City Hall sa Barangay: Going the extra mile in public service

Maria Fe Patches, a senior citizen from Sitio Bag-o, Barangay EJC Montilla, skipped her farm works and went to Maria Montilla Elementary School. She was not fetching a grandson or granddaughter from the school; but rather, she went there to avail of the free medical services extended to the barangay residents. The school was the venue of the ‘City Hall sa Barangay’ project of the city government of Tacurong.

Lola Maria Fe has been battling fever and flu for weeks; and though she would have wanted to, visiting a doctor was the last thing in her mind. She had her reasons: the city health center was far and spending money for fare was not part of her budget. She tried taking paracetamols and other herbal medicines but the fever would not subside.

At the school gym, she was attended by a nurse who took her blood pressure, and then she was ushered to one of the doctors for the consultation and check-up. She was given her needed medicines. Lola Maria Fe was all praises to the project. According to her, if not for the free medical services, her illness would have gotten worse.

Lola Maria Fe was one of 1,218 residents of EJC Montilla who availed of the various services offered by the city government on June 10, 2011 under its project dubbed as ‘City Hall sa Barangay’. The number of residents who availed of the services accounted for 26 percent of the total population of the barangay, which is 4,682 (Poverty Database Monitoring System data). EJC Montilla was already the ninth barangay visited under the project. The other barangays were Griño, San Antonio, Tina, San Rafael, D. Ledesma, San Emmanuel, Calean and Lancheta.

‘City Hall sa Barangay’ is a brainchild of City Mayor Lina Montilla who implemented the project in February 2011, or seven months after winning the mayoralty election. Under the project, all offices of the Local Government Unit (LGU) are brought to a barangay at a specific schedule and simultaneously roll out their various services for one whole day for free. Most of the employees of each department including the heads of offices join the ‘City Hall sa Barangay’. A skeletal force though, is left at the city hall to cater to the needs of the walk-in clients.

Instead of the clients going to the city hall to avail of the services they want, it is the city hall that goes to their barangay. Mayor Montilla stressed that the main purpose of the project is to truly make all the services of the city government closer and accessible to the people.

The venue of the project is either the barangay gym or school gym. Each office under the LGU has its own tables, chairs and signage that can easily be seen by clients who are coming in. A help desk is also put up at the entrance of the gym to guide the clients to the particular office that would provide their needs.

“Why let  poor residents from a far barangay spend money for food and fare just to go to the city hall when we have all the opportunity to go to them to offer our services”, says Mayor Montilla. “I think it is our responsibility to reach out to them; not the other way around”, she added.

In EJC Montilla, 51 percent or 627 residents who went to the school gym during the ‘City Hall sa Barangay’ caravan availed of the free medical consultation and medicines, while 162 availed of the free dental services including extraction of teeth. Other services included vaccination and castration of dogs and farm animals, legal assistance, birth registration, pre-listing for Philhealth membership, distribution of seeds and seedlings, and consultation with the city officials among others.

Other private individuals, upon seeing the huge positive impact and success of the project, offered their services too. Dr. Dante Eugenio, an ophthalmologist, offered a free eye check-up and eye operation. In EJC Montilla alone, 239 residents underwent the eye check-up. Dr. Herter Indanao, a dentist, also extended his help to the dentists of the city government. Dr. Mirriam Roco likewise helped the doctors of the City Health Office in the medical services. Dr. Mary Ann Ayco, the mayor’s sister, also served during the event.

            The Armed Forces of the Philippines also offered their dentists to help in EJC Montilla as well as in other barangays that were visited under the project. They also offered free haircuts and shoe repair.

            Major Al Maamo of the 104^th Brigade, Philippine Army, lauded the leadership of Mayor Lina Montilla for conceiving the ‘City Hall sa Barangay’ project. “Ito na ang nakikita kong totoong panggogobyerno… na ang serbisyo ng city hall na mismo ang inilalapit sa mga tao; ito sa tingin ko ang dapat gawin ng mga local chief executives sa lahat ng  panig ng bansa”, Major Maamo said.

            Barangay Chairman Amoilo Ortizo of EJC Montilla said that the barangay council and constituents of his barangay were grateful to the outstanding project of the city government. “Ginahandum namon nga magapadayon ini nga proyekto sa masunod pa gid nga mga tinuig”, Ortizo added.

            Meanwhile, Mayor Montilla said that by the month of November, all twenty barangay of Tacurong will be visited ‘City Hall sa Barangay’ caravan. She pledged that the project will continue next year and as long as she is the mayor of the city. The commitment of the mayor to continue the project augurs well for all the constituents of Tacurong especially those who are residing in barangays far from the Poblacion.

            With the success the ‘City Hall sa Barangay’ is gaining, public service is being redefined… that it is measured not by the amount of assistance or help a public worker extends to the client but by the way the service is being extended. Going the extra mile makes the difference.