Bula town approved the ordinance that institutionalizes the Municipal Talakayan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS) being the fourth municipality in Bicol Region to adopt such activity.

The Municipal Talakayan is an evaluation tool which has been designed as face-to-face interaction with the people and government to discuss the overall development of municipalities being assisted by DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS.

Since the evaluation was proven effective in achieving government transparency and accountability, the local government unit (LGU) accepted Talakayan as their annual activity that shall be done on the 3^rd day of April coinciding the founding anniversary of the town.

Based on the ordinance, the LGU shall provide the development status on governance, poverty reduction and people empowerment.

An initial budget of Php500,000.00 will be allocated and an increment of 20% every other year for the implementation of the activity.

According to Glenn Genio, municipal councilor and author of Municipal Talakayan Ordinance, an LGU is effective if people are included in discussing the development and direction of the municipality.

“Itong Talakayan ay magiging basehan ng local government para sa susunod na badyet kung saan tatanunging at kokonsultahin ang lahat na sektor sa ganitong paraan mas binubuhay nito ang people empowerment (This activity will be the basis of the local government for the next budgeting where people from various sectors will be asked or consulted in this way, stimulating people empowerment),” he explained.

Other LGUs that adopted Municipal Talakayan are Viga in Catanduanes, Gainza and Ragay in Camarines Sur.

INSTITUTIONALIZING COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT (CDD)

For Mary Ruth Parro, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (MPDC), the local government have decided to institutionalize Talakayan considering DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS is about to end this 2019 and the beauty of the process.

Parro explained that one of the benefits of CDD Institutionalization is the effectiveness of programs coming from the needs of the people.

“For a long time, the national government even the local government are implementing programs and plans that are detached from the real need of the people because of CDD, it is better if people themselves will voice out their needs, identify the possible solutions and are part in the implementation and monitoring of the operations of the project,” she said.

The MPDC also added that government officials need to work hard to include people in everything they are doing in the local government with the help of the national government. /ramsertan/