Practically the whole municipio – from the mayor down to select rank-and-file – trooped to Barangay Warding on February 4, 2017, to be part of the opening salvo for the Komprehensibong Serbisyo Para sa Bayan, also known as Community-Based LGU Services Program. The project, slated for eight successive months, is meant to bring to the peripheries local government services that are only available at the center of the town. The launching, held at Warding Elementary School grounds, was meant for the whole of District 1, to serve its eight component barangays, namely (apart from Warding), Ambayat 1st, Ambayat 2nd, Managos, Pugo, San Vicente, Tampog, and Wawa. Thereafter, it will be held in the rest of the eight districts outside poblacion.

Coming in by bus and all sorts of other vehicles, every department giving frontline services to the public was present. No less than the department heads and their essential staff lent a hand to beneficiaries who came by the hundreds. The resulting scene was a picture of grand collaboration in the service of constituents who seldom benefit from help coming from the center. It was not just a close teamwork among various departments of the LGU, but also a partnership with a number of private individuals and other entities, including Kasama Kita sa Barangay Foundation Inc. (KKBFI) and Rotary Club of Bayambang, among others.

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In his speech before barangay captains and councilors, including a visibly grateful Warding Brgy. Capt. Julio J. Esteban, during the opening program, Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao said that the project was in fulfillment of Vice-Mayor Raul Sabangan’s electoral campaign promise to bring government to the barangay, “including the entire konseho,” to far-flung constituents so they can directly bring their concerns to Municipal Hall. “Sa pamamagitan ng Komprehensibong Serbisyo Para sa Bayan, nakikita ora mismo ang pangangailangan ng barangay,” Mayor Quiambao added.

Indeed, upon noticing that the floor of the performance hall of Warding Elementary School was dusty because it was unpaved, he immediately called on Municipal Engineer Eddie Melicorio to make the flooring concrete as soon as possible.

The highlight of the event was the holding of a session of Sangguniang Bayan (SB) – with members in complete attendance (Vice-Mayor Sabangan, Councilors Mylvin ‘Boying’ Junio, Joseph Vincent Ramos, Philip Dumalanta, Benjamin de Vera, Junie Angeles, Martin Terrado, Ma. Catalina de Vera, and Amory Junio, and SB Secretary Joel Camacho) – to give the people, especially the barangay officers, an idea of how local legislation is crafted.

In his welcome remarks, one of the organizers, ex-Councilor Levin Uy, said, “This is what the Quiambao-Sabangan administration means by ‘quality service’ in Balon Bayambang.”

The host of services offered lived up to the project’s name, as it was as comprehensive as it could get. As expected, the most attended rooms were those reserved for medical services manned by both Rural Health Units 1 and 2, led by Dr. Paz Vallo and Dr. Adrienne Estrada. Other doctors, such as Dr. Henry Fernandez and Dr. Nicolas Miguel, lent assistance. The free medical services offered included general consultation (plus provision of medicines), ultrasound services, X-ray, immunization of children and the elderly, prenatal and postnatal consultation, family planning, and referrals.

The dental services were the next most popular, with Dr. Dave Junio, Dr. Eloy Bueno (from provincial government), Dr. George Tan, Dr. Junie Angeles, and Dr. Cathy de Vera working inside the two dental buses rented out by the provincial government. The volunteer dentists and their technicians offered free dental surgery/extraction, fluoridation, denture work, and lectures on oral hygiene.

In a nearby tent, a Mothers’ Class was conducted by the Municipal Nutrition Action Office staff before a thick crowd of mothers with their little children in tow – the children were handed toys so their mothers could devote their attention to the 30-minute lecture. This was followed by a lecture on backyard gardening by the Department of Agriculture headed by OIC Artemio Buezon, a talk which ended with a distribution of vegetable seeds and tree (achuete and coffee) seedlings.

Around the same time, Municipal Veterinarian, Dr. Joselito Rosario, went around the barangays for anti-rabies vaccination of dogs and cats as well as vaccination and castration of cattle.

A separate booth was constructed for the Social, Treasury, Assessor’s, and Local Civil Registrar Services. Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Lerma Padagas and her staff sat behind a table dedicated to such social services as senior citizen ID application, solo parent registration, and person with disability registration. The Treasury Services table was staffed by Municipal Treasurer Luisita Danan together with personnel dedicated to the One-Stop Shop for Business Permit and Licensing. Working on the Assessor’s Services table was Assessor’s Office chief Annie de Leon, assisted by her staff in accepting tax declaration applications and payments for real property tax. The next table was devoted to Local Civil Registry Services head Ismael Malicdem Jr. and handpicked staff who welcomed applicants for late registration of birth.

Adjoining the above was a separate table provided for legal consultation, with Atty. Alejo Salo, Atty. Isabela Junio, and Atty. Raymundo Bautista graciously lending their expertise for free general legal advice.

Meanwhile, the Information and Communications Technology staff headed by Carmela Atienza got busy accepting the enormous number of applications for Community Service Card at a nearby building and took care of the lecture presentations and sound system on the side.

While all of these activities were ongoing, the Executive-Legislative Consultation was held for barangay officials at the school’s Multi-Purpose Hall. The first to come up the stage was Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator OIC Ma-lene S. Torio, who discussed the Executive-Legislative Agenda vis-à-vis the Municipal Development Plan. Next was Budget Department head Peter Caragan, who brought up the issue of harmonizing the budget of the Barangay Council with that of the LGU. Rogelio dela Peña, OIC of the Solid Waste Management Office, in his empathic voice, discussed the management of solid waste in the barangays, particularly the upcoming establishment of a Barangay MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) and the strict implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or Republic Act No. 9003. PO2 Vina de Leon of the Bayambang Municipal Police Office discussed at length PNP’s anti-drug campaign and operation, among other security matters, while Col. Vivencio Ramos of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) urged the locals to make use of the emergency hotline #4357 (for Smart subscribers) or (075)633-2977(for Globe subscribers) in case they needed urgent help in times of crisis.

The rest of the frontline service departments and indispensable national offices did not lag behind and certainly made their presence felt. POSO’s men in red were on standby for any untoward incident, aided by the Bayambang PNP members and Municipal Disaster Risk Response and Management Office (MDRRMO) led by OIC Genevieve Benebe. At the registration tables near the entrance sat Human Resources Department’s head Nora Zafra and staff, assisted by the MDRRMO staff – together they recorded nearly a thousand registrants.

Last but not the least – they had, in fact, the most important role of all – were the General Services Office people headed by OIC Malvar Iglesias, aided in no small amount by KKBFI’s own staff and resources. Both groups took care of delivering and taking back all materials needed for this big event.

The Bayambang Warriors, the basketball team formed by the LGU, were also on hand to give a demonstration game and coach the young boys in the area in the sport, hoping for a future recruit among them.

There were even bonus wellness and pampering services, care of TESDA trainor Cristina Reyes of Cristina Reyes Spa, including reflexology massage, Thai massage, ear candling, and facial with diamond peel. Reyes quoted one happy ‘customer’ as saying, “Naku, Ma’am, ngayon lang ako nakapagfacial sa buong buhay ko!”

Initiated originally as a medical-dental mission by Mayor Quiambao and the SB since last year in coordination with the Local Health Board, then organized and expanded under the leadership of Ismael ‘Jojo’ Malicdem Jr., the Komprehensibong Serbisyo Para sa Bayan is a shining example of what volunteerism and collaboration can achieve in a large town like Bayambang. (Bayambang PIO/Media Affairs Office)