Sitio Governance: Strengthening the delivery of services to distant communities
By Sonny Malate
GOA, Camarines Sur --- In its aim to overcome the hindrances being encountered in the delivery of government services to far-flung areas, the local government unit (LGU) here has come up with an approach that would allow it to resolve the matter.
By adopting the approach called ‘Sitio Governance,’ a component of Galing Pook finalist TUCAD or Trekking to Unlock Community Ailments and Difficulties, the LGU is hoping that it could hasten the delivery of basic services in any sitio of the town regardless of its geographical location.
MAYOR Pan leads the unveiling of a Sitio Governance marker and logo during its launching in 2022. Photo also shows other municipal officials and guests who joined the mayor in the conduct of the event.
TUCAD, an advocacy of Mayor Marcel Pan, is among the 30 finalists in this year’s Galing Pook Awards after it was able to meet the requirements to become one like the involvement of the program within a local government unit, has been in operation at least for a year before the deadline of the submission of entry, and has verifiable and significant results.
TUCAD is being undertaken by way of going to the town’s remote communities by municipal officials, employees and volunteers who went beyond dirt roads, rivers and mountain slopes to be able to extend basic services to constituents in faraway sitios.
The ‘trek’ by the public servants, municipal officials, and their staff to far-off sitios of Goa, a premier town, allows the residents there to get proper attention from the government and avail the LGU’s social development services and programs including projects on infrastructures, health and sanitation, waste management and disposal, agriculture, environmental protection, livelihood projects, peace and order, and education. Goa has 34 barangays and 228 sitios.
Sitio Governance was institutionalized by Municipal Ordinance No. 297, series of 2021 authored by Municipal Councilor Marcel Michael P. Pan. Its proponent is Municipal Engineer Ronilo Jose R. Alarcon.
Sitio Governance paves the way for the direct delivery of services on socio-economic development, social development services and environmental Management. Budgetary allocations shall include but not limited to the twenty percent (20%) Economic Development Fund or Municipal Annual Development Fund, the Barangay Development Fund of each sitio and other sources of funds.
Engr. Alarcon said that an allocation of P100,000.00 for each sitio was released by the local government for the purpose. The amount of P50,000.00 shall be allocated from the Barangay Development Fund as counterpart of the barangay for their identified project.
The municipal engineer said that identification of projects shall be determined and deliberated upon by barangay officials and the residents themselves.
The landmark ordinance also seeks the creation of offices for a sitio kagawad, sitio tanods, sitio day-care worker, sitio health worker and other sitio workers necessary in the delivery of other services that will promote social equity and address poverty incidence in the community.
Engr. Alarcon cited that the concept of Sitio Governance is a major twist in public service as it tools up community development.
He added that there are now LGUs that have signified already there interest to replicate the initiative of this municipality under the dynamic and pro-active leadership of Mayor Pan.