LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – Poblacion West Barangay Council officials, led by Punong Barangay Simplicia Dipia-o, pushed recently the construction of a new two-storey multi-purpose barangay hall which they said to be integral to the delivery of fundamental services to their constituents.
Punong Barangay Dipia-o said it could be built according to better designs, modern-day standards and must be able to operate on a larger scale, unlike its current one, as the need arises.
“A barangay hall similar to the ones in Metro Manila could be operated with the feeling of coping up with the ever increasing needs of our people,” she said.
“We’ve seen the extent of the needs and wants of residents here for so many years and the clamor to have a new barangay is mounting each day,” she added.
Presently, barangay government officials conduct council meetings at the cramped barangay hall adjacent to an equally congested day care center. The barangay hall is a very old structure. It is simply crazy and stupid to ignore this concern. This attitude will produce nothing at all. An individual with a caveman’s mentality should not be allowed to say anything against the plan.
Barangay council operations are not only affected by the limited space but also the perception of villagers and visitors, causing a negative impact.
All told, the confidence and productivity of the village chieftain, kagawads (councilmen), barangay secretary, barangay treasurer, barangay nutrition scholar (BNS), barangay health workers (BHWs) and all others are affected. Thus, it is not an ordinary matter.
This sprawling village clearly needs a new, spacious and well-ventilated barangay hall. Over the years, barangay council officials contribute significantly in helping improve the conditions of the people, most especially the poor.
In an exclusive interview with the ZigZag Weekly, Punong Barangay Dipia-o, in noting the vitality of the much-cherished barangay hall, said she is “hopeful that the appeal to President Duterte will
be a success and it will enormously contribute to the attainment of a better life for the people.”
“In turn, I am sure that our barangay council officials shall work even harder. We shall work together with the national government in making governance a tool for development of the nation,” she told the ZigZag Weekly.
This early into her tenure, Mrs. Dipia-o has spearheaded the efforts to fully implement ordinances on curfew on minors and drinking of liquor. Her kagawads have provided inputs and support to non-government organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) in the course of mapping out action plans for the barangay council.
“We are working with other groups and associations. We still need to do more to promote the welfare of the people,” kagawad Winfred Unghiyon said.
Even though barangay council officials here, like in many other places in the Philippines, are receiving lowly honoraria, they are hardworking and dedicated.
A newly-built, better looking and more spacious barangay hall is indeed vital to delivering basic services to the people in this part of the province.
Reality check: Why are officials of Poblacion West Barangay Council setting their sights on the Palace instead of the municipal government for assistance? All at the municipal government are silent on the matter. It is unlikely to happen given the fact that the Sangguniang Bayan itself is badly in need of a new session hall.
The national government, particularly the Office of the President, is known for providing ready, accessible and strong assistance for local government units (LGUs) for their development projects.
Barangay council officials are front liners in the delivery of key services in the grassroots level. And yet, this sector has been given little attention in terms of their plight in these difficult economic times. Most of them are having a hard time making both ends meet at a time the cost of living is so high. They should be provided the means to enjoy a stable life by the present dispensation.
Just like the rest of their countrymen, barangay council officials are paying the price of the goods that continue to increase each day. They are suffering on the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
There is a pressing need to cushion them from the effects of high inflation rate. Otherwise, more of them are likely to join the ranks of the poor. They’ll end up drowning somewhere in the poverty incidence pool.
While they are a crucial part of policy and decision-making processes affecting the lives of the people in the barangay, social protection policies formulated in the national level fail to include the views and needs of barangay council officials.
Presently, Poblacion West Barangay Council officials are focused to prepare themselves for the new challenges ahead in the village.
The proposed barangay hall project aims to upgrade the efficiency of the council’s operations. It shall jumpstart the effort to transform Poblacion West into a new, dynamic and vibrant village in Lagawe, a fourth class municipality.
Dipia-o said the plan was made to reflect on the thrust of governance in the barangay.
The proposed plan would maximize office usage by including the elderly sector as an occupant of the building. After all, a dynamic LGU like it should be responsive to the needs and aspirations of its people.
What’s the best investment? The present barangay hall is located at the heart of the village. It is one of the oldest barangay halls in the province. Devoid of the comforts of a well-designed, state-of-the-art barangay hall in the metropolis, the fate of this outdated structure is now in the national government. And, sadly, it would be passed on to the future leaders of the barangay, continuing the predicament to the next generation.
This new barangay hall has been specially intended for the long-term objectives of the village. It is easily adopted to appeal to the young, more so now with the reactivation of the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council).
A number of business owners have found the village worthy of their ventures and investments, as their establishments in turn brought forth many benefits to the people. Ohayami Trans and Gazebo Restaurant are among the locators in the barangay.
Blessed by nature and the warm and smiling hospitality of its residents, barangay Poblacion West is today one of Lagawe’s key trade centers.
While a significant portion of the village serves primarily as a commercial center there are still traces of old Spanish-era architecture in a few houses and it gives the barangay a distinctive character.
The barangay council officials are the partners in realizing the noteworthy goals of the government. This way, the people will easily see the value of their taxes earmarked for the construction of a new barangay hall in this part of Lagawe.
Since Punong Barangay Dipia-o and her colleagues assumed office after the May polls this year, many exciting things are happening at the barangay. The barangay council is also focused in implementing the provisions of the solid waste management law and advancing the cause of nutrition.
“We know how important it is that the people’s trust and confidence on us shall remain high at all times. That’s why for every activity or project, we are always mindful of their well-being,” she stressed.
“We hope to further expand our services by 2019,” she quipped.
Dipia-o’s ultimate hope? “That the people just be given an opportunity to have a better future. That’s all I want them to have.”
The fruitful, dedicated and exemplary service of Punong Barangay Simplicia Dipia-o in this bustling village now serves as an inspiration for her challenging new-found capacity and role as chieftain of one of the most key barangays in Ifugao. The province has 176 villages.
The caring and untiring public servant who is now devoting the best part of her life to a noble cause cannot afford to let her constituents down. She knows that public service is a full-time work.
It’s time for grassroots officials in Ifugao to have a new mindset and reinvent themselves. Now that Poblacion West Barangay Council officials have realized the marked difference between an antiquated barangay hall and a modern one, the others have started to wake up too, alas! **By Anthony A. Araos
