DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Sept. 8  (PIA) -- The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) together with Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO) has awarded 50 outstanding barangays for their invaluable contribution as agents of peace and order at the barangay level.

DILG-7 Regional Director Leocadio Trovela and NOPPO Provincial Director PCol. Ronan Claravall recognized these civilian groups during the awarding ceremony on September 7 at the Convention Center in Dumaguete City.

Trovela said the activity is timely due to the upcoming two elections in the province.

“We would like to congratulate the province of Negros Oriental and the DILG family for recognizing the efforts of the barangay tanods, barangay peace and order committees, barangay anti-drug abuse councils, and the Lupong Tagapamayapa in safe keeping or maintaining peace and order in the province,” said Trovela.

He added that this is also to give appreciation to barangay officials for their efforts and the importance of their  roles considering that the government alone cannot effectively undertake peacekeeping efforts.

Claravall said these groups are frontliners in crime prevention and solutions, as they know the grassroots especially in the fight against illegal drugs and other forms of criminality.

The 12 Outstanding Barangay Peace and Order Committees (BPOCs), 12 Barangay Tanod Teams, 12 Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs), and nine Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards (LTIA) received over a P1 million of cash prizes and plaques of appreciation from the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) in an Awarding Ceremony on September 7 at the Provincial Convention Center in Dumaguete City.

Best performing BPOCs, Tanod Teams, BADACs, and LTIAs that managed to improve crime prevention in villages received the following prizes with a trophy each:

Adjudged as Outstanding BPOC (for component cities category)

• 1st place – Brgy. Cantil-e, Dumaguete City – P60,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Poblacion, Bayawan City – P40,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. Bakid, Guihulngan City  - P20,000
• Consolation Prize – Brgy. Sta. Cruz Viejo, Tanjay City – P10,000

For the 1st to 3rd class municipalities category

• 1st place – Brgy. Puhagan, Valencia  - P60,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Tabon, Vallehermoso – P40,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. Poblacion, Ayungon – P20,000
• Consolation Prize – Brgy. Magtuhao, Tayasan – P10,000
  

Under the 4th to 6th class municipalities

• 1st place – Brgy. Basak, Zamboanguita – P60,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. South Poblacion, Jimalalud  - P40,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. Nagbo-alao, Basay  - P20,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Sacsac, Bacong  -  P10,000

The recognition of BPOCs were based on criteria that includes service delivery performance, effectiveness of the peace and order council plan, support system, and sustainability of the BPOC activities.

For the outstanding tanod teams (component cities): 

• 1st place – Brgy. Talay, Dumaguete City  - P60,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Villareal, Bayawan City  - P40,000
• 3rd place – Sta. Cruz Viejo, Tanjay City  - P20,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Bakid, Guihulngan City  - P10,000

Under the 1st to 3rd class municipalities

• 1st place – Brgy. Poblacion, Sta. Catalina – P60,000
• 2nd place  - Brgy. Palinpinon, Valencia  - P40,000
• 3rd place   - Brgy. South Poblacion, La Libertad  - P20,000
• Consolation Prie  - Brgy. Barras, Mabinay  - P10,000
  

Under 4th to 6th class municipalities category

• 1st place – Brgy. Basak, Zamboanguita  - P60,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Buntis, Bacong  - P40,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. Masaplud Norte, Dauin  - P20,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Nagbo-alao, Basay  - P10,000

For Outstanding Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (BADACs) (component cities category)

• 1st place – Brgy. Narra, Bayawan City – 80,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Motong, Dumaguete City  - P60,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. San Jose, Tanjay City  - P40,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Banwague, Guihulngan City – P15,000
  

For 1st to 3rd class municipalities

• 1st place – Brgy. Ulay Vallehermoso – P80,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Calayugan, Valencia – P60,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. San Isidro, Pamplona – P40,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Bagtik, Manjuyod – P15,000
  

For 4th to 6th class municipalities category

• 1st place – Brgy. Janay-janay, San Jose  - P80,000
• 2nd place  - Brgy. Bongalonan, Basay  -  P60,000
• 3rd place  - Brgy. Lutoban, Zamboanguita  - P40,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Masaplod Norte, Dauin  -  P15,000
  

The role of barangays in the campaign against illegal drugs is by ensuring that their BADACs are fully functional.

Indicators of a fully functional BADAC include establishment of barangay rehabilitation referral desk with a designated officer; creation of BADAC auxiliary team; presence of plan of action; fund allocation; having monthly meetings, and implementation of drug abuse prevention advocacy campaign, drug clearing operation and community-based intervention for persons who use drugs (PWUDs).

Recognized as outstanding LTIAs (component cities)

• 1st place – Brgy. Villareal, Bayawan City  - P70,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Poblacion 2, Bais City   - P50,000
• 3rd place -  Brgy. Motong, Dumaguete City – P30,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Panubigan, Canlaon City  - P10,000
  

Under the 1st to 3rd class municipalities category

• 1st place – Brgy. Puhagan, Valenci  - P70,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. Poblacion, Tayasan  - P50,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. Poblacion, La Libertad  - P30,000
• Consolation prize – Brgy. Tupas, Manjuyod  -  P10,000
  

For the 4th to 6th class municipalities

• 1st place – Brgy. Nabago, Zamboanguita  - P70,000
• 2nd place – Brgy. South Poblacion, Jimalalud -  P50,000
• 3rd place – Brgy. Bongalonan, Basay   -  P30,000
  

The LTIA gives recognition to outstanding barangay lupons provincewide in the promotion of the Katarungang Pambarangay or barangay justice system in the province.

The efforts of LTIA winners in facilitating for amicable settlement of neighborhood clashes have lessened the court dockets, as such cases have not been filed in regular courts.  (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)