How to make people feel gov’t presence

I sincerely believe that our lowest citizens can be made to feel the presence of the national government through the barangay. After all, it is the barangay that has direct and immediate contact with them. And I believe barangay officials can do this themselves by taking a more active role in the following:

1. Enforcement of sanitation laws, disposal of garbage and monitoring/ensuring cleanliness in the community as a whole, and in public eating places; preventing animals and pets from freely roaming the streets; minimizing squatting by guarding against the putting up of illegal structures on vacant lots and waterways, and under bridges.

2. Hire, thoroughly train and deputize enough personnel to man critical traffic points. Our economic losses due to undisciplined driving are enormous and come in many forms: lost man-hours, wasted fuels, delayed trade, loss of lives due to errant driving, etc. And the barangay traffic enforcers must remain at their posts until the peak hours are over.

3. Oblige every barangay to build at least one classroom in its jurisdiction every year. This alone, if conscientiously done, will produce 42,000 new classrooms yearly. And this can be done at the least cost if the bayanihan spirit of the people would be tapped by inviting barangay residents to contribute labor to the effort, while the barangay itself pays for the necessary building materials. For barangays that are not capable of shouldering the cost of this project, the national government can come in and provide the needed funds. Clearly, the cost of the classroom will truly be affordable.

The above proposal is authorized and covered by Book 1, Section 3 of the Local Government Code, as amended, which provides: “Operative Principles of Decentralization x x x.” Paragraph (a) “There shall be an effective allocation among the different local government units of their respective powers, functions, responsibilities and resources.” And Paragraph (g) “The capabilities of local government unit, especially the municipal and barangays shall be enhanced by providing them with opportunities to participate actively in the implementation of national programs and projects.”

More importantly, once the barangay becomes more active as a government unit, the more the people will feel that the government is reaching out to them. Indeed, delegating the barangays to do the suggestions above will create employment even if only on a temporary basis. Say, each barangay hires 10 people for the construction of a classroom, there will be employment for 420,000. And we’re talking here of only one of things to do.

Finally, part of the legislators’ pork barrel should be set aside for the use of the barangays in their respective districts to make the people feel even more that the government cares for them—finally.

—EDMUNDO E. LEDESMA,

84 Ferdinand St., Vista Verde Executive Village,

Cainta, Rizal 1900