On the new 3-pronged approach against insurgency

Just this week, Secretary Puno revealed the government’s new strategy against the insurgents. He called this the 3-pronged approach against insurgency, and considered this as a new policy direction. The new policy calls for three components. These components are enforcement, negotiation and rehabilitation. He said that this new policy will be used by the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police in arresting the elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation front and other members of insurgency groups like the NPA. This new policy direction according to Puno was discussed together with the secretary of National Defense and this is what they have recommended to the president.

For the first component- the enforcement approach- the Armed Forces of the Philippines will deputize policemen in order to assist in the efforts of the military. This means that the deputized policemen will be given the military powers to arrest suspected rebels without having to violate the human rights of the suspects. Based on the law, the policemen can legally arrest a person provided that the arrested person will not be detained for more than 36 hours.

Under the negotiation component of the new approach, a new task group was formed. And this group has the responsibility to always keep the communications line open and also part of the task group is to look for ways on how to end the fighting and North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte. And for the last component of the new policy, Puno cited the need for resettlement. This resettlement is for the displaced civilians due to the conflict and this component will also calls for the rehabilitation of the conflict areas. This is also the part where other agencies will be called upon to act, like the Department of Social Welfare and Development. As a testament to the government’s commitment to the rehabilitation component, there are now evacuation centers that have been set up in the city of Ozamiz and in some towns of North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte. These evacuation centers are expected to temporarily accommodate thousands of displaced families. These families were displaced due to the conflicts between the government and the MILF.

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Secretary Puno talks about a new approach in addressing insurgency

The history of the country is intertwined with a number of insurgencies. In fact, for the most part of the history of the Philippines you can say that the insurgency problem has a role to play and somewhat affected the direction of the country. Simply put, for every new government that occupies the seat of power in Manila the insurgency problem will always form part of the must-solve and must-address problem. And up to this time and nearing the end of the term of President Arroyo, the insurgency problem is still there and giving the Philippine National Police, the military and the government the usual headaches.

The problem of insurgency is often defined as that organized movement with the objective of overthrowing the constituted government through the use of subversion and conflict, and according to many the insurgency is a new form of warfare. In the Philippines, the longest running insurgency is the one that is waged by the Communist Party of the Philippines as assisted by the New People’s Army. There are other secessionist groups in the southern part of the Philippines and these movements are giving headaches to the policy makers, and the current administration.

The government of President Arroyo is not taking this lightly right now in fact after the abduction of the three Red Cross workers this year, the government with the PNP and the military are stepping up its efforts against the insurgency problem. The government is currently reshaping its policy direction. And just recently, Secretary Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government has shared that indeed, they proposed a new 3-pronged strategy set to address the age-old problem of insurgency. The latest strategy according to Secretary Puno is their 3-pronged approach. He describes this as a new holistic approach that can be used to address the insurgency issue. The 3-pronged approach includes the need for enforcement, for negotiation and the need for rehabilitation. And this new approach to the issue is the new strategy to be used by the military and the Philippine National Police when arresting elements of the insurgency groups.

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Kuya Commercial Focuses on a Well-Staffed PNP

Secretary Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government will release another infomercial, and this time the focus of the infomercial is on the need to beef up the police force in the country. The newest infomercial that follows the ‘WCPD Desk’ is called ‘Kuya’. At the core of the new infomercial is the move of the Department of Interior and Local Government to add around 3000 police officers every year so as to ensure the welfare and the security of the public. This specific project of the department can be expected since this is at the core of the main services of the department.

The office is known for its three main concerns and these are local governance, peace and order and public safety. This specific project of the office is actually part of the grand plan of the government to modernize the national police. It was announced last week that the Philippine National Police will add 7000 new policemen that will help boost its operational capability. According to published reports, this number will be added to the fold this year and currently the applications are on-going. Director General Jesus Versoza is calling on interested applicants to submit their applications since the recruitment for the second semester is now open. Interested and qualified applicants are asked to submit their applications to the nearest police station.

The department is not only in need of 7000 officers. Director General Versoza said that this number is on top of the 10000 police officers that they need by next year as part of the orders of the President. The president is pushing for a well-staffed police force, and the recruitment of new officials is in line with the plan of the government to meet the ideal ration of police and the number of citizens. The government said that the ideal ratio is one policeman for every 500 persons. The modernization plan in the Philippine National Police in on-going, and projects related to the modernization plan is currently undertaken. And the latest plan is to add 15000 officers in the next 5 years. The spokesperson for the PNP clarified the common thinking that only criminology graduates can pass applications. Senior Supt Leonard Espina said that they also accept graduates of other courses provided that they can submit the proper credentials.

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Gun Control IRR Formally Signed

The implementing rules and regulations for the national firearms control program have been officially signed. The formally signing and adoption of the rules and regulations was attended by Interior and Local Government head Ronnie Puno, Philippine National Police Chief Director General Jesus Versoza and the other heads of law enforcement agencies. The program was officially adopted in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

This is part of the Executive Order 817 signed by President Gloria Arroyo which was signed July 7. According to this law, there will be a final general firearms amnesty and this is scheduled from October 1 to 31 this year. During the signing of the implanting rules and regulations, police officials have said that this planned amnesty is there so as to encourage the legitimate gun owners to register their unlicensed guns or at least renew their licenses. In the order that was signed by the President, the President said that all holders of loose firearms shall be encouraged and be given the opportunity to get the required firearm licenses.

In a statement, Secretary Puno said that the implementation of the gun amnesty program is a good step towards the goal of having a complete peace and order in the country. It is said that the loose firearms in the hands of organized crime groups and the general public greatly contributes to the growing crimes in the country. Director Versoza for his part said that the signing of the implementing rules and regulations will serve as a green light for the intensified campaign against loose firearms. There are currently 1.1 million loose firearms in the country and these are in the hands of organized crime groups, the New People’s Army and the general public. And the government hopes that it can reduce that number by around 3 percent each month. Specifically the Philippine National Police is hoping that it can target around 33,000 loose firearms within the first month of the implementation of the program. Though the amnesty program will officially start on October 1, the Philippine National Police will start the processing of applications on August 1. The PNP will process the applications for the general amnesty and registration of the loose firearms and the renewal of expired licenses.

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Loose Firearms an Issue that Should Be Faced- Secretary Puno

Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government has called for the proper regulation of loose firearms. He believes that loose firearms which are in the possession of organized crime groups, the New People’s Army and in the possession of the general public is a major reason why crimes are in the country are growing. By some estimates, it is widely believed that the number of loose firearms in the country is pegged at 1.2 million.

Because of the possible crimes that may arise due to these loose firearms, the secretary added his voice in pushing for the need to regulate the loose firearms in the country. Just last week, the secretary called on the owners of the loose firearms to register their firearms in time for the government’s scheduled one-month amnesty. The amnesty is set to begin October 1. The scheduled gun amnesty is actually part of the Executive Order 817 or the national gun control program which will last for the whole month of October. Secretary Puno is confident that the amnesty program for October will cut the number of loose and unregistered guns in the country by half. Puno added that the department will start ahead of schedule of the implementation and they will now process applications for loose firearms and they also process the renewal of expired licenses on August 1. This will give the Philippine National Police just enough time to accommodate gun holders. He made this statement during the peace and order council meeting among the regional executives of the provinces of Ilocos, La Union and Pangasinan.

Secretary Puno also repeated this call during his visit to Davao City. He urged owners of unregistered guns in the region to avail of the amnesty program until the last day of October. He added that there will be stiffer penalties that await the violator the moment the deadline has elapsed. Puno said that the offense of carrying an unregistered gun is a non-bailable offense. The secretary conceded that owning a firearm in some areas of Mindanao is part of culture.

The need for the regulation of guns is clearly needed since the country is now ranked 10th in the world with the highest number of homicide cases, and around 97.7 percent of these are committed using unregistered guns.

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DILG pushes for a Women and Children's desk in every station

One of the main projects of the Department of Interior and Local Government is to strengthen its support to the marginalized sectors in the country, like the women and the children. And one such specific project implemented by the department is the establishment and the expansion of the Women and Children Protection Desks or the WCPDs. The objective of this program is to make sure that every police station around in the country will have a desk that would address the complaints and the needs of the women and the children.

The objective of this is simple. This is to ensure that women and children will not hesitate to ask the assistance of the police since these desks are manned by female police officers. This important project by the department is actually the subject of the new infomercial released by Secretary Puno which is now played in leading television networks. The department also established partnerships with nongovernmental organizations, and right now there is an effort from the department to continuously train the police officers so that they can be effective in serving the needs of the women and the children, and the also these trainings will also help the police officers to know the rights of women and children.

The move of the Philippine National Police under the guidance of Secretary Puno in promoting and in protecting the rights of the women and the children is not just confined on this WCPD project. In fact this is just the latest of the many moves of the PNP and the DILG to put the needs and the rights of the sector at the front. Since its inception or the passage of the PNP Act of 1991 which is also called the Republic Act 6975, the Philippine National Police has been active in implementing the right projects that will address the needs of this sector. There have been a number of projects and programs that were introduced that were geared towards the advancement of the rights of women and children. Secretary Puno said that these one-stop shops will be there to process the complaints of the women and children and will also serve as the one-stop shops for any investigations that will involve members of this sector.

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Secretary Puno Unveils Department Charter

Just this week, Secretary Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government unveiled the charter of the department. This is seen as a way to give the public the opportunity to learn more about the department, and more importantly this charter will help the public know the services that can be sourced from the department.

The charter was also introduced as part of the requirement of the government to eliminate the bureaucratic red tape common in many agencies. It is also the intent of the charter to further improve the services of the Department of Interior and Local Government. Secretary Puno led the launching of the charter, and he was assisted by the key officials of the department. The charter was made and launched in compliance with the provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007. This law mandates that all the government offices and agencies should set up the service standards, and should also identify the frontline transactions that are provided by every office. The charter of the department that was unveiled this week include information regarding the vision and the mission of the organization, the expected front line services, the targeted clients and the step-by-step process on how these services can be realized. The charter also includes the information on the officer or the employee in charge in the processing of these services and also the fees, if any are included in the charter. Some of the important frontline services (mostly caters to local officials) that can be expected from the department include the following:

• The application for travel authority abroad and the filing of application for leave of absence for local officials.
• The administration and the processing of the death benefit claims of barangay officials.
• Provision of data on the barangay and barangay officials
• The processing of the request for financial assistance for projects
• Public assistance
• Processing of scholarships and death benefit claims of barangay officials
• And a number of other services that benefit local officials

The department according to Secretary Puno is the lead implementer of the anti-red tape law in the local level through the Comprehensive and Unified Response to Eliminate Red Tape or called CURE.

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Secretary Puno Shows Soft Side with his Chocolate Labrador

The moment he returned from the United States, Secretary Puno faced the media to clarify some of the issues surrounding his leave from the department. He said that he went to the United States to attend the wedding of his daughter on July 4 and he added that the negative reports are greatly exaggerated. But other than this, he revealed in the press conference that there was another reason why the vacation took longer than the usual. He said that his long vacation in the US is due as well to a rare brown Labrador which he got from a kennel in Lurey County in West Virginia.

He introduced his Labrador to the press during the meeting, and he named the dog Magnus Portis. He said that this dog is one of the few chocolate Labradors around. His Labrador is unique he says, thanks to its colour. Most of the Labradors that are available and domesticated come in black or in yellow in colour. But Puno’s Labrador is different since this comes in that rare brown chocolate color. He said that this is the reason why he is also busy nowadays. During the press conference, the dog kissed the secretary and it even rested on his desk.

The Labradors are often used as hunting dogs and these are used as guides for the bind. One of the best features of these Labradors is their temperament. This breed are known to as loving and considered as people-oriented dogs. These dogs are known to be happiest when they are with their owners. They often bring things that they can find laying in the house or in the garden. And when these Labradors are with kids, then they are often patient. This is the reason why Labradors are great family dogs. But these Labradors should not be used as guard dogs.

Secretary Puno narrated that he drove two hours just to meet the Labrador, and he drove back two hours again to Washington. And from Washington, he flew back to San Francisco with his chocolate Labrador and also travelled coach class on the way back to the Philippines.

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Police and civilian forces to remain in Jolo

In a move to ensure safety in the island, Secretary Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government ordered that the more than 2000 police and civilian forces should continue its service. Their services, according to the secretary are needed since the government has intensified its offensives against the terrorist group. The Abu Sayyaf group is back in the news after it kidnapped three Red Cross workers. The workers have been released.

Secretary Puno sees no valid reason why these forces should be sent home. In the opinion of Puno, if the services of this group will be ended and they will be sent home then it should be ensured first that the peace and order situation in the area is secured. The secretary said that there is no intention of pulling the forces out until there is a change in the situation. So his order sticks- the group should remain and implement law enforcement.

If the Director General of the Philippine National Police is to be asked, majority of the CEFs should apply for a gun amnesty. He said that majority of them carry unregistered guns. In order to address this issue, Director General Jesus Versoza suggested that those unregistered gun owners should take advantage of the month-long gun amnesty of the Department of Interior and Local Government which is scheduled for October. The gun amnesty program by the department that is scheduled on October is known as the Executive Order Number 817 or the granting of a final firearms amnesty.

In a related concern, the secretary also ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection group or the CIDG to look at the release of the two wives of Abu Sayyaf leader Parad. Puno wanted to know if the release order was proper. The two were arrested for their alleged involvement in the kidnappings. “I’m having the CIDG review the case and to see whether there was official basis to release them”, added the DILG secretary. According to reports, the Sulu governor shared that the Abu Sayyaf leader asked for the release of his two wives in exchange for the release of the last Red Cross worker, Eugenio Vagni.

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Sec Puno says no to amnesty for Abu Sayyaf

Right after Secretary Puno returned from the United States, he immediately got down to business and tackled the more important programs of the department. He also attended meetings and a press conference last Thursday to discuss the programs of the department, to dismiss the talks that circulated while he was away and the press conference was also the venue where he discussed pressing issues of the week. One such issue that was tackled was that on the Abu Sayyaf. When he was asked about the possible amnesty to be given to the group, he said that currently a number of European nations still consider the group as a terrorist group thus giving them the amnesty will not look good at least in the eyes of the international community.

Puno says that the group should be held liable for their criminal acts. He said that the international community will not look kindly on the amnesty to be given to the group. And in his opinion, as long as the group continues to be a threat to peace and order the Philippine National Police should not pretend that the problem is not there. The situation is clear he says that there is still the threat and there are three more teachers that are being held captive by the group in Zamboanga Sibugay. He believes that if these three captives are released by the group unharmed, and the group will state and will no longer pursue kidnapping and would renounce all of its criminal acts then that would be the time that the amnesty can be considered. On that same press conference, the DILG secretary also said that he is not in favor of demobilizing the civilian enforcement forces in Sulu since these forces are the reasons why the Abu Sayyaf group is in check.

Earlier in the week, a military spokesperson said that a possible amnesty that can be given to the group will not be taken well by the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the AFP. The government has already formulated its policy stand. The government will not grant amnesty to the group since they are considered as a terrorist organization that do not pursue and ideology.

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Wild talks about exit and other rumors not true- Sec Puno

When Secretary Puno filed for a two-week leave and left for the United States, a number of observers and political figures offered their very own take why the secretary made the sudden decision. And when it was known that Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane was named as the OIC of the department, the wild talks grew.

Senator Pimentel is one of those who floated a possible reason why Puno filed for leave. In the opinion of Senator Pimentel, Secretary Puno has lost the trust and the confidence of the President and that Puno is on the way out of the President’s circle. It was also reported that the departure of Puno from the department is actually part of another Cabinet revamp and there are other names that will soon be replaced and assigned to new posts. The other wild talk is more sinister in nature. Based on some reports, Secretary Puno is completely out of the department and the entry of Ebdane to the department is actually the first stage of the takeover of the topmost AFP and PNP positions by the members of the group of pro-GMA police and ‘military clique’. According to these reports, the takeover by officials will then be the support needed by the President in order to implement an emergency rule.

But all these talks were proven false and baseless when Puno returned this week from the United States. The secretary made his appearance and conducted meetings with key officials and members of the media. When he met the officials and the members of the media, Puno shoots down the talks about him leaving the department. In fact, it was a packed and busy day for the secretary since he issued a number of directives in relation to the important projects of the department. He even shared that he is scheduled to meet Secretary Teodoro and Sulu Governor Sakur Tan. In the press briefing, he said that the rumors surrounding his physical and political demise are greatly exaggerated. He also added that he knew that Secretary Ebdane will be assigned as the OIC since the President called him up and asked for his opinion when he was in California.

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Sec Puno returns to work

After a two week leave from the Department of Interior and Local Government, Secretary Puno is back to work and started the day faced with a busy schedule. The secretary issued orders to key officials of the department on the implementation of the department’s priority programs for this year which also include the gun amnesty program.

In the press briefing, the secretary announced that he will meet with Secretary Teodoro of the Department of Defense and he also announced that he will meet with Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan regarding the government’s campaign to put a stop to the kidnappings happening in Mindanao. Before Puno faced the media for a press briefing, he also held a meeting with the key DILG officials and he talked about the plans of the department to ‘further empower the local government units’ and cited an important project, the road improvement project that will be done in partnership with the Australian government. In the same meeting, the secretary also reiterated the plans for the re-organization of the regional, provincial, municipal and the barangay Peace and Order Councils. These plans include the moves to distribute new patrol cars to the PNP, the move to give provide the Bureau of Fire Protection with 100 fire trucks and the move to supply the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology with additional 150 prisoner vans.

The first day of work for Secretary Puno is packed- he met the key officials of the department in the morning, he was present at the press briefing and he also managed to attend the launch of the Department’s Citizen Charter. This was in compliance with the Anti-Red Tape Law. He was also scheduled to proceed to Ozamiz City to take part in the city’s charter anniversary. He was also expected to meet with the local officials of Ozamiz City. After visiting Ozamiz City, the secretary is also scheduled to proceed to Cotabato City on Friday where he will attend the Cabinet meeting. Puno told the media that the reports about his health was greatly exaggerated, and added that he filed the leave to attend the wedding of her youngest daughter in San Francisco.

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Puno calls on local execs to work against A (H1n1) virus

As a response to the growing health problem, the DILG and the office of Secretary Puno and called on the local chief executives to work with the rural health units and also to activate their barangay emergency response teams to serve as reporting centers for any reported cases in their respected areas. The order from the Department of Interior and Local Government came after the World Health Organization has hiked the level of the flu crisis into pandemic.

Puno called on the local officials to take the lead in the implementation of community information campaign so as to inform the general public about the signs and the symptoms associated with the flu. The information drive should also include tips on how to prevent the said flu virus. In the opinion of Secretary Puno, the contribution of the LGUs in the form of information drive can keep the heath issue at bay. He focused on the need to ensure that the Rural Health Units should be utilized, and added that the Barangay Emergency Response Teams can be used as the reporting centers for the new cases of the flu.

The circular that was signed by Secretary Puno was issued last June 4 and the guidelines were forwarded to the provincial governors, mayors, punong barangays and to the DILG regional directors. The directive coming from the office of Secretary Puno was made and forwarded a day before the World Health Organization identified the crisis as a pandemic. Secretary Puno called on the DILG regional directors to disseminate the said order to all the local authorities covered by their areas of responsibility. The World Health Organization formally labeled the crisis as the first flu pandemic in the world after 40 years, and it made its announcement last June 11. The flu has infected tens of thousands from as many as 74 countries, and based on the tally of WHO there are around 27,737 reported cases of flu. There were 141 deaths that were recorded due to the virus. The last case of an influenza pandemic was the Hong Kong flu, and this affected around one million. The move of DILG and other concerned government agencies are commendable, and the continuous monitoring and reporting can go a long way in addressing the health issue.

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Microfinance project of DILG in Rizal a success

The Microfinance project of the Department of Interior and Local Government in Rizal is considered a success, mainly due to the number of beneficiaries of the said program. This project that was spearheaded by the office of Secretary Puno overshot the initial target of 2000 families. Based on the latest figure on the website of the department, the project of DILG served 2800 families which mean that the project has a 144 percent accomplishment rate.

The project of the office is called the ‘Dagdag Puhunan para sa Kabuhayan ng Pamilya’ or the Micro Finance Assistance to Existing Livelihood Project, and this project was initiated as an answer to the financial and the economic crisis. This project initiated in the province of Rizal is just one of the many projects headed by Secretary Puno as the Cabinet steward for the province. The project is also part of the government’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program. Puno is also the steward for the province of Quezon.

In line with the livelihood project, the secretary was also assisted by the provincial governor and vice governor and they distributed 2.4 million pesos worth of assistance packages and these packages were given to 379 beneficiaries in the province of Rizal. This move that was made by the DILG is considered by Secretary Puno as a ‘Merry Christmas in June’. The program initiated by his office also helped the displaced factory workers, and also served the out of school youths in the province. For the said assistance packages, the DILG according to Puno contributed 5 million and this amount was sourced from the savings of the office, and the local government also contributed a counterpart amount of 1.34 million. For the livelihood project, assistance packages were also prepared and these were given to 200 families coming from 100 barangays. The packages are meant to augment the current and existing livelihood programs. The reason for its more than 100 percent accomplishment rate is due to the help extended by the city government of Antipolo. The city government provided training programs for the extra 280 families. The beneficiaries were trained on a number of livelihood activities like candle and soap making.

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Sec Puno’s entry into the race gets positive response

Secretary Ronnie Puno has been silently serving the government as secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government so his decision recently came as a surprise to many. Though the name Ronnie Puno has been synonymous with campaigns since he did serve as a campaign manager for many personalities, still the name Puno doesn’t ring a bell when it comes to possible players to contest the 2010 elections.

But this changed with the announcement of the secretary himself when he announced that he is will be a candidate for next year’s national elections. You could say that most observers and voters was taken by surprise by the move of the secretary but for those in the know and the current players in the field, the decision of Secretary Puno can be expected. These political players and observers are one in saying that Puno is one competent leader, and he is welcome to the field. They are one in saying that his experience can be one of his biggest assets. And in the words of Puno himself, his experience will help him help the next president serve and also lead the country beyond 2010. Some of the personalities who commented on his decision were Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Miguel Zubiri. The two said that the decision of Puno is a welcome development. Senator Estrada considers Puno as a ‘formidable opponent’ and in the view of Senator Zubiri, the entry of the secretary is one big boost to the ruling party.

Others are saying that the possible team up of Vice President De Castro and Secretary Puno can be considered a dream team since the two represents two important aspects- De Castro is known for his mass appeal and Secretary Puno is known for his political organization skills. Gilbert Teodoro who is also seeking the party’s blessing see the candidacy of Puno as strong and he added that the experience of the secretary will work in his favor. Teodoro has worked with Puno on the Sulu hostage crisis. Even members of the opposing party say good things about the Puno’s entry. Former Senator and Ambassador Maceda calls the move of Puno as a smart one.

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Secretary Puno and the Anti-Red Tape Law

Red tape is derisive term for excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making. Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of the Interior and Local Government believes that it hinders the department from delivering frontline services to the general public thus his staunch support of the Anti-Red Tape Law of 2007 or Republic Act 9485.

Secretary Ronnie Puno said that the implementation of the said law would eliminate bureaucratic red tape, avert graft and corruption practices as well as increase the efficiency of which services are being given to the public. Secretary Puno highlighted one provision of the law which is the Citizen’s Charter.

The said provision contains the information on which services are being offered by the DILG to the general public. Local chief executives will be the ones who will formulate the content of the Citizen's Charter according to the DILG chief. The Secretary further said that it could take the form of a billboard which should be posted in a conspicuous place on LGU offices.

The Citizen's Charter as stipulated in the law should contain the following: vision and mission; identification of the frontline services offered, and the clientele; step-by-step procedure to obtain a particular service; officer or employee responsible for each step; maximum time to conclude the process; documents to be presented by the client; amount of fees, if necessary, procedure for filing of complaints in relation to requests and applications and other related information.

Local officials were trained by the Local Government Academy along with the Civil Service Commission. The trainings would arm officials with the right knowledge on how to formulate a good Citizen's Charter.

Secretary Puno said that no application or request by a client would be returned without the proper action. He said that a simple transaction should be completed within five working days while complex transactions should be done within ten working days. "If the LGU fails to act on an application or request for renewal of a license, permit or authority subject to renewal within the prescribed period, said permit, license or authority shall automatically be extended until a decision or resolution is rendered on the application for renewal," Sec. Puno said.

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Prosperidad Epitomizes Prosperity Said Puno

The town of Prosperidad in Agusan Del Sur according to DILG Secretary Ronnie Puno symbolizes the prosperity that the country can achieve. That kind of success though, can only be achieved if local officials can unite and work together to sustain the growth of industries in their locality as well as safeguarding the peace and order situation and this is what Secretary Puno is stressing on.

Secretary Puno said that the hardworking officials of Agusan Del Sur have made it possible for the community of Prosperidad to live up to its name. In his most recent visit to the province during the Naliyagan Festival, Secretary Puno had this to say: "Prosperidad is synonymous with growth and development.

"May katwiran (There is a reason) why this town is called Prosperidad in the great province of Agusan del Sur. It’s because as you look around you, you see the enterprising people who live here. Everybody is engaged, masisipag lahat (everybody is hardworking), everybody is engaged in doing some productive endeavor," he added.

He even compared the town of Prosperidad to the US town of Hope, where former US President Bill Clinton was born. The comparison brings to light the fact that while the United States is suffering from the economic crisis heavily, the Philippines is faring a bit better. This is because of the economic reforms put in place by the administration with the help of the DILG Secretary.

Secretary further urged the people of Prosperidad and the province of Agusan Del Sur to continue down the right path. "You can continue as an example for other provinces in Mindanao, show them that when there is a will, there is always a way and when you decide to dedicate yourselves to progress, to the development of the province, that it will actually happen," the DILG chief said.

What the people of Prosperidad have done is truly commendable. Now, it is up to other local government units to get a clue and emulate what the LGU of Prosperidad has done. Between keeping the peace in the community and sustaining the growth of local industries, Prosperidad has shown that prosperity is truly attainable.

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Secretary Puno's Action on Public Complaints

One of Secretary Puno's concerns as the head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government is to keep local officials in line. To make it easier for the department to provide better frontline services to the general public, Secretary Puno urged the people to bring their complaints against local officials, policemen, jail guards, and firemen at the Common Folk's Day held during Friday at the DILG Office in Quezon City.

A memorandum from the Office of the President ordered all heads of departments and agencies of the government to have a Common Folk's Day. Here's what Secretary Puno had to say: " It is proper that we set aside a day of the week for the DILG to directly attend to the needs and concerns of the people, in compliance with President Arroyo's directive on this matter."

"From helping guarantee the safety of every Filipino home, to making sure the basic services are delivered efficiently by our local governments, the DILG touches the lives of many Filipinos every day in many ways," he added. By allowing common people to air their grievances, the DILG can weed out corrupt officials. Furthermore, they could streamline their services to make it easier for the public to get the services that they need on time.

In accordance with the memorandum, Secretary Ronnie Puno has mandated his undersecretaries and officials of the National Police Commission, Philippine National Police, Legal Service, National Barangay Operations Office, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to be present during Common Folk's Day.

Also, this would not work if people would not attend it. Therefore, Secretary Ronnie Puno has urged the public to attend the Common Folk's Day. After all, the most important aim of this is to further help the people by providing them with better services. With the complaints from the general public pouring in, the department can formulate plans to make their services better. This is yet another action being taken by the administration and the DILG to bring the government closer and more accessible to the public which it aims to serve to the fullest.

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Secretary Puno and the DILG's Response to Global Warming

Global warming is a problem not only faced by the country but by the whole human race. As such, it only makes sense that every country should do its part in curbing the risk of global warming. The Department of the Interior and Local Government headed by Secretary Ronnie Puno has already drawn plans on how to mobilize local government units to respond to this grave threat.

In September last year Secretary Puno convened officers of the DILG along with several local government leagues. The meeting was held to formulate a plan to fight climate change, the effect of which is already being felt across the country. According to Sec. Puno, the said meeting is just the start of a series of conferences which will be conducted in the regional level until March this year.

Present during that first meeting apart from DILG officials are officials of the Vice Mayors League of the Philippines (VMLP), the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines (PBMLP), the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), the Lady Local Legislators League of the Philippines (four L Phils.), the League of Local Planning and Development Coordinators of the Philippines (LLPDCPI) according to the Philippine Information Agency.

What these officials have tackled in the said meeting includes how the climate change has affected people, businesses and the ecosystem across the country. After finding out how it is affecting the country as a whole, the officials moved on to formulate a response. These responses cover energy, vehicle, forestry, and agricultural solutions.

By formulating energy solutions, the group is looking to find viable sources of energy which would significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases being produced by industrial plants. When it comes to vehicle solutions, the group looked into finding solutions for vehicles which are deemed to be smoke belchers. Forestry and agricultural solutions on the other hand deals with keeping our natural resources abundant since reforestation and proper agricultural practices can significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The solutions which the group has come up with will be the basis of legislative and executive actions in local government units across the country.

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Secretary Puno and the PNP Service Plaza

The current administration wants the Philippine National Police to be "closer to the people". This will make it easier for the PNP to deliver frontline services to the general public. A huge part of this commitment is the building of a PNP Service Plaza, the construction of which has already begun with DILG Secretary Ronnie Puno being one of the guests during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Secretary Ronnie Puno believes that the PNP Service Plaza would be a good thing as one of its strengths is transparency. "Anything that requires interaction between the PNP and the public will be done in a building that is open to everyone. So anyone can see how the services are being provided," said Sec. Puno during the groundbreaking ceremony held in September last year.

Another good thing about the PNP Service Plaza according to Ronnie Puno is that it would be easier for people to accomplish what they need to do. "You don’t have to wonder where you are going for this or that license. It’s just one place, one building," he said.

The government will not be spending a single cent in the construction of the Plaza as according to Secretary Ronnie Puno, "this project will be done at no cost to the government, because it is done in partnership with the PNP Foundation Inc. It will be a self-liquidating project done by the foundation."

There will be several offices of the PNP which will have a place at the Service Plaza once it's done hopefully by September this year. These offices are Firearms and Explosives Division, Motor Vehicle Clearance Unit, Security Agencies and Guards Supervision Division, Benefits and Pension Administration Division, Directorate for Intelligence, Directorate for Personnel and Records Management and the Complaints Referral and Action Center. Surely, the presence of these offices in a single building would make it easier for people to interact with the Philippine National Police.

Apart from the building, the PNP also has undertaken some steps to bring them closer to the community. For one, people can report abusive members of the PNP by texting 2920. This is apart from the PNP's People's Action Team Responding Online or Patrol 117. They already have 22 call centers in 22 cities and one municipality.

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Blast from the Past: Organizing BPOCs

One year ago today, 75 percent of all the barangays in Capiz have reported that they have organized their Barangay Peace and Order Councils following the circular which came from the office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronnie Puno.

Secretary Puno called for the reorganization of said councils across the country as a means to better protect the general public. A BPOC serves as the implementing arm of the Integrated Area/Public Safety Plan formulated by their respective municipalities or cities. Therefore, all community-based anti-crime activities are to be supervised, coordinated, and monitored carefully by a BPOC.

Furthermore, Secretary Ronnie Puno ordered such move because of the barangay elections which took place a year before. The new set of barangay officials needed to create their own BPOC to maintain the effectiveness of public safety services accorded to the general public across the Philippines.

Also, the circular included Secretary Puno's suggestion to barangay officials to create a public safety plan which should cover crime prevention and control; counterinsurgency and terrorism; fire prevention and suppression; disaster management and control; and environmental enhancement. Since this public safety plan is the official planning document of the reorganized BPOCs, it is essential that it should be completed.

Secretary Puno had this to say regarding the reorganization of BPOCs: "Considering that the DILG and local government units are jointly exerting efforts to maintain the viability of local institutions necessary for the effective delivery of peace and order and public safety services, there is a need to reorganize the BPOCs and to regularly monitor and evaluate them to ensure their functionality."

Keeping the peace across the country is a big task. And it is a good strategy to start with every barangay. If all barangays can reorganize and keep their BPOCs active, the fight against crime would be a little easier. In addition, BPOCs can prevent crimes as they are ordered to help barangay tanods identify people in the community with "strong deviant behavior". These individuals should then be referred to appropriate authorities. This way, several components of the system would be helping each other out to keep the peace across the land.

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Secretary Ronnie Puno's Circular Reactivated BHERT

The AH1N1 virus is spreading steadily across the world and the Philippines has its fair share of swine flu cases. In response to this, Secretary Ronnie Puno recently ordered local government units to reactivate Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams or BHERT around the country.

These teams are volunteer community organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health by providing Emergency Medical Services, and other basic health services, as required, to the community. The reactivation of said teams will hopefully help people be informed as to how to combat the spreading of the dreaded virus.

Meanwhile, in Southern Leyte, the provincial hospital has already sent medical technologists for training. The said training will help the province's health sector be ready if a case of the flu is reported in the area. Being ready to respond to the situation is expected to save a lot of lives especially if the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams are informed of what they need to do in responding to a suspected case of swine flu.

Dr. Noel Lumen, Head of the Technical Department at the Salvacion Oppus Yniguez Memorial Provincial Hospital meanwhile admitted that while no cases of the A H1N1 strain has been reported in the province, "the seasonal anti-flu vaccine for AH1N1has not yet circulated here in the province and probably the whole of Eastern Visayas because it is still under clinical study for about 4 to 6 months." While said vaccine is known to work only against seasonal influenza and not against the tougher A H1N1 strain, it is still needed in the community.

Apart from reactivating BHERTs, Secretary Ronnie Puno's circular also ordered Barangay Health Workers and even Barangay Tanods to keep track of the visitors in their respective barangays. This is essential especially if said visitors came from a province or a country known to have a reported case of the swine flu. Hopefully, these precautions will keep the province safe from the feared virus. With the flu still spreading though, expect more precautionary measures from the office of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

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Questions Aplenty Regarding Puno/Ebdane

Is Secretary Ronnie Puno about to leave his post in the Department of the Interior and Local Government? Questions about Sec. Puno's future in the department is now in question after the Palace appointed Department of Public Works and Highways Hermogenes Ebdane as the officer in charge of the DILG while Secretary Puno is on leave.

It is usually the most senior undersecretary of a department who is appointed as the OIC while the Secretary is on leave. This development therefore raised some eyebrows from the media and surprised the department itself. Furthermore, it is not everyday that a single person is given the reigns of two large departments like the DILG and the DPWH.

Although the ability of Ebdane is not being questioned, there are certainly questions about why the Palace acted in such a way. What's more puzzling is the announcement of the administration that Secretary Puno is on leave due to health problems. This is in contrast with Secretary Ronnie Puno's announcement that he will be going to the United States to attend the wedding of her daughter Tami last July 4.

Secretary Puno is known to be the man behind the political success of all presidents after Corazon Aquino. He played a major role behind the scenes in the candidacy of presidents Ramos, Estrada, and even Macapagal-Arroyo. Secretary Puno is also the chairman of the President's political party. It is therefore confusing to the general public what the intention of the Palace is in announcing that Sec. Puno has health problems.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Leonardo Espina said in a recent interview that he only knows that Secretary Ebdane is concerned about the real peace and order situation in the country after the couple of bombing incidents which happened in the National Capital Region just recently. As to why the Palace had a different statement about Sec. Puno's leave, Espina said he is not privy to that information.

Another thing that's spicing up the discussions is the supposed agreement between Senator Mar Roxas and Secretary Puno to be running-mates in the coming presidential election.

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Blast from the Past: Sec Ronnie Puno's Appointment

Let's turn back the time to February of 2006 when Secretary Puno was recently named the new chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. The appointment of Secretary Puno back then happened after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo revamped the members of her cabinet.

Ronnie Puno's appointment then received positive response from the people who are already in the department especially Provincial Director Antonio A. Cardoza of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Biliran. Cardoza said that Ronnie Puno is a perfect choice for the position due to his experience in the field.

Cardoza mentioned that Puno has been there and done that during the terms of presidents Marcos, Ramos, and Estrada. Puno is a well-known strategist during the terms of said presidents. Puno also backed the current president in her campaign for the office giving him valuable experience on where the current administration is going with its plans regarding local government units.

Another quality trait by Secretary Puno which Cardoza admired is his concern for the workforce behind the department. He said that whenever the Secretary would go on trips to visit local government units, he is always ready to meet the people in the field because he understands how important they are. After all, they are the ones on the field and are tasked with carrying out the orders from Secretary Puno himself.

Connecting with the workers gives Secretary Puno the chance to learn what is wrong in the lower levels and what is working for them. This is very valuable as it would give the department the information it needs to solve problems on several levels of local government.

Today, Secretary Puno is as committed as ever to his job as the head of the DILG. His dedication to his job and affinity for the workforce of the department has resulted to positive campaigns to make LGUs better. The success of a microfinance project in Rizal is a proof of that.

His track record in the DILG and as a Representative of the first district of Antipolo City shows that no matter which path he takes in the political crossroad he is in now, things are bound to look good for the Filipinos.

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Sec. Puno's Call for Vagni Release

The clashes between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Abu Sayyaf has already taken a lot of lives and DILG Secretary Ronnie Puno has made it clear that the government is ready to put a stop to their offensive if the Abu Sayyaf would only agree to talk with the government to facilitate the release of Italian Eugenio Vagni.

Vagni is a water-system specialist working for the International Committee of the Red Cross who was kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf last January along with two others. The group has already released one of the three kidnapped men while another one escaped their clutches last April. Therefore, Vagni is the only bargaining chip that they have left and Secretary Puno is intent on delivering Mr. Vagni safe to his family.

"We are willing to communicate with them for the purpose of finding a way where they can release the hostage without consideration of any kind or any monetary consideration," said Sec. Puno referring to the Abu Sayyaf.

Sec. Puno though maintained that the government is not losing the battle against the Abu Sayyaf thus the willingness to sit down and talk things over. "We want to put an end to the fighting, and the best way to do it is, of course, for them to immediately release Mr. Vagni," he said last month. He also warned that if the Abu Sayyaf will continue to take actions against the government despite the offer to talk, the AFP would be forced to continue operations. Of course, these operations would be conducted carefully in order to protect Vagni.

The latest contact that the Italian had with his wife was in June 26 when they talked for a few minutes. The government thinks that the calls from Vagni to his wife have been few and far between because of the group being on the run and not risking being tracked.

ICRC head of operations for East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific Alain Aeschlimann has this to say after Vagni's latest call to his wife: "Although Eugenio feels tired, he continues to show remarkable strength in the face of great adversity. His family is also displaying great stoicism."

While the Abu Sayyaf is not yet commenting on whether they would indeed agree to a talk between them and the government, the hope that they would consider releasing Vagni is high.

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Secretary Puno's Warning To LGUs`

Secretary Puno knows how tough the economy is. And for a lot of people, it is becoming harder no thanks to local governments imposing illegal "pass-through" fees on delivery trucks which transports particular products like food and agricultural products.

DILG Secretary Puno therefore warned local government units that if they are charging the so-called fees, they could face administrative charges. Furthermore, Sec. Ronnie Puno said that criminal charges can even be filed against them depending on the severity of violations.

Earlier this year, producers, manufacturers, and wholesalers are complaining that certain municipalities and cities are charging them of the so-called "pass-through" fees. This is a clear violation of the Local Government Code which limits the taxes and fees that the local government can impose on delivery trucks. Even with the law in place, some local government units still pass ordinances which are in contrast with the law.

According to Secretary Puno, the Local Government Code states that only provinces and cities can impose an annual fixed tax for every delivery truck or van of manufacturers or producers, wholesalers of, dealers, or retailers in, certain products "as may be determined by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to sales outlets or consumers whether directly or indirectly, within the province in an amount not exceeding five hundred pesos (P500)."

"We will seek authority from Malacañang to investigate LGUs found imposing these illegal fees and other violations committed by them on the imposition of taxes on owners of delivery trucks," stated the DILG chief earlier this year. "We are going to be firm on this especially when our private sector needs all the help it can get in these difficult economic times," he added.

The DILG chief explained that municipalities cannot impose taxes on delivery trucks passing through. With the annual taxes that manufacturers, producers, and wholesalers have to pay the provincial government and these illegal taxes, it is not surprising that they would complain about the situation.

I know we are in a period of local autonomy and we have been very liberal," Secretary Puno said. "But it is also the responsibility of LGUs to be aware of what they should not do and what they can do," he concluded.

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Pangilinan Law to Be Amended Soon Says Secretary Puno

Senator Francisco "Kiko" Pangilinan was the one who worked for the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 to be approved and now he is one among other people who wants it to be amended. The said law states that persons below 15 years old are exempted from criminal liability.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno recently confirmed that the Pangilinan Law as it is today is nearing its end. This is because a lot of people have seen the loopholes in the law which could be exploited by criminal elements. The Pangilinan Law as it is being billed today may have been made with good intentions in mind but recent incidents call for an amendment of the law.

Anti-crime advocates and law enforcement agencies have lobbied for so long to have the law amended. A recent incident in Laguna where a student killed a high school kid after beating the latter up has shown to the public what the aforementioned groups are pointing out in the past.

Law enforcement agents sometimes arrest minors for disobeying the law but they have no choice but to let them go because they are being protected by the Pangilinan Law. Criminal syndicates have exploited the loopholes in the law by having people below 15 years old involved in their criminal activities. They are confident that the kids will be let go if arrested.

Being the Secretary of the DILG, Ronnie Puno knows the challenges of adhering to the said law and bringing in minor criminals. Thus, it is not surprising that Secretary Puno is supporting the amendment of the said law.

In fairness, the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 also include a diversion and intervention program through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). This is what Senator Pangilinan and the UNICEF are counting on to keep minors from being repeat offenders. Also, the intervention program is designed to keep them from committing any crime in the first place.

With the DILG Secretary now on the case along with law enforcement agencies and anti-crime advocates it is really only a matter of time before criminal syndicates would be stopped taking advantage of our nation's youth.

Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p090703.htm&no=81

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