Baguio City Local Government Month Celebration

The Igorot leaders from this northern part of the country were raring to go for autonomy, everyone was talking of a separate autonomous region in the Cordilleras, this they said is an opportunity for the indegenous people to get their identity, more development and a better place for everyone. But the people of the Cordilleras thought otherwise, thus, only one province voted for it. A few believed then that autonomy can bring forth better lives for the people of this region. I am thankful though coz were it not for the move for an autonomous region, I would not have been able to get into government. Sometime in 1989, I was a lucky animal to be at the right time and place when the Cordillera Administrative Region was just established and I got hired with the Department of Local Government. A few months after, On October 10, 1991, republic act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 was signed into law givng more powers and authority to local governments. It gave them wider horizon aimed at empowering them to chart thier own destiny. I call this "Independence Day", because this was the day that the local governments got freed from the clouts of the central government. Decentralization was at its peak. The central government was undergoing a lot of adjustments as powers were devolved to the local level..

17 years after, as we look back through the years, we need to assess the gains of decentralization. How did we fare in the implementation? have LGUs improved? Did the devolution of powers and authority brought better lives to the people? have we improved as a people? a community? as a country? I let you be the judge of that.

On October 10, 2008, the City of Baguio commemorated the signing into law of the Local Government Code. This was spearheaded by the DILG City Field Office. I wanted the city government and the barangays to celebrate this day because I believe that if there was anything that they should celebrate, this is the local government month and day, simply because, they were born on this day... the day that central government weaned them.. the day the LGUs were finally set free.

Working with local governments specifically with the city of Baguio and its barangays is very exciting and challenging.. infact its very colorful. When I started with the department in 1989, I didnt appreciate much the work I was doing for the Department not because it was boring but coz it was purely administrative. But sometime in 2002, when I joined the city field office, I began to appreciate the work we do.. I begun to see challenges.. opportunities. I began to love the work... meeting people, networking, mentoring but most of all, I love being just the DILG. It's not an easy task, neither is it an idle one, contrary to what many may believe. Of course it all boils down to choices.. I can choose to be idle or to be on the go.. either way I will still get paid as all government employees do.. but i chose the latter one.

There is no better work than working with the local governments...