Sultan sa Barongis LGU moves closer to people

MITIGATION --- Mayor Ramdatu Angas of Sultan Sa Barongis leads a recent clean-up drive with local government personnel as part of the advocacy on disaster prevention and mitigation. The mayor encourages the town residents to do their fair share since their town is a low-lying area and often visited by floods. (JP Alamada – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

COTABATO CITY --- The municipality of Sultan Sa Barongis in the province of Maguindanao is bound to reach the farthest communities as the local government, through its barangay visitation program, would extend government services to the grassroots.

Mayor Ramdatu Angas said the intent of their program is to bring the government closer to the people and to ensure that constituents are not deprived of basic services due to them.

“At least once-a-month, our department heads and the work force behind them shall personally go down to the grassroots and deliver basic services of the government,” he said.

Angas said this also part of strengthening their campaign against illegal drugs down to the barangay level.

“Livelihood, Philhealth for senior citizens, health services, civil registration, tax assessment and collection, agricultural and social welfare services, among others, are made available to the people,” he said.

Angas said they are also scheduled to conduct focus group discussions with the grassroots so they would know about their issues and concerns.

“This new approach of the municipal government would save time, money, and effort of our people, particularly, those from far-flung areas who have limited access to government services,” said Angas.

Under this program, key LGU service departments will hold simultaneous one-day office in each barangay until all the barangays are being covered.

Along with making government services more accessible to the barangays, it also aims to expose LGU personnel to different realities and situations in the barangays, and in the process, would enhance their foresight and capacity to respond to people’s concerns.

Meanwhile, the local government together with the Department of Social Welfare and Development have conducted last January 11 a pay-out to pensioners of senior citizens as well provided them with groceries, umbrella for old women, and hats for old men.

The town is also a recipient of the P10 million allocation of the 2016 Salintubig program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Angas, alongside other Maguindanao chief executives, was present during a recent invitation of President Rodrigo R. Duterte in Malacañang Palace, which the mayor described as a “loyalty check” in support to the President’s programs and government direction.

Sultan sa Barongis is politically subdivided into 12 barangays, Angkayamat, Barurao, Bulod, Darampua, Gadungan, Kulambog, Langgapanan, Masulot, Papakan, Tugal, Tukanakuden, and Paldong. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE B. ACOSTA - MINDANAO EXPOSE’)