Republic of the Philippines

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Friday afternoon pushed for active collaboration between local government units (LGUs) and national government agencies in tackling the growing problem of waste management and water security. Abalos made the call during his speech at the Waste and Water Summit at the SMX Convention Center which was initiated by the DENR in partnership with the DILG. The summit was aimed at strengthening linkages and cooperation between the DENR, DILG, LGUs and other stakeholders at the local level among others. “Ang collaboration dito ay napakahalaga. Pag-usapan natin ang problema. This is why this summit is very important,” Abalos said. He continued: “Huwag kayong mahiya sa amin. Sabihin ninyo sa amin kung ano ang problem sa lugar ninyo, at gagawa tayo ng plano ng sabay-sabay kasama ang DENR”. Abalos specifically urged LGUs to seek help from the DILG and DENR to better address issues on waste management and water problems in their locality saying he understands that “not all LGUs are created equal.” “Let us look at reality – what is really happening on the ground. Not all LGUs are equal. Hindi po lahat ay mayaman.” The DILG Secretary further explained that the DENR will establish the standard for cleanliness for each locality, while the DILG will diligently monitor and grant monetary incentives to LGUs who practice full compliance. “I’ll work with the DENR on this, we’ll go to the grassroots.” According to reports,  61,000 metric tons of garbage are produced on a daily basis, 20% of which comes from the National Capital Region, and contributes to the 20 to 22 million metric tons of solid waste produced annually. He also took note of the lack of access to sanitary landfills, to which only 1,107 out of 1,634 LGUs nationwide have access to the facilities. “More or less, 500 LGUs do not have access to sanitary landfills. Ang tanong, saan nila tinatapon ang basura? My guess is as good as yours, kung saan saan na lang itinatapon.” He also urged local leaders in attendance to use the privilege of their position to make a lasting difference and gear towards innovation to combat quandaries on waste management and water security. ###

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos on Friday (January 28) vowed to run after and totally dismantle a syndicate engaged in stealing license plates right inside the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) plate making plant. This, as he warned the remaining ring members including the mastermind to give up peacefully or face the prospect of being hunted relentlessly by law enforcers. The Philippine National Police is one of the attached agencies under the DILG. Initial reports indicated that the syndicate reportedly sells each pair of stolen vehicle plates between P5,000 to P10,000 to their buyers. “Sa mga grupong ito sumurender na kayo. Dahil maski saan tutugisin namin kayo. Tigilan nyo na ito (pagnanakaw ng plaka) at nabisto na kayo,” Abalos said during the joint DILG-LTO press conference held at the LTO Main Office, in Quezon City. Abalos issued the warning following the arrest of three LTO personnel who were caught red-handed while trying to illegally bring out from inside the plant five pairs of stolen license plates. The suspects were nabbed during an operation conducted by the combined operatives of the LTO and DILG-Special Projects Group. Two of the suspects were embossers at the facility while the other was a warehouse staff. Abalos said that an investigation is still ongoing and they are determined to find out the extent of the operations of the syndicate, and identify their cohorts including the mastermind who remains at large. Charges of five counts of qualified theft under Article 310 of the Revised Penal Code and the illegal production of LTO plate numbers under Section 31 of Republic Act 4136, are being readied against the suspects. Abalos is confident they have an airtight case against the suspects given the strong evidence that the LTO Intelligence Division and DILG Special Projects Group had gathered so far. According to Abalos, he immediately dispatched the DILG- Special Projects Group which reports directly to him, after LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II sought police assistance in arresting the suspects. Abalos lauded Assistant Secretary Mendoza, LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division Chief Renante G. Militante, and DILG Special Projects Group headed by P/Major Andres Daquial, for a job well done. “I emphasize that this is a case build-up initiated by the LTO Intelligence Division. That’s why I commend Asec Vigor and Renante Militante for their swift action on this case,” Abalos said.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Thursday ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to double down on their efforts of protecting young girls amid rising cases of sexual abuse against them in certain areas of the country. Speaking during the 49th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) in Binondo, Manila, Abalos was visibly alarmed after receiving reports that cases of rape against young girls were on the rise. “I was surprised na merong lugar na hindi nakawan, hindi cybercrime, kung hindi number one crime is rape,” Abalos said. This prompted him to order the PNP to exert extra efforts in protecting young women and intensify the implementation of its ‘Kuwarto ni Nene’ program in communities where there were marked increase in sexual abuse cases against young girls. “Kuwarto ni Nene” is a project of the PNP designed to protect young girls and ensure their safety from sexual predators. “I asked the PNP, we have this program it’s called Kwarto ni Nene. Where we give out (building) materials para yung mga nagdadalaga, (dapat) may sariling kwarto na. Hinihiwalay na,” Abalos said. He continued: “And we make sure na lahat ng babaeng pulis at social welfare officers ay dinadalaw- dalaw sila.” Abalos bared they are also exploring the possibility of issuing a policy urging overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to inform their barangays of their departure. The objective is for women officers from the barangay, police, and social welfare officials to conduct regular visitations on OFWs’ houses and check on the situation and condition of their children. The DILG Chief noted that the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority shows that 17.5% of Filipino women aged 15 to 49 have experienced forms of physical, sexual, and emotional violence from their intimate partners. Meanwhile, Abalos congratulated PCW for their efforts on women and gender equality in the country. The Philippines continues to be the leading Asian country in closing the gender gap according to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index Report by the World Economic Forum. “Ayon sa report, Pilipinas pa rin ang itinuturing na most gender-equal country sa buong Asya matapos makuha ang 16th spot out of 146 countries sa buong mundo. Congratulations, PCW!” he said. The PCW is an attached agency of the DILG and the primary policy-making and coordinating body on women and gender equality in the country.  ###

 President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., along with Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and other officials, on Thursday honored the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos who perished in a botched police operation at Tukanalipao in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province nine years ago. In his message during the SAF 44 National Day of Remembrance ceremony at Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite, President Marcos paid homage to the bravery of the fallen SAF troopers even as he urged Filipinos to draw inspiration from their heroism. “The defiant stand of the Brave 44 still echoes today. It is a clarion call for unity and action against any challenge we might face,” the President said. “Let our reverence for these men be always accompanied by a deeper reflection so we too can summon the fight in ourselves to build a better future for our nation.” “Huwag nating pababayaan ang kapayapaan na kanilang ipinaglaban,” he stressed. The President and the DILG chief were joined by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, along with the family and loved ones of the fallen 44. Abalos said the current administration would ensure that there would be no repeat of such an incident as the government zeroes in on improving the capabilities of the PNP. “As we remember today the tragedy that befell the brave SAF44, we also learn and reflect on the missteps of this unfortunate incident. We owe it to these heroes and their families to prevent another Mamasapano tragedy from happening again,” he said. “As such, trust that we would continuously push for initiatives to modernize and improve the capabilities of our police force to make them more efficient and responsive,” he added. The SAF44 died in the line of duty during a police operation called “Oplan Exodus” on January 25, 2015 that sought to arrest international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” and a Filipino terrorist, Abdul Basit Usman. The operation, however, resulted in a firefight with Moro rebels and armed residents in the area. The encounter lasted for hours and claimed the lives of around 67 people, including 44 members of SAF and Marwan. Usman, on the other hand, was later killed in another operation. ###

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Wednesday said that 60% or 921 out of 1,634 cities and municipalities in the country are now using electronic systems to process business permits and licenses. Abalos issued the statement during a press briefing in Malacanang, following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to speed up the government’s digitalization efforts. He also noted that the digitalization of LGU frontline services helped increase total revenue collection to P288 billion from P50 billion in 2018. “Like what President Marcos had said, digital transformation is key for the country’s full economic recovery. Susi po ito para mapaunlad ang ating ekonomiya at mapabilis ang proseso lalong-lalo na sa pagkuha ng business permits at licenses,” he said. The DILG chief elaborated that of the 921 LGUs, 799 employ the Electronic Local Government Unit or the eLGU system, while 122 localities have their own innovative systems. The eLGU platform is among the vital components of the Gov.PH Super App that was developed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). It is a mobile application that integrates multi-sectoral government services in a single platform — covering a wide range of functions such as business permit licensing, community tax, local civil registry, and many others. To attain the Marcos administration’s target of 100% full digitalization of LGU frontline services, the DILG, DICT and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), are jointly working and assessing the capabilities of every LGU in integrating online services in their processes. They plan to employ the eLGU system in 240 more LGUs this year. For his part, DICT Undersecretary David Almirol, Jr. said the government’s digitalization efforts directly tackle some of the more painful bureaucratic pain points of doing business in the country, such as red tape and long queues due to manual processing. “This is exciting news for everyone. Pwede na tayong mag-avail ng LGU services kahit nasa bahay lang,” Almirol said. “In the past, kailangan mo mag-absent sa trabaho, pumila ng mahaba sa municipal or city hall. Ngayon, kahit nasa bahay ka na lang,” he added. ###

Interior and Local Government Secretary (DILG) Benhur Abalos on Friday morning urged the 84th Special Action Company-Rapid Deployment Battalion of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to “always reach for the pinnacle of excellence” and learn from the best in the world as they represent the country in the 2024 UAE SWAT Dubai Police Challenge. “This team will symbolize our country. You are the best of the best. Iba ang tapang, galing, at puso ng Pilipino,” Abalos said during his command visit at the Special Action Force (SAF) Headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan. The UAE SWAT Challenge, hosted by the Dubai Police, is an annual competition organized to foster an exchange of tactical techniques and skills among international SWAT teams. The event highlights mental sharpness and physical endurance of participants. The 13-man delegation will participate in the said competition from February 3-7, where they will test their mettle against the 81 other SWAT teams representing 70 countries through a gauntlet of tactical and operational challenges. As a token of support, Abalos pledged P50,000 for each member of the SAF delegation. This, as Abalos hopes that the competition will not only be centered around winning but also for the improvement of the local cops’ prowess in ensuring peace and order in our communities. “Life is a continuous learning process. A good way of learning is being exposed to international competitions,” he said. Abalos continued: “This is where we gauge our ability, this is where we establish our current benchmark.” “In this competition, take note of the advancements made by other countries. This will not only help bolster ours, but will also be instrumental in saving lives in the future,” the Secretary stressed. Abalos likewise urged the delegates to “carry not only their families and communities in this competition, but the whole country and its pride as well.” ###

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos has vowed there will be no more delays in the promotions of third-level officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Abalos made the assurance following the issuance of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) Resolution No. 2023-1704, which imposes a 30-day timeline to complete the processing of recommendations for the promotion of police officers with the ranks of Police Colonel (PCOL) to Police Lieutenant General (PLTGEN). “As long as the documentary requirements are complete, walang problema. It will be acted upon within 30 days. Iyan ang hard and fast rule natin,” he said. After NAPOLCOM’s evaluation and also the confirmation of the Civil Service Commission, the promotional folders/documents will then be forwarded to the Office of the Executive Secretary before the approval of the President. Abalos said he hopes the move will further improve the morale of police personnel and inspire them to work relentlessly in fighting criminality, illegal drugs, corruption, and in maintaining peace and order in their assigned jurisdictions. He, however, was quick to warn that while processing of their promotions will be fast, imposing sanctions and penalties for misconduct and breach of discipline will be as swift and decisive. “Reward and punishment – that is part of our plan to professionalize and improve the service of the police force,” he pointed out. Abalos continued: “We will be quick in giving recognition for good performance, but at the same time, we will be as quick and as judicious in imposing punishments”. ###

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos over the weekend reaffirmed his advocacy on nurturing newborn and young children in their first 1,000 days to counter malnutrition and stunting. He made the commitment during the launch of Operations Manual on Non-Governmental Organizations’ (NGOs’) Involvement in the Children’s First One Thousand Days Nutrition Program produced by the Children’s First One Thousand Days Coalition (CFDC) at the Manila Hotel. Abalos explained that he has always been an advocate of nutrition for children and pregnant women even during his days as a local chief executive for the City of Mandaluyong. “This was also my advocacy when I was a local official. Patuloy po ang ating suporta upang labanan at tuldukan ang malnutrition at stunting ng ating mga anak sa mga barangay,” he said. The DILG Secretary, as the ex-officio Vice Chairperson of the National Nutrition Council Governing Board, said that the Department is committed to supporting Republic Act No. 11148 or the “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act.” In a recent memorandum, Abalos directed local government units (LGUs) to prioritize the nutrition of pregnant and lactating women and newborn children under two years of age, especially those residing in disaster-prone and geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. He further committed to empower LGUs to integrate maternal, neonatal, and child health and nutrition programs into Local Nutrition Action Plans, fostering policies that champion local investments in nutrition. During his term as Mandaluyong City mayor, the Nutrition Honor Award, which was the highest accolade conferred by the National Nutrition Council to an LGU, was conferred to the city for three consecutive years. He was cited for his Millenium Baby Project, which provided care for women and their babies, and the creation of the Breast Feeding Patrol, a group of breastfeeding mothers who can be pulled during emergencies to breastfeed hungry babies. During the launch, Abalos congratulated the CFDC for coming up with the Operations Manual, which he said is a critical contribution to ending malnutrition in the country. The manual outlines precise interventions throughout the pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and post-pregnancy stages with the ultimate goal of optimizing the health of both mother and infant. To recall, the CFDC and DILG last December signed a memorandum of agreement to help nurture Filipino children during their formative years to combat malnutrition and stunting. ###

Seizing the momentum following the successful launch of the Kalinga at Inisyatiba para sa Malinis na Bayan (KALINISAN Program), Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos has called on all Filipinos to make cleanliness a part of their everyday life. This, as he lauded and thanked the 33,403 barangays and the 1.616-million Filipinos who participated in the recent simultaneous launching of the program in various parts of the country. “Sa ngalan ng ating mahal na Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., maraming-maraming salamat sa lahat ng barangay at sa ating mga mamamayan na nakiisa at nakilahok sa bagong bayanihan ng mga mamamayan para sa KALINISAN,” said Abalos. “Gawin natin itong way of life. Dapat kahit saan tayo magpunta malinis,” he added. He also commended Regions I, III and VII after 100% of barangays in the said regions participated in the KALINISAN program launch. Citing a report from the DILG’s National Barangay Operations Office, Abalos said the KALINISAN program launch collected a total of 6.307-million kilograms of trash across the country, most of which came from Region VII (989,879 kilos); National Capital Region (866,773 kilos); and Region V (665,635 kilos). On the other hand, the biggest contingent of participants came from Region 1 with 204,607 community residents, followed by Region VI with 181,611, and CALABARZON with 166,000 participants. “Huwag po sanang ningas-cogon lang. Sana ay tuloy-tuloy ang ating commitment para sa KALINISAN,” he said. The DILG Secretary said the Department is finalizing guidelines on the monitoring of weekly clean-up drives of all barangays nationwide. Consultations will also be conducted with concerned agencies and offices to finalize the incentives, indicators, and assessment tools of the said program as part of the DILG’s move to award the cleanest barangays. The nationwide launch of the KALINISAN Project coincided with the celebration of the annual Community Development Day last January 6. ###

Keeping the momentum of the anti-illegal drugs campaign, the ongoing modernization and capacity-building of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and bolstering programs to further capacitate local government units (LGUs) were among the marching orders and strategic guidance of Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG) Benhur Abalos for 2024. Abalos issued the directives on Wednesday as he met with officials and personnel of the DILG, including its regional offices and attached agencies, during the traditional New Year’s Call to the SILG in Camp Crame. In his State of the Department Address (SODA), Abalos highlighted the DILG’s accomplishments in 2023 in the realm of peace and order, public safety, and local governance, all in support of the Marcos administration’s pursuit of a safer, more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Bagong Pilipinas. Abalos said the DILG’s flagship Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program will remain the driving force of the thrust against illegal drugs after the inaugural year of its nationwide implementation aided the seizure of some P10.41 billion pesos worth of illegal drugs. The program also led to the arrest of 56,495 drug suspects, establishment of 74 new in-patient treatment and rehabilitation facilities, and the declaration of 27,968 barangays as drug-cleared. He added that through the local anti-drug councils or ADACs, the Department will advance community-based rehabilitation interventions for persons who use drugs to eliminate recidivism. “Our vision here is very simple: we want those rehabilitated PWUDs (persons who use drugs) to turn their backs from drugs completely. We eliminate recidivism so we can uproot the proverbial tree symbolizing the drug problem, once and for all,” he said. Meanwhile, the DILG Chief instructed the BFP to continue its modernization and capacity-building initiatives to reduce the number of fire incidents and ensure that all the 1,634 cities and municipalities in the country will have functional fire trucks and fire stations. To unleash the maximum potential of good local governance, Abalos said the DILG will continue to undertake capacity development interventions tailored to the specific needs of low-performing, low-capacity LGUs to ensure that no LGU will be left behind, especially in navigating the challenges posed by the devolution. In the same address, Abalos also bared the accomplishments of the DILG’s attached agencies, namely, the Philippine National Police, BJMP, BFP, National Police Commission, Philippine Public Safety College, Local Government Academy, National Youth Commission, Philippine Commission on Women, and National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. Also included in the DILG Chief’s priorities this 2024 is the continued digitalization of LGU frontline services; continued support to the newly-elected Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials; scaling up the crime prevention systems to sustain the reduction of crime incidence in 2024; and the continued decongestion of jails and improving social services for persons deprived of liberty. Abalos also thanked the entire DILG workforce for a successful 2023 even as he rallied them to continue heeding the call of public service. “Let us all bear in mind that access to decent public services is a rightful expectation of all citizens. So, let us all continue working together and give our people the best that we can offer. Marami pa tayong hamon na lalampasan. Marami pa tayong laban na pagtatagumpayan,” he stressed. ###