GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 19 Oct) – The city government is pushing for the institutionalization of a locally initiated mechanism that
allows barangays here to plan and implement their own development projects.

Engr. Emerald Signar, head of the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), said Tuesday they have been continuously capacitating barangay officials and personnel to help them properly manage the implementation of infrastructure-related projects in their communities.

He said the mechanism, which is backed by a City Development Council (CDC) resolution, stemmed from discussions and consultations that started in 2018 and 2019 regarding the need to expedite the rollout of local government projects.

The CEO had faced problems in coping with the implementation then of locally funded and national government-supported projects, eventually overwhelming its absorption capacity, he said.

The official said the initiative started through research conducted by their office in 2016 and studies on similar mechanisms implemented by the Koronadal City government.

He said Koronadal allowed its barangays to implement their own
projects, specifically in terms of planning and procurement.

The projects only reach its engineering office for the actual construction, especially the testing and monitoring, and the preparation of billing documents.

Signar said they moved for the replication of the initiative through a policy proposal submitted to the CDC’s infrastructure development committee and was eventually adopted by the council through a resolution.

The move was supported by the Commission on Audit and the city government’s internal audit services unit, he said.[]