Not many recognize the vital importance of barangay assemblies

When I ran for the Senate in 2010, one of the things I discussed during the campaign period was the importance of the barangay (village) assembly, with emphasis on the imperative for the barangay council to report on its accomplished projects and on the barangay’s financial standing. I also emphasized that the assembly is an ideal venue for the residents to ventilate their sentiments and to propose programs or projects for inclusion in the barangay action plan. I must add that the assembly is also a perfect forum for the discussion of the disaster preparedness programs and activities of the barangays.

However, some of our people do not realize the importance of a barangay assembly such that they don’t attend or simply ignore it. They don’t seem to see the value of their participation in barangay governance, wherein they can share their views and opinions during the “deliberative conversations” with their barangay officials. In fact, they would rather express their aversion to such a gathering and say “pareho-pareho lang ’yan, ’yung mga nakaupo din ang masusunod.”

In my experience as municipal councilor in Aparri for the past 21 years, I encouraged the barangay councils and their respective constituencies to make their assemblies historic and significant by allowing “direct democracy” to play—that is, for the people to directly air their plight and concerns before their barangay officials in a barangay assembly; and for the latter to listen to their constituents. It did good for them because they came to realize that barangay governance, after all, is a shared responsibility between the barangay officials and the residents.

Proclamation No. 260, issued last year by President Aquino, enjoins all barangay officials to call for or convene barangay assemblies twice a year in their respective communities. Is there an administrative sanction imposed on barangay officials who fail to conduct general assemblies?

Certainly, barangays play a significant role in the national pursuit of economic progress and in improving our nation’s political and social conditions. The holding of barangay assemblies is imperative as a way of helping the national government attain its goals.

—REGINALD B. TAMAYO,

assistant city council secretary,

Marikina City