BEP TEAM APPROVES RESOLUTION AMENDING GUIDELINES OF LGU’S AID TO BARANGAYS
The Barangay Empowerment Program (BEP) Task Force, Evaluation Committee and Secretariat Team has finally approved Resolution No. 1, Series of 2022, entitled “A Resolution Approving the Proposed Amendments on the Guidelines for the Availment of the Aid to Component Barangays Amounting to One Million Pesos (Php1,000,000.00) and Endorsing its Inclusion in the Barangay Empowerment Program BEP Ordinance.”
The passage and approval of the said resolution was an offshoot of the consultation meeting of the BEP Team which was conducted recently at the Platinum Hall, Green State Suites, City of Koronadal.
The said meeting was called to formally tackle the observations of the BEP Task Force and Evaluators. Accordingly, there are still barangays where the BEP’s implementation falls short despite the provision of financial support and coaching from the city government.
The BEP is one of the flagship programs under the administration of City Mayor Eliordo U. Ogena which aims to empower and capacitate the twenty-seven (27) barangays in the city, including the Puroks and Sitios, towards the realization of the LGU’s vision, which is Bagong Koronadal: A progressive, safe, environment-friendly, garbage-free, and beautifully-landscaped green city led by a unifying and inspiring government where all communities are highly competitive, resilient, and empowered.”
As stipulated in Executive Order No. 17, Series of 2022, the said program has four components, which include the following: Aid to Component Barangays, Assistance to Purok/Sitio Presidents, Assistance to Puroks and Sitios; and Search for the Best Performing Barangay.
For the current year, the city government has allocated an amount of One Million Pesos (Php1,000,000.00) for the Aid to Component Barangays sourced from the Annual/Regular General Fund (25%) and the 20% Local Development Fund (75%), which was fully downloaded to the respective barangays wherein the barangay has full control of the selection and implementation of their desired projects.
With the existing auditing, accounting, and BEP rules and regulations, a Memorandum of Agreement was executed between the barangays and the LGU stipulating the specific rules and guidelines, functions of each party, limitations, and other pertinent regulations.
However, based on this approved resolution, the BEP Task Force and the Evaluation Committee has proposed additional guidelines to avail the Aid to Component Barangays effective next year.
For Calendar Year 2023, it shall be based on the result of the year 2022 BEP evaluation, to wit:
- Barangays with a general weighted average of 65% by the end of the annual evaluation
- Rating per core area must be 60% and above
For Calendar 2024, it shall be based on the result of the year 2023 BEP evaluation, to wit:
- Barangays with a general weighted average 70% by the end of the annual evaluation
- Rating per core area must be 65% and above
For Calendar 2025, thereafter, it shall be based on the result of the preceding year’s evaluation, to wit:
- Barangays with a general weighted average 75% by the end of the annual evaluation
- Rating per core area must be 70% and above
Notwithstanding the inability of the barangays to obtain set bases, they will still receive an amount of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) instead of Two Hundred Thousand Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 250,000.00) as support to their operations. This is in compliance with the requirement of the Local Government Code to provide a minimum amount of One Thousand Pesos (Php1,000.00) Aid to Component Barangays.
On the other hand, the Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php750,000.00) assistance for the implementation of development projects will already be identified and implemented by the City Government in the concerned barangays.
Since empowering the barangays is really the primary goal of this program, the city government has assured to closely monitor and guide them. With the funds previously released to these barangays, the LGU will facilitate the conduct of appropriate and responsive capability-building interventions based on the results of their BEP performance evaluation to ensure their improving capacities. Aside from this, the said barangays will still undergo evaluation to determine whether they can already avail of the support the following year.