LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – Barangay councils all over the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) may well ask, What if folks are urged to follow the example set by Lagawe’s Poblacion East Barangay Council? For its project was a resounding success.
It is more than a cleaning activity geared to boost the beautification of the barangay.
Poblacion East Barangay Council officials conducted recently a cleaning project at a key area of the village and the activity proved too helpful in the campaign to contain the dengue problem.
Led by Punong Barangay Alfonso Dominong, village officials removed piles of dirt, wastes, grasses and soil at a side walk at Molave Street.
Noting grassroots level officials’ role in promoting the people’s health care program, Dominong said the barangay council has mapped out plans to strengthen the cleanliness and beautification program and enable the Poblacion East Barangay Council to actively contribute to the national government’s drive in weeding out dengue and other diseases.
“We intend to do our share in making sure our communities are always clean so that our constituents are well protected at all times from various illnesses,” he told the ZigZag Weekly.
“Our guiding principle therefore is to lead them in ensuring that our surroundings are not dirty,” he added.
The barangay government of Lagawe’s biggest village in terms of land size, population and voters unveiled plans just recently to double its efforts in clearing portions of the village of garbage and other related materials.
“The truth is that most of these places are eye sores,” Dominong said in the interview.
“With these dirty places located in residential or business sections of the barangay, sustained efforts to ensure cleanliness will help in maintaining a healthy citizenry.”
One of the things Poblacion East Barangay Council officials learned from the activity is being organized. Everything is planned before they implemented the project. They brought cleaning materials such as shovels and brooms. A small-sized pick-up vehicle was used to collect the dirt.
Punong Barangay Dominong is a charismatic and efficient leader who held the council officials together.
It is important to find and make time themselves for the activity, not just for holding a barangay council session on a Christmas party for the barangay, but also to buckle down to work and perspire out there in some unsightly corners of the purok so the residents are witnessing their public servants at work.
Villagers here are not able to speak out on the problem of momma spitting, though a number of concerned residents have called on barangay council officials to seriously attend to it. Yet, the barangay council can’t draw a distinction between a street pavement splattered with momma and a place littered with garbage or weeds.
Dominong and the others in the council should be tightening the screws on the momma problem and purveyors of environmental degradation.
“Rest assured that I will support all efforts to save the environment,” Dominong said
All told, the activity is an early Christmas gift of Poblacion East Barangay Council to the people. It’s a near perfect gift for them. The activity easily provided an opportunity for villagers to learn common-sense things on maintaining clean surroundings. Hopefully, villagers learned as well the dangers of open burning of garbage.
Fortunately, Punong Barangay Dominong takes care of everybody, he works well with everybody. Villagers find that very special.
In addition, Dominong also asked for the support and cooperation of villagers-young and old alike, for other projects and programs of the barangay council.
Dominong also shared that there are upcoming initiatives which will be pursued next year. Noteworthy undertakings and strong linkages with the private sector are being fostered as well.
The difference in outcomes of these initiatives since Dominong assumed the position as village chieftain a few years back has been striking.
“It’s a big relief because these places are very dirty and also health of the residents living near them is much affected by the garbage and grasses as everybody else,” a resident pointed out.
Right-thinking residents here think it will impact negatively on the populace in the long run. It shall result to devastating damage to their interests.
Viewed relatedly, proliferation of dirty street pavements and momma spit at practically all streets in the barangay and the practice of open burning garbage are outrageous acts that set a dangerous precedent.
These problems need immediate solutions. The highly-successful clean-up offers an eye-opening, in-depth perspective of what public service is all about- putting the nation and the people first.
There’s much more too. Ineptness and irresponsibility do matter. The costs are huge. Lagawe is presently facing massive looming problems in the face of the still non-functioning Ifugao General Hospital.
In recent decades, Lagawe has been governed by ineffective barangay government officials. Who will want to have more of them than if Punong Barangay Dominong is not around? Whatever the answer turns out to be, Barangay Poblacion East won’t be determining the answer on its own. The current environment-related mess can only be solved through cooperation among various sectors of the village.
The problem of a dirty community is clearly not going to go away. Barangay Poblacion East had better hoped that its leaders awake to the fact. The stakes are so high. Villagers are seeking conditions worthy of human life.
Further, it’s impossible to reconcile all the burdens of dirty surroundings and ill-disciplined people and the clamour to safeguard the environment with the current time frame. Knowing this, Punong Barangay Dominong sent these encouraging words to his barangay mates: “The key to success is the cooperation of each one in the barangay. It will be a positive sign when you begin to do your share in maintaining a clean, green and healthy barangay.”
Putting together these thoughts, folks can see the essence of good governance. The barangay government brings special expertise to the table because of its long history in responding to the needs of the people.
The presence and efforts of dedicated and hardworking barangay council officials in this part of the capital town have not only facilitated a number of development gains, but have also served to create a “role model” in the other 19 villages in Lagawe.
In the end, Poblacion East Barangay Council showed that it has all the ingredients to make it happen- a laudable clean-up project. Also, thanks in part to Kagawads (councilmen) Rachie Namingit, Alice Dinamling, Arsenio Tuguinay, Tomas Towanna, Conrado Panapan, Salvador Tayaban and Pericles Galap. Likewise, the SK Chairman, Barangay Secretary and Barangay Treasurer and other officials present are key pillars of the Sangguniang Barangay. **By Anthony A. Araos
