The Very First Orientation

Invitees to the first People's CALL were given orientation regarding the mechanics of the program. This included expounding on the rationale of People's CALL, backgrounder on the sanggunian composition and function, the legislation process, goals and potentials of the program to the community in terms of local legislation, and what it may translate to eventually. 

Questions were entertained; clarifications were made (hopefully). How is the People's CALL different from the Sanggunian? What will be the role of this people's council? Will there be an overlapping of functions? Will they be recognized by the municipal council? It being a work in progress, suggestions and other concerns were also noted down.

NOTE:

Representation to the People's Council in Aid of Local Legislation has to be varied and encompassing, a good mix that will best serve its purpose. For example, since Pandi is mainly an agricultural community, farmers, livestock,  and farming land owners must have representation; so are cooperatives abounding in the municipality (and excelling, may I add, as evidenced by national and provincial awards received), and therefore warranting due representation too, aside from the public transport groups of TODA and JODA. 

This is one critical feature of the People's CALL --- the membership mix may vary from one place to another, depending on the character, attributes, and needs of the municipality, city, or province.

Another key feature is that aside from sector consideration, supporters of the different political colors are enjoined to be part of the people's council, as it is one avenue wherein they may discuss and clarify matters in a peaceful way, and make a collective decision for the common good.

Personal intentions should be set aside when convening the People's CALL.

People's CALL under the Kasangguni Program

People's CALL is actually just part and parcel of a comprehensive program created for the Sangguniang Bayan of Pandi, to actively encourage the constituents to participate in local legislation. The following are lifted from the concept paper of the said program, referred to as Kasangguni sa Barangay Program (KBP) or Kasangguni Program.

"The Municipality of Pandi in the Province of Bulacan is comprised of twenty-two (22) barangays, with a total land area of 31.2 km2. Recent statistics estimate its current population at 60,637 inhabitants in 9,817 households.

The Local Government Unit is composed of two major units --- the Executive unit, headed by the Mayor/ Local Chief Executive, and the Legislative unit (the Sangguniang Bayan, also referred to as the Legislative Department), headed by the Vice Mayor/ Vice Local Chief Executive.

All legislative actions emanate from the Legislative Department, to be implemented by the Executive arm.  It is therefore imperative to emphasize the importance of the role of the Sangguniang Bayan to come up with quality legislations that will bring about efficient management of the municipality systems and programs, and to push the community to real, continuous progress.

This program aims to uphold the true essence of the word “sanggunian,” that is, opening the channels of communication between the local government officials and the People of Pandi.

Constant communication with the people will ensure that legislations that are being drafted, proposed, and approved at the Sangguniang Bayan are representative of, and truly responsive to, the needs of the community; legislations that are timely, encompassing, proactive.

As the municipality of Pandi is divided into 22 barangays, for purposes of ease of implementation, it will be thru the context of the barangay that this program will be referred to. The Office of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) will actively encourage the participation of the people from the different barangays in its activities pertaining to legislation."  

Programs under the KBP may be in any of the following:

1.Consultations with barangay officials

2.Community outreach programs

3.Creation of a council of representatives from the different sectors/barangays of Pandi

4. Creation of a social platform for constituent consultations thru the use of information technology

Post-launch acknowledgements

Much, much gratitude is extended to the following for making the launch of the People's CALL a success!

Hon. Antonio Trillanes IV, Senator of the Republic of the Philippines, for leading the oath of the members of the very first People's Council in Aid of Local Legislation, for being the Keynote Speaker, and for witnessing the event. The senator is the Chairperson of Civil Service and Government Reorganization Committee, and Select Oversight Committee on Government Procurement (very apt guest indeed for Pandi at this time).

Also on hand to support the program is 2nd District Board Member Atty. Ramon "Monet" Posadas, a prominent provincial legislator, as well as VMLP-Bulacan colleagues Hon. Rolando Centeno of San Ildefonso, Hon. Gemma Sevilla-Alcantara of San Miguel, and Hon. Jojo Manzano of Meycauayan City.

The support of VMLP (National), as evidenced by the presence of Executive Director Mr. Kriss Abcede and Staff Ms. May Diongco is sincerely appreciated, in behalf of league President and VM of City of Manila Hon. Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and VMLP Administrator Coun. Letlet Zarcal; touching even are the congratulatory messages sent by Hon. Randy Begtang, CAR Regional Chairman and VM of Conner, Apayao; Hon. Julius Caesar Platon II, VM of Tanaun City, Batangas, Hon. Ken Uyguangco, Region X Chairman and VM of Median, Misamis Oriental; and National Executive Board members whose messages were played to the launch attendees: Hon. Efren Victor Chatto, VP for Visayas and VM of Balilihan, Bohol; Hon. Patri Chan, VP for Mindanao and VM of Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte; Hon. Allan Rellon, Secretary General and VM of Tagum City, Davao del Norte. Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao --- thank you so much from Pandi, Bulacan! 

Thank you for assisting in the launch, and for supporting this endeavor --- PSKP Officers and members, SB Pandi Staff, Army Reservists of Bulacan, Dunkin Donuts Bulacan, Mr. James Go, Multivite, Mr. Severino de Castro, Cong. Pedro Pancho, Mr. Jerome Arriola, Mr. Jun Santos, Dr. Mirasol Sandel, Mr. Ben dela Cruz, Mr. Eric Santos, PNP-Pandi, Pro-bikers Club, Barangay Officials, and, the People of Pandi.... it is for you that this program was conceptualized. Through People's CALL, all Pandienos are, in turn, being called to be rightfully empowered.

Yes, you have all the right to participate in local governance.

Citizen Empowerment through People's CALL

Reposting for this site.

“Through People’s CALL, we aim to proactively support the national government’s call for good governance as well as promote participative governance and citizen empowerment. We believe that through active participation in legislation, citizens can shape the future of their community,” said Pandi Vice Mayor Dr. Maria Rachel Santos-Oca.

                According to Dr. Santos-Oca, People’s CALL aims to establish an avenue for direct collaboration between municipal legislators and their constituents. “Actively consulting our constituents will help enhance the legislative and oversight performance of the Sangguniang Bayan. This is the true essence of sanggunian,” she explained. The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) is the legislature of municipal governments in the Philippines. The Vice Mayor serves as the presiding officer of the SB, whose members consist of elected town councilors and two ex officio members: the president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). The SB passes ordinances and resolutions for the effective administration of the municipality.

                People’s CALL also aims to strengthen public-private sector partnership in Pandi, Dr. Santos-Oca said. “Through People’s CALL, the Pandi local government will benefit in maximizing community resources in aid of legislation by seeking the voluntary assistance of our constituents in the form of their professional, experiential and technical expertise.”

                To ensure fair and equitable representation, the Pandi Legislative Department Head invited as People’s CALL members reputable Pandi residents who are affiliated with all political parties, from pro-administration to opposition groups. “We want to hear and discuss our constituents’ views and concerns, regardless of their political affiliation. While People’s CALL encourages enlightened dissent and debate, its members are united by the common goal of achieving what is good for the municipality and its residents,” stressed Dr. Santos-Oca.

                People’s CALL is composed of Pandi residents involved in the following sectors: agriculture, business,  cooperatives, education (formal and informal), environment, health care, information technology (IT), legal, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), public transport (Jeepney and Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association), senior citizens, women, and youth. Other invited council members include former SB members, current elected and appointed barangay offficials. A representative from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is invited to observe meetings of the People's CALL. As the Local Vice Chief Executive and Head of the Legislative Department of the LGU, Dr. Santos-Oca will chair People’sCALL.

                People’s CALL members will meet at least once a month to discuss and propose recommendations that may help the SB draft and pass ordinances and resolutions that are appropriate, timely, effective and beneficial to the community. To ensure transparency and promote participative governance, People’s CALL members will also communicate to their constituents in the sector they represent truthful information pertaining to local legislation as well as gather constituent feedback.“The ultimate goal of People’s Call is to ensure constant consultation with our constituents so that local legislators can pass quality legislation that is truly responsive to the needs of the people of Pandi,” said Dr. Santos-Oca.

                The oath taking ceremony will be held at the Inang Pilipina Shrine in Pandi’s historic barrio, Real de Cacarong wherein an estimated 6,000 Katipuneros from various Bulacan towns built a fort to establish the Cacarong Republic, the first organized revolutionary government against Spanish rule that antedated the Malolos and Biak-na-Bato Republics. One of the Katipuneros stationed at that time in Real de Cacarong was a young lieutenant named Gregorio del Pilar.

                According to the Vice Mayor’s League of the Philippines (VMLP), the People’s CALL, having been initiated by the legislative arm of an LGU for its purpose, is the first council of its kind to be organized in the country. “Indeed,” said Dr. Santos-Oca, “it is only fitting to launch this historic event in Real de Cacarong to pay tribute to our brave Filipino heroes who fought for truth, justice and freedom.”  - by EMS