Gov’t brings various services to ELCAC barangays

Bontoc, Mountain Province –Residents of Barangays Alab Proper and Balili in this municipality were able to avail different kinds of public services during the “Serbisyo Caravan” on May 8-9, 2024.
According to Municipal Local Government Operations Officer Lourdes Claire Peel of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Bontoc Field Operating Unit, the Serbisyo Caravan is part of the Retooled Community Support Program – an umbrella program under the Executive Order No. 70 institutionalizing the whole-of-nation approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC)in the country.
This initiative aims to bridge the gap between government services and conflict-affected communities, particularly in areas identified as ELCAC barangays. Five identified ELCAC barangays in Bontoc, including Alab Proper, Balili, Talubin, Bayyo, and Maligcong, are the focus areas for this year’s efforts.
With this, the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) in collaboration with different agencies offered their services and programs during the event such as the payout of financial assistance to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in coordination with the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) through the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) and Municipal Disability Affairs Office (MDAO).
The Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAg) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) conducted the onsite enrolment of farmers in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), application to the Philippines Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), and the provision of dewormer for dogs and other livestock. These are all free of charge.
The Municipal Health Office (MHO) conducted the first patient encounter, check-up, blood type, and provision of free medicines while the Office of Congressman Dalog, Maximo B. Dalog Foundation, Inc., and Children International Philippines, Inc., distributed free bath soaps to the villagers.
The personnel from the Bontoc Municipal Police Station (MPS), Bureau of Fire Protection – Bontoc Municipal Fire Station (BFP-MFS), and the Philippine Army provided free haircuts to the residents.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) initiated an onsite registration with the Philippine Identification System for the national ID while the Office of the Municipal Assessor delivered copies of documents on real properties and the same time verified, reviewed and evaluated said documents.
Aside from these, different offices of the Bontoc LGU, government agencies, and partner organizations for peace informed the constituents of their programs and services that the public may avail of. At the same time, they provided consultation and responded to the queries of the public.
Other partner stakeholders that were present during the activity in the two barangays include the Provincial Government of Mountain Province, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Pag-IBIG Fund, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Mountain Province Chapter, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Department of Education-Mountain Province, DILG- Mountain Province, and students of the Criminology Department of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College (MPSPC) undergoing internship.
Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., highlighted the significance of the Serbisyo Caravan as a tangible demonstration of the government’s unwavering commitment to delivering vital services directly to the grassroots level of the community.
He added that by bringing essential services directly to the grassroots level, the government not only addresses immediate needs but also builds trust and resilience within the communities.** Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay, Bontoc LGU