Bontoc peace council second best in region

By Roger Sacyaten

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Barangay Poblacion of this town was cited as second best local government in implementation of the Katarungang Pambarangay in the 2011 Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards in the Cordillera.

In a letter dated June 16, Regional Director Corazon Guray of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, invited Erlinda Bucaycay, barangay captain of Poblacion and member of the Lupong Tagamayapa to attend recognition rites which will coincide with the Regional Peace and Order Council meeting to be held on June 29, 8:30 a.m. at the Provincial Capitol, La Trinidad, Benguet.

It was learned that one factor that contributed to the success of the Barangay Lupon was regular submission of reports and practice of using indigenous systems in the resolution of disputes brought to it for settlement.

According to Amy Kalagui, barangay secretary, the non-inclusion of the cases that were dismissed, ongoing, and endorsed to other barangays and the courts could have helped them not attain the 90% criteria of settled cases, one criteria used in selection of best performers.

Under the criteria of the search, a contending Lupon must have settled 90 percent of the cases filed before it to qualify for the search.

The local Lupon was learned to have attained more than 80 percent efficiency.

Further research at the provincial DILG office indicated the local Lupon dismissed a number of cases due to the fact that those involved in the cases were students or businessmen who were not residents of the town.

Some were also reportedly settled by the parties involved outside of the jurisdiction of the lupon.

It was also gathered that the submission of incomplete documentation and improper packaging of documents may have contributed to the failure of the local Lupon to clinch first place.

The local Lupon has been credited for good documentation of the Lupon Secretary who was also the barangay secretary, for the many cases the local peace body has handled.
Since this was the first time for the Poblacion Lupon to participate in the search, it would not be farfetched that it will get first place in the future according to Kalagui.

The best performer was the Lupon of Barangay Paco, Mankayan, Benguet which had been a constant past regional winner and national finalist in the search.

Both winners will be awarded certificates of recognition only.

“We are working within the Provincial Peace and Order Council for the granting of a more modest reward and incentive for the search”, said Anabelle Laron, member of the PPOC Secretariat.