakamit ang ganitong pagkilala,” added Bacay.

A validating team visited the city recently and assessed the barangay based on their basic disaster management capability. The validating team was headed by Regional Disaster Coordinating Council Director Neri Amparo. Also part of the team were Dionisio Magayanes, Jr., Angelo Pailando, Crsipina Abat, Engr. Edmundo Fernandez and Tessie Castañeda.

Gordon is encouraging other barangays in the city to strengthen their disaster management plans. “Let us continue what Barangay Sta. Rita has started. They were recognized in the national level and helped make Olongapo City more competitive. Naghahanda din ang lungsod para sa Best City Disaster Coordinating Council category ng Gawad Kalasag,” remarked Gordon.

The Gawad Kalasag (Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan) has been promoting total disaster risk management among local disaster coordinating councils.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has been actively providing incentives and awards with the hope of strengthening the spirit of volunteerism among private and public emergency responders and enhancing monitoring systems in the national and local levels through the Kalasag Awards.

Pista ng Sto Nino sa Purok 1 Sta Rita

Viva El Sto. Niño!

Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. and Olongapo First Lady Zambales Vice Governor Anne Marie Gordon conveyed their greetings to the residents of Barangay Sta. Rita and the devotees of the Patron Saint Sto. Niño in celebration of its feast day on January 18, 2009.

In a message, Mayor Gordon said, “panahon na naman ng pasasalamat sa taong nagdaan at paghingi muli ng gabay at biyaya sa darating na taon.”

“The yearly celebration in honor of the beloved patron is among the most effective way of gathering people and keeping the spirit of the Christian community alive,” he added.

The feast day of Sto. Niño commemorates the beginnings of Christianity in the country. The celebration also reminds catholics that true devotion should reflect concern to the less fortunate, most especially the children.

In closing, Mayor Gordon reminded that “as we honor the image of the Child Jesus, may we be inspired by the simplicity, humbleness and unconditional faith of a child.”

The City Government of Olongapo is joining the community in this peaceful and successful celebration in honor of the beloved patron saint, Sto. Niño.

Señor Sto. Niño, patron saint of Barangay Sta. Rita, will celebrate its feast day on January 18, 2009.