Governor Hilario Davide III reaffirmed the Cebu Provincial government’s commitment to enhance and promote the purok system in the province during the second year of Mega Cebu’s Purok Talks earlier this month.
Davide delivered his welcome address during the activity, which was participated by the representatives of local government units, civil society and private sector leaders.
In line with the Purok Talk’s theme Strengthening and Advancing Communities, the governor said that the province, together with Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, is not yet done in strengthening the purok system.
“With the goal of achieving our 6-Key Development Agenda, the Cebu Provincial government is inspired to even further strengthen our purok system province-wide by truly addressing the various needs of the people of Cebu, especially ang naa sa grassroots. And I must commend Mega Cebu for underscoring the purok’s vital role in community development and building capacities of our community leaders through this yearly event,” said Davide.
The Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board, through the Research, Program and Organizational Development (MCDCB-RPOD) Program Management Office, and the Cebu Provincial Government hosted the second Purok Talks at the Cebu Grand Convention Center.
The representatives of the different sectors were able to share each other’s experiences on the best practices of their respective puroks.
Davide said the summit will help provide a better performance, particularly to rural puroks.
“We have come a long way since the first Purok Talks in October last year, but I believe daghan pa kaayo tang bulohaton. We are not yet done. In strengthening the purok system, we continue to recognize the need to be more informed, the need to be more equipped of the necessary skills and knowledge on disaster risk reduction and response, policy development, project development, basic facilitation and conflict management,” he said.
“Ang malungtaron’g kalambuan manukad sa matag usa kanato, sa matag banay, sa matag purok… Padayon kitang tanan sa atong mga paningkamot alang sa malungtarong kalambuan sa matag Sugbuanon,” said Davide.
Evelyn Nacario-Castro, executive director of MCDCB-RPOD Program Management Office, said the topics that were discussed during the summit can be useful for the puroks.
“Anyone can actually be part of the Mega Cebu and contribute to the realization of the vision because they can do many things on the ground; so the purok is actually the platform where you can actually do that,” said Castro.
The purok system started in San Francisco town in Camotes Island. The purok system is a guide for the community to work together to address their basic needs.
The members of the purok system are the residents that are living within a community.
During the Purok Talks, there were five breakout sessions with different topics during the event where resource persons and experts on selected topics informed, inspired and influenced the participants.
In the same event, San Francisco Vice Mayor Al Arquillano, who was then mayor when he started the purok system, shared that it was in 2004 when the municipality faced a challenge with regards to waste management.
He then decided to organize a group within the community, build communication with them and deliver the basic services.
“Na-realize naku when you help others, you are helping yourself… Sa purok ma-inspire natu atong mga tawo,” said Arquillano. /PR