Seminars for barangay executives set to boost competence

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council is now conducting seminars for the members of the barangay justice system and tanods of various villages in the city to boost their efficiency in carrying out tasks like resolving conflicts and enforcing of laws in their respective barangays.

Councilor Edgardo Labella, chairman of the Committee on Laws and Ordinances of the City Council, said he wants that the Lupong Tagapamayapa in Cebu City will be adjudged again as the outstanding barangay mediators nationwide as what it had reaped in 2007.

Public accountability, implementation of ordinances, and drug enforcement are the other topics discussed during the seminars.

Labella said that over a year ago, the Galing Pook Foundation also awarded Cebu City’s efforts to strengthen the barangay justice system that inspired other local government units to emulate the steps.

The Katarungang Pambarangay is a collective force of barangay lupon members who exhaust their time, skills and knowledge so the opposing constituents’ opinions and disagreements, private or public, may be amicably settled within the barangay level.

The battery of lecturers who shared their knowledge to the participants are Ombudsman special prosecutor Pio Dargantes, city legal consultant Jose Glenn Capanas, city registrar Evangeline Abatayo, Undersecretary Clarence Paul Oaminal of the Dangerous Drugs Board, and Labella himself.

According to Labella, the seminar that started this month is intended to raise the level of awareness and enrich the working knowledge and skills of participating barangay officials so that they can “act more with competence and respectability in the exercise of their duties and responsibilities.” – Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)