Empowering barangays to achieve inclusive growth
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will institutionalize the people’s participation in the government to pave the way for economic gains and opportunities that will trickle down to the masses.
This, according to Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco saying that Duterte is expected to issue an executive order (EO) formalizing the organization of “Kilusang Pagbabago,” touted as an effective measure to achieve inclusive groweth. The draft of the EO has been forwarded to the Office of the President.
“This is part of the social agenda (malasakit) of the Duterte administration. We have to organize our people, people in the barangays should be empowered to enable them to have the capacity to evaluate their needs and capacity to identify the responses to their needs,” he said in a round table interview with Davao reporters last August 18 at the sidelines of the Malasakit at Pagbabago Social Development Initiatives Consultation Summit at the SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang Premier.
The EO is expected to be inked within the next few days or within the first 100 days of the Duterte administration.
Evasco said the budget department has already committed to support the initiative as the government is bound to offer help to people in terms of allocating funds to address their needs.
Every barangay, Evasco said, should have “Kilusang Pagbabago.”
“We will make this (Kilusang Pagbabago) as a precondition for the people to get the goods, people should organize first,” he said.
He emphasized that livelihood opportunities are necessary ways which grassroots populations can and should avail
Evasco also shared that after the recently concluded summit, more Issue-driven sectoral summits including those for health, education, the environment, and housing are expected to follow.
“We care for our people, children, young and old. How do you care for people? You care for the people by addressing poverty that cuts across all sectors,” he said.
Meanwhile, Evasco said that the existing conditional cash transfer program dubbed as 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) will continue but will be subject to a “comprehensive review” to ensure that beneficiaries will use the financial assistance where it should be applied and not for other purposes.