»KAYA NATIN b 2


caliber individuals.” These are the words that perfectly


BRINGING OUT THE NEW CHAMPIONS “P


FOUR NEW FACES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE EMERGE TO GIVE HOPE FOR THE COUNTRY’S FUTURE UBLIC


BY CRISTYL MAE SENAJON


legislators and high-


characterize the four new champions of Kaya Natin!, the movement initially convened by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo, former Gov. Grace Padaca of Isabela, and former Gov. Eddie Panlilio of Pampanga in 2008.


Inducted a month ago on November 5 at the Club Filipino in San Juan City, these public servants are the newest additions to the group espousing and advocating good governance and ethical leadership in the country.


Board Member Shirlyn D. Mascarte


An ambush incident that nearly took her life and left her temporarily handicapped motivated third-time Senior Board Member Shirlyn Macasarte of the first district of the province of Cotabato to “stay in public service and make a difference.” Macasarte started out her career in public service as Sangguniang Kabataan Municipal Federation President in 1992 when she was only 17 years old. Six years later, she became the youngest elected Board Member of Cotabato.


Among the programs she has since set in motion as legislator include the Magtutudlo sa Barangay Program (Teach- ers to the Barangay), which hired and brought 300 teachers to far-flung commu-


■ The newest additions to the Kaya Natin! Champions of Good Governance (Seated from left): Lawyer Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Rep. Kaka Bag-ao of Akbayan party-list, lawyer Francis Tinio and Board Member Shirlyn Macasarte. With them are (standing left): Rep. Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao, Rep. Bolet Banal of Quezon City, Mayor Jeng Reyes of Alicia, Isabela, former Gov. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga and Mayor Jun Verzosa of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.


nities in need of additional educators; the Cotabato Health Insurance Program that benefited Kotabatenyos through Philhealth to gain access more costly hospital care; and the Child and Youth Development and Welfare Code that granted a child’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation. Macasarte’s unwavering passion and commitment to her constituents’ welfare earned her several recognitions including the Gawad Kampeon ng Kabataang Pilipino Award by the National Youth Commission in 2006, and the Sangguniang Kabataan National Achieve- ment Award in 2001 and 2002. Her vision of “a people living in unity, peace and abundance despite diverse culture and traditions” is what keeps her on the right track.


Lawyer Francis V. Tinio A former three-termer municipal councilor


and a number one councilor for two consecutive terms, lawyer Francis Tinio has done a great deal to stabilize change in his hometown in Binalonan, Pangasinan. His legislative measures include the Ordinance on the Search for the Most Outstanding Educators of the Municipality of Binalonan, Pangasinan, which has been the most prestigious award bestowed to educators and teachers in the town; the initiation of reading programs that aim to


help increase literacy level among public school elementary students; a collaboration with Ahon Foundation in the development of elementary public school libraries in the different barangays of Binalonan; and an ordinance designating a Free Legal Aid Day to provide such services to indigent litigants. These legislations have proven to have an impact on such key areas as education, culture, health, youth empowerment and employment opportunities, among others. Because of his preeminent performance as local legislator, he received the Presidential Award for Most Outstanding Officer of the Philippine Councilors League-Pangasinan Chapter.


His previous works have unequivocally contributed to Binalonan’s present status as a first class municipality.


His dream has always been “to become one of the best local governments, in terms of delivery of basic services to the people; to be attuned with the changes of the times . . . which is democratic, people-centered and respectful of the rights of its constituencies.”


Rep. Kaka J. Bag-ao


A staunch advocate of social justice is one that may be said of this lady. A human rights lawyer and the Akbayan party’s second nominee in the House of Repre- sentatives, lawyer Kaka Bag-ao tirelessly fights for every Filipino’s rights. Proof of this is her resolute involvement


■ The Kaya Natin Champions of Good Governance at the induction of the fifth batch of new champions: (standing from left) Rep. Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao, Rep. Bolet Banal of Quezon City, Mayor Jeng Reyes of Alicia, Isabela and Mayor Jun Verzosa of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, (seated from left) lawyer Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Rep. Kaka Bag-ao of Akbayan party-list, former Gov. Among Ed Panlilio of Pampanga, lawyer Francis Tinio and Board Member Shirlyn Macasarte.


in organizations that work for the advance- ment and protection of the rights of the basic sectors, notably of the farmers group. She took part in the struggle of the Sumilao Farmers to win their agrarian reform case against one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines. She also became one of the legal counsels for the Banasi farmers and the Calatagan farmers who, in the same breath, were scrapping to claim their rights under the agrarian reform program.


Her unswerving commitment in promoting and upholding farmers’ rights earned her the 2008 Frederik Ozanam award, “given to exemplary individuals who, in living out the demands of faith, justice, and love, have given distinctive and continued service to their brothers and sisters, especially the poor and suffering,” and most recently the much- coveted The Outstanding Women for Nation Service award, conferred by no less than the President himself. Asked what made her choose alterna-


tive law, Bag-ao simply replied, “As long as there are injustices, as long as there are inequitable shares of resources, homeless and jobless, alternative lawyer- ing is and will remain an imperative.”


Lawyer Jocelle Batapa-Sigue Lawyer Jocelle Sigue may well be the


driving force behind Bacolod City’s


soaring outsourcing potential. The Bacolod IT (information technol-


ogy) Team, then led and chaired by Sigue, began “with the primary objectives of making Bacolod the newest ICT hub in the Philippines, and to contribute to the development of the Western Visayas region as a strong regional cluster in the Philippine Cyberservices Corridor.” Such efforts did not render fruitless as approximately 8,000 jobs and millions of pesos in terms of salary, benefits, and revenues was generated from this pro- gram. It was cited in 2007 as the Best Public Sector Practice for Local Govern- ment Unit Category in Region VI by the National Economic and Development Authority and the Regional development Council in Western Visayas. Individually, she was also chosen as one of the 10 Emerging Leaders in Local Government of the Philippines’ 21 Young Leaders Initiative Class of 2009. Despite losing her congressional bid out as an independent candidate in the last May 2010 election, Sigue, a practicing lawyer since 1998 and a professor in the University of Saint La Salle College of Law in Bacolod City, continues to serve her hometown as a private person. “What drives me to continue serving my community is to be able to arrive at a future where I will not regret not having done anything in the present.” Sigue shared.


DILG report outlines accomplishments


BY KARLA ANGELICA G. PASTORES EDITORIAL CONSULTANT


THOUGH not an elected official, Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has released a short report summarizing the accomplish- ments of his department since he was appointed in July. “We at the Department of Interior and Local Government have sown and nurtured the seeds of good governance and peace and order in provinces, cities and towns all over the Philippines,” the article claimed. Titled, The first 100 Days: Where Local Governance Reforms Converge, the report outlines key partnerships and tasks accom- plished by the Interior and Local Government department in Robredo’s first hundred days. The “one hundred day report” is tradition- ally expected of the President, but Robredo felt that despite not being elected by the people, the Filipinos also deserve to be informed about what the department is doing. “[We hope to] see transparency, account-


ability, responsiveness, and committed volunteerism at the heart of local governance in the country,” the report said.


Key areas


Robredo, who was Naga City’s mayor for six terms, was at the forefront of the city’s transformation from a fourth class munici- pality to Bicol’s queen city. He was tasked by President Benigno Aquino 3rd to take charge of local governments in the country because of his proven track record in managing Naga City.


The DILG report identified 11 major areas that the department has focused on the most: Performance-driven local governance, transparency and accountability, people power versus poverty, accessibility, disaster resil- ience, good governance in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, resettlement, empowerment of local governments, committed volunteerism, internal governance improve- ment, and peace and order and public safety. One of the first things that the new Secretary did was to overhaul the website of the department, patterning it after the Naga City website. The new website aims to bring transparency to the people online, by posting the budget of the department and other relevant information. Besides the department, all local governments are encouraged to imple- ment the “Full Disclosure Policy,” where they are “urged to reveal fully their budgets and finances and bids and public offerings by posting them on the Internet, print media of community or general


■ Despite a turbulent beginning of his tenure as Interior and local Government secretary, Jesse Robredo released a progress report on his first 100 days


circulation and in conspicuous places.” Because of the success of Robredo in Naga in alleviating poverty and reducing it to a minimum, he is bringing his policies and ideas to every local govern- ment by establishing partnerships with nongovernment organizations and implementing systems and programs that would keep local governments on track in the Philippines’ Millennium Development Goals.


Reporting The Interior and Local Government posted the report


on Monday in their website, and was also reposted by the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, which Robredo co-founded with former governors Grace Padaca and Ed Panlilio, on the Internet via e-mail and social networking site Facebook.


The Facebook post drew approval from users of the site, and several wished for other government officials, appointed or elected, to follow Robredo’s suit and release an accountability report to the people.


“Sana lahat ng government officialsals natin ganito, para nalalaman ng tao saan napupunta ang pera ng gobyerno [I hope that all of our government officials do the same, so that the people may know where their taxes are going],” commented Facebook user John Andrew Solis. For the full report, log on to the DILG website at www.dilg.gov.ph .


December 5, 2010


magazine The Sunday Times


the filipino champion


»


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16