'Malacañang sa Sugbo' to serve as ‘People’s Palace

CEBU - Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, revealed the re-establishment of the so-called "Malacañang sa Sugbo" which shall serve as the "People’s Palace" in the Visayas region.

“The Malacañang sa Sugbo is a place accessible not only to government officials and local government units but most especially to the ordinary masses that want to elevate concerns to our office,” Dino said.

Dino said he plans to establish a Presidential Action Center once the Malacañang sa Sugbo officially opens in October.

He said this would complement the services of government and "let the people feel connected to Malacañang" - the official residence of the President.

“When we talk about Malacañang, it seems a place that is very inaccessible and out of reach especially to the people in the Visayas. And through our office, we hope to change that by bringing Malacañang closer to the people,” Dino said.

Dino said he also plans to place coordinators in the different regions so that people in Visayas could have immediate access to his office and know their concerns.

"With coordinators in place, concerns can immediately be brought to my attention and swift actions can then be taken to resolve urgent problems," he said.

Dino recently visited Samar, Tacloban and Bohol provinces and there he found out that there is much to be done, especially in areas with high poverty incidence. He also noted that sometimes "politicking" gets in the way in the delivery of basic services to the people.

But the common problems faced by the present administration in the Visayas are still illegal drugs and corruption, he said.

Dino said he would try to do all he can to make a difference in the lives of the people, especially the marginalized sectors, as he urged government agencies to do its job and deliver their services with compassion.