Barangay assembly live over radio

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and barangay officials of Culiat will join Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr. in a live nationwide broadcast of the conduct of barangay assembly tomorrow, the Department of Interior and Local Government said yesterday.

Eduardo Soliman, DILG undersecretary for local governments, said the live nationwide broadcast of the Barangay Assembly in Culiat will be aired over all 32 radio stations of government-run Radio ng Bayan from 9:30 a.m to 11 a.m.

Apart from Belmonte and Lina, the assembly will also be attended by the Liga ng Barangay national president James Marty Lim.

"During the broadcast Lina, Belmonte and Lim will be part of a panel that will answer questions from barangay constituents on matters pertaining to barangay governance," Soliman said.

Belmonte, who was recently chosen as the most outstanding city mayor in the Philippines, is expected to share his strategies in making the city the richest in the country.

Among the priorities of the mayor is the empowerment of barangays, giving them their share of real estate taxes.

Earlier, Lina directed local chief executives, including barangay chairmen, to undertake activities that would set a festive mood in the conduct of the Barangay Assembly in their localities.

Among the activities encouraged by the DILG is the holding of agro-industrial fairs, job fairs, tree planting, prayer rallies and photo exhibits of barangay projects.

The holding of Barangay Assembly Day is provided for in Section 347 of the Local Government Code of 1991, which mandates the conduct of a barangay assembly at least twice a year to enable barangay officials to interface with their residents to discuss issues affecting their constituents. – Perseus Echeminada