DILG-7 CREATES LEGAL TEAM TO HANDLE COMPLAINTS ON SAP ‘ANOMALIES’

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) -7 created a legal team tasked to handle and verify alleged irregularities in the distribution of the financial assistance under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) in Central Visayas.
DILG-7 Director Leocadio T. Trovela formed the Emergency Operation Center Legal Team to focus primarily on SAP complaints received by the regional office through the EOC hotline system, its official Facebook page, electronic mail, and from walk-in clients.

Such initiative stemmed from the Memorandum entitled “Incentivization of Citizen Complaints against Local Government Officials in Relation to the Implementation of the Social Amelioration Program” issued by DILG Secretary Eduardo Año directing all DILG and Philippine National Police regional directors to receive, act on, and verify complaints.

This after President Rodrigo Duterte instructed the DILG to investigate corrupt local officials involved in the distribution of financial assistance under SAP and file appropriate cases against them, subject to relevant laws, rules and regulations.

The President also offered P30,000 incentive to any person who will provide information on any local government official pocketing or misusing cash funds intended for SAP beneficiaries should such information turn out to be legitimate and true upon validation.

Another memorandum was issued by DILG Head Executive Assistant Jerry Loresco ensuring that the President’s directives are efficiently carried out, in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations.

Acting on those, Trovela ordered the creation of the EOC Legal Team composed of DILG-7 Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division and concurrent DILG Cebu City Officer-in-Charge, Atty. Ian Kenneth B. Lucero as the team leader; Atty. Gerlyn Mae C. Sayson, Atty. Christian A. Fernandez, and Atty. Louthera Christie C. Rizon as members; and LGOO II Hana Rea O. Tamse and ADAC RTA Leslie Mae O. Cabrido as Secretariat.

 

Lucero said the team is tasked to act on the complaints within a reasonable time and conduct fact-finding investigation when needed.

“We will evaluate if it needs further investigation and verification. Our role is to act on complaints and verify them. There is no filing of charges in the regional level,” Lucero said.

As of June 23, 2020, the DILG-7 EOC Legal Team received a total of 79 complaints, of which 31 are from Cebu Province and 30 from Cebu City.

Seven complaints were received from Bohol, five from Negros Oriental, four from Mandaue City, and two from Siquijor.

Of the total number of complaints, 57 were referred to DILG field offices for verification.

Meanwhile, 22 complaints such as splitting of SAP, government officials pocketing or misusing cash funds, or malicious inclusion of beneficiaries, were referred to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Of these, five were filed by CIDG before the Prosecutor’s Office while eight were considered closed due to the refusal of complainant to pursue charges or lack of basis of the allegations, among other reasons.

On the other hand, 15 complaints were forwarded to the Office of Secretary Año, through the Legal and Legislative Liaison Service, for further review before administrative charges will be filed.

Thirty-two complaints on mere inclusion or exclusion of SAP beneficiaries without the involvement of local government officials were referred to Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 for validation.

Trovela said this is a reaffirmation that the present administration is serious in going after corrupt local government officials.

“Nakakalungkot dito sa Region 7. Merong mangilan-ngilan pero hindi naman ganoon kadami,” he said.

Trovela then assured the public that the government will not tolerate the corrupt activities of local officials especially in this time of pandemic./GML

RIATF7-MEID PASSES A TOTAL OF 14 RESOLUTIONS

Since its inception, the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force-7 for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (RIATF7-MEID) has passed a total of 14 resolutions and indorsed them to the National IATF either for its favorable and immediate decision or for information. It also acted on the communications it received from the different local government units in the region.

 

IATF Resolution No. 34, series of 2020 provides that the regions shall convene their RIATF with the respective regional offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as chair and Department of Health Centers for Health Development as co-chair, which shall be a separate and distinct body from the Regional Task Force COVID-19.

 

The RIATF shall report to the IATF Technical Working Group on matters of appeal for risk classification, with its representatives reporting to their natoonal government agencies. 

 

 

In Central Visayas, the RIATF7-MEID is chaired by DILG-7Director Leocadio T. Trovela and co-chaired by Department of Health (DOH)-7 Director Jaime S. Bernadas. The DILG-7 likewise provides the RIATF7-MEID Secretariat services. 

 

The members of RIATF7-MEID, who are regional directors of the different national government agencies in Central Visayas, convene and continuously collaborate to regularly monitor the performance across all sectors and develop the appropriate recommendations.

 

The policy-making body is mandated to process the appeals to impose, lift, or extend a community quarantine in provinces, highly urbanized cities and independent component cities.

 

 

It is also tasked to provide concurrence as appropriate to the appeals of provincial governors to impose, lift or extend the community quarantine in component cities and municipalities, as well as of local chief executives of cities and municipalities in their respective barangays.

Considering that its decision-making is highly critical, the RIATF7-MEID takes into account the doubling rate of cases in the particular area, epidemiological curve and health capacity, among others.

 

 

It recently adopted the Feasibility Analysis of Syndromic Surveillance Using Spatio-Temporal Epidemiological Modeler for Early Detection of Diseases (FASSSTER) as one of its tools to assess the current situation in a locality, in addition to the health parameters for community quarantine classification by the National IATF-MEID Sub-Technical Working Group for Data Analytics.

 

FASSSTER is a scenario-building tool that can project the growth of COVID-19 cases in a locality given the existing community quarantine conditions and general population mobility. It provides the body the prognoses such as when relaxing the quarantine status in a particular LGU.

 

 Meanwhile, on June 9, the RIATF7-MEID called for its first virtual press conference on the current issues and policies implemented amid this pandemic.

 

It was attended by members of the RIATF7-MEID, other national government agencies, and print, broadcast and online media. It was moderated by the Philippine Information Agency-7 and facilitated by the RIATF7-MEID Secretariat./GML

RESOLUTIONS PASSED:

 

Resolution No. 01, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Concurring the Recommendation of the Screening and Validation Committee to the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force – 7 for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases of Risk Reclassification of Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City from General Community Quarantine to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine

 

 

Resolution No. 02, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Concurring the Imposition of the Provincial Governor of Cebu, Hon. Gwendolyn F. Garcia, on the Risk Reclassification of the City of Talisay to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine

 

 Resolution No. 03, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Recommending to the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the Risk-Level Reclassification of Cebu City to General Community Quarantine Beginning June 1, 2020 Until June 15, 2020

 

Resolution No. 04, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Recommending to the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the Risk-Level Reclassification of the Province of Cebu to Modified General Community Quarantine

 

Resolution No. 05, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Enjoining All Local Chief Executives in the Central Visayas Region to Allow Entry of Government Officials and Employees Authorized to Physically Work in their Respective Local Government Units Without Subjecting Them to a 14-Day Quarantine Health Measure

 

Resolution No. 06, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Reiterating the RIATF7-MEID’s Position on Recommending to the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases on the Risk-Level Reclassification of the Province of Cebu to Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ)

 

 

Resolution No. 07, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Recommending to the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the Risk-Level Reclassification of Cebu City to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine

 

Resolution No. 08, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Concurring Executive Order No. 17-G Issued by the Provincial Governor Of Cebu, Hon. Gwendolyn F. Garcia, Entitled De-Escalating the Risk Classification of the City of Talisay from Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine to General Community Quarantine

 

 

Resolution No. 09, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Extending the Use of DepEd Schools in the Central Visayas Region as Temporary Quarantine or Isolation Facilities Until July 15, 2020, Except for the Areas Placed Under Enhanced Community Quarantine

Resolution No. 10, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Recommending to the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on the Risk-Level Reclassification of the Province of Cebu to Modified General Community Quarantine, Except in the City of Talisay, and the Municipalities of Minglanilla and Consolacion Which Shall Remain Under General Community Quarantine

 

 

Resolution No. 11, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Concurring the Lifting of Hard Lockdown in Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz; Sitio Gonzalo, Barangay Tejero; Sitio Alaska, Barangay Mambaling; Sitio Callejon, Barangay Labangon; and Barangay Bacayan, All in Cebu City

 

Resolution No. 12, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Extending the Use of DepEd Schools in the Central Visayas Region as Temporary Quarantine or Isolation Facilities Until July 30, 2020

 

Resolution No. 13, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Approving and Adopting the Central Visayas Regional Recovery Program 2020-2022 

 

Resolution No. 14, series of 2020 Entitled A Resolution Requesting the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to Allow Outbound Locally Stranded Individuals in Cebu City to be Exempted from the Travel Ban Amid the Enhanced Community Quarantine

 

 LETTER-REPLIES

 

Letter-Reply of the RIATF7-MEID to the Letter of the Province of Siquijor re RIATF7-MEID Resolution No. 05, series of 2020

 

Reply to the Resolution of Siquijor Provincial Task Force COVID-19 Requesting for the Temporary Suspension of Acceptance of LSIs in Cebu City

 

Letter-Reply of the RIATF7-MEID to the Letter of the LMP-Bohol Chapter Recommending to Stop Receiving LSIs Until Quarantine Facilities are Empty and Available

 

Reply of RIATF7-MEID to the Special Report of DILG-Canlaon City Regarding the Clarificatory Question on the Alleged Conflicting Issuances of RIATF7-MEID and National Task Force Against COVID-19

 

 

 

DILG-7 SHARES BEST PRACTICES IN THE WORKPLACE

The unprecedented situation brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic prompted the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) -7 to develop innovative practices to ensure the continued delivery of services to the public without compromising the health of its workforce. 

The regional office, under the leadership of Director Leocadio Trovela, initiated the observance of hygienic measures to mitigate the spread of the virus and provide a safe working environment for its people.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic early this year and even prior to the implementation of the community quarantine protocols, Trovela has directed the regular checking of temperature of the employees using a thermal scanner.

It has also been the practice of the regional office to provide alcohol for each of its division and unit offices. 

At the start of the outbreak, more alcohol and hand sanitizers were made available in the office, including the main entrance and for every floor.

When Cebu City where the regional office is located was placed under the Enhanced Community Quarantine, the DILG-7 has to limit the number of employees reporting for work and adopt alternative work arrangements.

Minimum health standards such as social distancing are also observed in addition to the existing sanitary practices.

Employees who are required to physically report to office are given free face masks, vitamins, and lunch every day.

The skeletal workforce are also provided with vehicular support daily, with the observance of physical distancing.  

Both workers and walk-in clients are made to undergo foot bath before entering the office premises to prevent the transmission of virus.

The regional office also installed plastic barriers at the Emergency Operations Center for the protection of the duty officers and walk-in clients.

All DILG-7 employees are also reminded to stay healthy and boost their immune system.

Creating a safe working environment that protects its people and clients is in line with the commitment of DILG-7 to make sure that the continued rendering of service to the public remains unhampered amid this quandary./GML

RMCC-7 supports #DisiplinaMuna campaign

The implementation of the Disiplina Muna National Advocacy Campaign gained traction after the Regional Management Coordinating Committee-7 urged its members to support the initiative. 

As a strategy in bringing back the culture of discipline among Filipinos, the committee approved a resolution enjoining its members to support the implementation of the campaign in their respective organizations on January 31, 2020.

Department of the Interior and Local Government-7 Director Leocadio Trovela presided over the meeting with the presence of the officials from the Bureau of Fire (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), National Youth Commission Visayas Cluster, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos-7, Regional Training Center, Armed Forces of the Philippines, among others. 

 
 

“DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2019-181 enjoins local chief executives and heads of attached agencies to lead the campaign in their respective local government units/attached agencies by undertaking relevant advocacy activities promoting the culture of discipline among their constituents and stakeholders,” reads portion of the approved resolution. 

Under the memorandum circular, there are seven pillars of the campaign such as; a) Road Clearing; b) Disaster Road Preparedness and Resilience; c) Anti-Smoking; d) Ease of Doing Business; e) Liquor Ban; f) Tourist Spots Cleanup; and g) Functional Barangay Anti-drug Abuse Council. 

To recall, DILG-7 held the regional launch of the Disiplina Muna on December 6, 2019 in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

 

During the meeting, PBGEN Valeriano De leon, then director of Police Regional Office-7, requested the group to conduct another regionwide launch for a wider reach. 

Other members of the body, such as BFP and BJMP, for their part, pledged to cascade their program at their level by conducting separate launch and lectures.

RMCC is the coordinating body for effective organizational and coordinative linkages and integration of policies and programs at the regional level.

In the approved resolution, it stated that the advocacy campaign aims to rebuild the culture of discipline in the community as a key for sustainable development and maintenance of peace and order.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and all member-agencies of the RMCC will be given copy of the approved resolution.

 

 

IATF, NTF officials meet Cebu local execs

Officials of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) visited Cebu last June 23 to discuss with local leaders the status and efforts on implementation of measures against COVID-19 pandemic.

Secretaries Eduardo Año (DILG), Francisco Duque III (DOH), Delfin Lorenzana (DND, Roy Cimatu (DENR) and COVID-19 Policy Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. were welcomed by DILG-7 Dir. Leocadio Trovela, RIATF chairperson, and other members of the inter-agency task force in the region.

The visit came following the appointment of Secretary Cimatu as overseer of the government’s intensified response against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Cebu City.

The IATF and NTF officials held a half-day discussion with some local leaders and concerned government agencies to assess the situation in Cebu, identify the problem and make recommendations for an effective government response.

The following day, Cimatu and health sector representatives also met with the local chief executives, representatives of government agencies and private health firms to prep for the formulation of an action plan on COVID-19 response for Cebu.

He underscored the direction of the stakeholders with respect to the anti-COVID efforts as well as the plan for the creation of task forces for Cebu City and Cebu Province which will form part of the RIATF structure.

A week after, the IATF officials again visited the city to meet local leaders and follow up the response efforts of the local governments. 

Secretary Ano urged the local chief executives of Cebu to sustain the gains so as to further improve the status of the province and the highly urbanized cities.

He asked the barangays and other LGUs to closely work with each other to harmonize data and improve contact tracing efforts.

DILG-7 EOC caters 20T clients in 3 months

             In a span of three months, the Department of the Interior and Local Government-7 assisted over 20,000 clients who aired their grievances and concerns regarding the implementation of the directives and measures against COVID-19 in local government units. As of June 24, the DILG-7 Emergency Operations Center received 20,087 messages from different platforms.

            Of the total number, 14,347 messages were received thru the office’s hotline number, 5,043 messages from its Facebook page, 172 messages from the Intranet, 343 calls, and 182 walk-in clients. It was on March 23 when DILG-7 Director Leocadio Trovela ordered the reactivation of the Emergency Operations Center to better serve the public in the time of crisis. DILG-7 partnered with E-Sat Pilipinas Teknik and launched its Emergency Hotline Number, 09127208913, wherein the public can raise their issues and complaints against local officials. Among the concerns and issues raised by clients include peace and order matters; nonobservance of social distancing; protocols for the Locally Stranded Individuals; interzonal and intrazonal movement of people; and the distribution of Social Amelioration Program financial assistance, relief assistance, and quarantine passes. The regional office also received numerous appreciation messages from its satisfied clients.

           After a month of test period, the office also launched the hotline numbers of the sub-regional offices in the region to directly assist the public within their jurisdiction. Clients are asked to text their names, exact address, and detailed concerns to DILG-7’s text-only hotline numbers; 09615234239 for Cebu Province; 09462517436 for Bohol Province; 09380698252 for Negros Oriental Province; 09489776193 for Siquijor Province; 09489811246 for Cebu City; 09489817400 for Lapu-Lapu City; and 09489817331 for Mandaue City.  DILG-7 also catered to the concerns related to COVID-19 raised by the netizens through the official Facebook page, DILG VII.These efforts initiated by the regional office are intended to provide an avenue for the public to air their grievances and refer them to the proper authorities for proper action. Director Trovela said the initiative aims to monitor the performance of officials in the battle against the global pandemic. “The hotline would provide the right information about directives of the government to combat COVID-19. While citizens are watchful of the activities of their leaders, this platform will keep the officials on their toes,” he said.

            The rise in messages received by DILG-7 hotline indicated that the public has become aware of this program that can be used for seeking assistance during this pandemic. Director Trovela said the influx of messages comes with greater challenge for the office to raise the bar in providing faster and better response to the clients.

DILG-7 SERVES SHOW CAUSE ORDERS ON CEBU CITY PUNONG BARANGAY AND OTHER OFFICIALS

Five Punong Barangay and their respective Sangguniang Barangay members of Cebu City were asked to explain their alleged failure to enforce the policies and regulations during Enhanced Community Quarantine.

Department of the Interior and Local Government-7 Director Leocadio Trovela issued the show cause orders for Basak Pardo Punong Barangay Catalina Cabardo, Cogon Pardo Punong Barangay Harry Eran, Sto. Niño Punong Barangay Lourdes Ramirez, San Nicolas Proper Punong Barangay Clifford Jude Niñal, Guadalupe Punong Barangay Michael Gacasan and the members of their Sangguniang Barangay.

The orders were served by DILG-7’s BK lawyers Louthera Christie Rizon and Christian Fernandez yesterday.

Officials were given 48 hours from receipt of the order to submit their written explanation on why they should not be charged for failure to perform the mandated duties and functions of a local chief executive during a state of national health emergency.

In Basak Pardo, a post of a concerned citizen showed that residents were out on the streets disregarding the strict implementation of home quarantine and mandatory wearing of facemasks. Some residents were also seen playing cara y cruz, a violation of PD 1602 as amended by Republic Act (RA) No. 9287, otherwise known as “An Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal Numbers Games Amending Certain Provisions of PD 1602 and for Other Purposes,” and the prohibition on mass gatherings.

In Cogon Pardo, a social media post of a concerned citizen showed a number of residents staying outside their houses and some were seen playing basketball disregarding the strict implementation of social distancing and home quarantine.

In Barangay Sto. Niño, posts of local media outlets showed residents including children who were outside their houses without face masks ignoring protocols on strict home quarantine, mandatory stay at home order of persons below 21 years old and prohibition on mass gathering.

In San Nicolas Proper, a post of local media outlet circulated in social media showing that the distribution of rice/relief goods in the barangay was along the barangay road and beyond the curfew hours compromising the welfare of the constituents and disregarding the strict home quarantine measure implemented during ECQ. Some residents were seen without wearing face masks and did not follow the protocol on social distancing.

In Barangay Guadalupe, DILG-7 received a complaint from a concerned citizen that a group of people in Don Gervacio Street were seen singing and drinking,
This is in reference to the complaint received by this Office from a concerned citizen detailing that; (a) a group of people were singing and drinking in a vacant lot in Don Gervacio St., Guadalupe, Cebu City; (b) an illegal cockfighting or “tigbakay” organized by a certain person took place; and (c) people are crowding in the “manokan” without wearing face masks. The concerned citizen reported the incidents to the barangay starting June 24 to July 5. It was the call on July 4 that the police went to the area to take action on the complaint. The aforementioned incident ignored the protocols on minimum public health standards (wearing of face masks), strict home quarantine and prohibition on mass gathering.

Last week, DILG-7 served show cause orders on officials of Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Calamba, and Inayawan.

DILG-7 took these efforts following the pronouncement of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año who said any violation of the quarantine protocols will not be tolerated.

#WeHealAsOne
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DILG-7 LGMED AND DILG CEBU CITY GAVE RELIEF GOODS TO HOMELESS FAMILIES AFFECTED BY PANDEMIC IN CEBU CITY​

The DILG-7 Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division (LGMED 7) and DILG – Cebu City, both headed by Atty. Ian Kenneth B. Lucero, distributed relief goods to at least 100 homeless families who are temporarily housed in the covered courts of barangays San Roque and San Nicolas Proper in Cebu City.

 DILG-Cebu City and LGMED personnel were able to raise funds from their colleagues in a bid to help LGUs in giving aid to communities severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The distribution was also facilitated by LGOO III Shara Dalogdog of DILG-Cebu City and Atty. Gerlyn Sayson of LGMED. 


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