The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is working with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to prepare Taguig City’s 10 new villages for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.
DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., in a statement, said on Wednesday this is under the September 2022 decision of the Supreme Court (SC) declaring the “Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation, consisting of Parcels 3 and 4, Psu-2031,” which include the villages of Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Rizal, Northside and Southside as part of Taguig City and not Makati City.
Abalos said the DILG, in a letter dated May 3, asked for guidance from the high court in the implementation of the decision concerning the affected barangays.
While awaiting further instructions from the court, Abalos said the DILG has activated transition teams to deal with the territorial change.
“Comelec Chairman George Garcia and I agree that it’s imperative to take action because there’s not much time left before the elections. We respect the SC’s definition of the cities’ territorial boundaries and are coordinating accordingly,” he added.
Concerning the DILG’s attached agencies, Abalos added that they are also working with the chiefs of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the Bureau of Fire Protection “to revise the areas of responsibility and reporting lines of their affected local offices, in light of the decided boundaries.”
Abalos clarified that these actions will cover only matters of territorial supervision.
“As for specific rights or obligations over affected property, these will be dealt with in accordance with the procedure provided by law. We will also respect any further court orders in this regard,” he added.
Abalos noted the mayors of Taguig and Makati are united on this matter.
“My impression is that they both care deeply for their constituency. We share the same paramount consideration – the best interest of the affected people,” he added.
In a related development, the Taguig City government has requested Makati to turn over data containing information about senior citizens and those afflicted with serious ailments residing in EMBO (Enlisted Men’s Barrio) barangays so that these persons can be aided immediately.
“We reiterate that we heartily welcome our new constituents. We will work even harder to expand and improve the services we deliver for our new residents,” Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said in a statement Tuesday night.
In particular, Cayetano asked the Makati City government to turn over the following:
–list of Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities for the conduct of door to door distribution of birthday cash gifts;
–list of residents with asthma, hypertension and diabetes for the house-to-house delivery of maintenance medicines;
–list of bedridden residents who would be visited and given regular home care by health personnel
–list of taxpayers for the grant of lower tax rates
–EMBO streets for the enforcement of Taguig’s no-number coding policy.
Aside from this, Cayetano has also requested Makati to provide the data about the number of students per grade level, the number of city-hired school employees, types of benefits given to students and teachers, and other relevant information necessary for planning for the schools in EMBO areas. (PNA)
Photo credit: Facebook/dilg.philippines
