Know your barangay

Knowing your barangay (Part 1)

IN a couple of months, we will once again be in the midst of another electoral exercise. The joint Barangay and SK Elections shall be held on the 25th of October 2010. It seems however that the fervor and the energy we had in the recently held National Polls had dissipated because some voters feel that this is not worth the time and effort. Many of which has this misconception that this electoral exercise does not have much impact on our political landscape as a whole. “Barangay Elections lang naman ’yan” is the common remark we would encounter. But as the saying goes... everything starts small. Transforming our political culture begins in the way we perceive the community politics of our barangays. Allow me to reflect with you on this regard. A barangay is the smallest local government unit in the Philippines and is very similar to a village or a town. Municipalities and Cities are composed of barangays. Each barangay is headed by a barangay captain (punong barangay) who leads the barangay council (sangguniang barangay) composed of barangay councilors (kagawad). Every barangay also has a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) (Youth Council), composed of the SK President or Chairman and SK Councilors, who direct the youth-oriented activities, such as basketball leagues, in the barangay. Historically, the term barangay refers to a community of around 50 to 100 families. The word itself comes from the Malay balangay, which means, “boat.” This connection between community and boat supports theories on the history of the pre-colonial Philippines, that each original coastal “barangay” was formed as a result of a single or a group of settlers arriving by boat from other places in Southeast Asia. The main philosophy behind the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC) rests on the concept of devolution. Devolution is the mandatory process whereby there is transfer of powers and responsibilities (delivery of basic services and exercise of regulatory powers), personnel, assets and resources from the national government to the local government units. Why devolution? To promote our country’s development. How does devolution make that possible? (a) It enables maximum participation of the people in decision making, resulting in decisions more responsive to the people’s needs; (b) It promotes greater self-reliance among Local Government Units (LGUs); (c) It reduces red tape and bureaucracy, hastening decision-making processes; and (d) It relieves central government of functions which can be handled more efficiently at lower levels. Experience has likewise shown disadvantages of centralization of government powers, which is the concentration of development only in urban centers, particularly Metro Manila, and the neglect of the rural areas where 60% of the Filipinos live. The Development Philosophy behind the LGC: Local officials are viewed as area development managers rather than mere administrators of national development programs. As such, they are tasked to ensure the balanced, holistic and sustainable development of their own communities. Consequently, the LGC has expanded these officials’ powers and responsibilities. Genuine Democracy in the Context of Devolution implies: (a) we need to deepen and strengthen democratic processes and institutions that will ensure Good Governance (transparency, accountability, meaningful people’s participation and responsive governance); (b) We need to continue our call for reforms through non-violence and active participation; (c) We need to listen to and uphold the “voice of the people”; (d) We need to provide effective and efficient basic services; (e) We need to promote an equitable wealth distribution and to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. * * * For any personal comments or suggestions, you may call the PPCRV National Office at 521-5005 or e-mail us at parishpcrv@yahoo.com /csorita@yahoo.com or visit us in our website at www.ppcrv.org.