Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5th district) is pushing for the automatic release of the share of the barangays from the proceeds of national taxes and taxes on the utilization and development of the national wealth, a press release from his office said yesterday.

The solon has sponsored House Bill 5323 that seeks to amend Section 286 of the Local Government Code.

The IRA share of each local government unit should be released without need of any further action, directly to the provincial, municipal or barangay treasurer, he said.

It should not be subject to any lien or holdback that may be imposed by the national government, Arroyo's proposed measure also provides.

He added that like the other LGUs, the barangay is also mandated to perform certain duties and functions especially in the delivery of basic services and facilities in the community.

In the process of decentralization and devolution, many problems have been encountered, and in many areas, local officials are withholding the release of the share of the barangays. Arroyo's House Bill seeks to rectify this situation, attain government's goal of decentralization and sustain the growth of the barangays, the press release added.*

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Bataan officials
visit Bacolod

A delegation of barangay captains from Mariveles town in Bataan called on Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday at the City Hall.

Bataan Board Member Billy de Leon spearheaded the Lakbay-Aral tour to different cities to study the solid waste management programs of each LGU they have visited, a press release from City Hall said.

"We have chosen Bacolod City as one of our destinations because we have heard of its exceptional progress and development, especially on economic growth," said Jose Villapando Sr., president of the Liga ng mga Barangay of Mariveles.

A socio-economic profile of Bacolod was presented to the group.

The presentation included the different areas of concerns of the Bacolod City from housing, revenues, health, communications, transportation, peace and order, tourism and on solid waste management.

Secretary to the Mayor Rogelio Balo explained that Bacolod City is not the only local government unit that has experienced difficulty in solid waste management.

"It is a problem that is an eternal concern of any government, may it be big or small," said Balo.

"But our Mayor has created the Solid Waste Management Council to specifically address the concerns of proper waste disposal," Balo added, in the same press release.

"Presently, the city has a program for all 61 barangays. Each barangay has an allotted fund from the city government intended for garbage collection," Balo said.

Each barangay should properly segregate its garbage from biodegradable to non-biodegradable because starting July, the city will no longer collect biodegradable materials, Balo added. "We also have educational campaigns in schools and barangays on solid waste management," he further claimed in the press release.*

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Foreign guests
join Santacruzan

Foreign guests attended the Bacolod Grand Santacruzan held Sunday.

Among them were Ambassador of Spain to the Philippines Ignacio Sagaz; Japanese minister and head of Political Section, Taeko Takahashi; and Eleanor Fukuda of the ODAN-J in Japan, an association of Filipino workers in Japan, a City Hall press release said.

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia was the Hermano Mayor with Fukuda as Hermana Mayor.

Leonardia welcomed the Spanish Ambasador with his wife, Aurora Sagaz.

"It was a wonderful program. I am grateful that Bacoleños also celebrate the Santacruzan. I am thankful that Filipinos preserved an important tradition of Spain," Ambassador Sagaz said.

"Bacolod is very lucky to have the Ambassador join our celebration as a lot of cities are also celebrating the Santacruzan. This opportunity comes only once and we hope that in the coming years, we can still celebrate the Santacruzan with Ambassador Sagaz," Leonardia said.

The Santacruzan is a religious tradition depicting the Blessed Virgin Mother in her various Marian images, the press release added.*

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People & Events Title 4

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