Oro people’s council, Assembly of Civil Society org on Moreno’s predicament

(The following are the statement of the CDO People’s Council, and manifesto of the Assembly of Civil Society Organizations in the City of Cagayan de Oro on the issue of Mayor Oscar S. Moreno’s impending dismissal.)

THE Cagayan de Oro City Peoples Council is an aggrupation of Good Governance advocates determined to have a constructive and critical engagement with the city government of Cagayan de Oro. The CDO People’s Council is an independent institution duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who envisions being a leading citizen-led, collaborative and engaged People’s Council in CDO, to engage Kagayanons in Good Governance for Sustainable Development of the City. Its bases of unit are Truth, Common Good, and Principled Partnership.

After the election in 2013, the leaders of the People’s Council observed that under the new city administration some windows were opened for the people to participate and engage in participatory governance using the People’s Development Agenda.

In the course of its engagement, the People’s Council recognizes that the biggest obstacle to a functional governance is the political impasse between the Executive and the majority block of the Sangguniang Panglungsod. For some time, it caused bureaucratic dysfunctions and delays in program implementation and in the delivery of basic services.

The City Hall now faces yet another tension with the impending dismissal of Mayor Oscar Moreno from office by virtue of the Ombudsman’s decision. Some observers would say that the current issue is partially caused by the same political impasse. The issue was about a tax case filed in court involving a business entity’s tax obligation from past administration. The case had gone through mediation and negotiation. The case was eventually settled between parties, but somebody contended that the settlement agreement had no authorization from the Sangguniang Panglungsod.

Whatever the nature of the case, it is certain that this issue will, in some way, add tension to the already volatile situation. We do not hope it to happen but some interest groups may exploit the situation, which may result to, God forbid, political standoff. If this happens the delivery of basic services will suffer. The bureaucracy will be adversely affected in doing its regular functions. And ultimately, the biggest losers are the Kagayanons.

The People’s Council maintains that peoples’ welfare takes primacy in any affairs of governance, therefore the processes to be taken in resolving the current issue should take the Kagayanons as the primary consideration.

In this light the People’s Council proposes the following:

• In resolving the issue, Government functions, especially delivery of basic services, must proceed unhampered for the common good.
• The issue is purely technical and legal, so it should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the legal processes. If it is true that the side of the Mayor was not considered in the Ombudsman’s decision, then he should be accorded due process. The renewed vigor of the Ombudsman in speeding up its investigation and in promulgating decisions is a welfare development as long as it does not sacrifice impartiality and due process.
• Let all stakeholders respect and accept whatever will be the outcome of the legal process.

In the meantime, we call on the Kagayanons, regardless of affiliations and loyalties to refrain from instigating partisan agitation and emotional outburst. Together we will collectively observe the processes to be undertaken to resolve this issue as responsible citizens, as one people, as Kagayanons.

In behalf of and with the authority from the CDO People’s Council:

(Sgd.) Jonathan M. Mongcal, Secretary

(Sgd.) Bishop Jollieh P. Petallo, Chairman

November 12, 2015

Manifesto

TS Sendong hit Cagayan de Oro in 2011 right at the bud of its influence to the Republic-the Community-spirit that goes beyond family ties, blood relations and political affiliations. The great minds who framed the foundations of our Local Government Units were bred by this spirit. Volunteerism and selfless patriotism is innate of a Kagay-anon. Kagay-anons are innately engaging.

But twists of events, political activities, patronage and population migration challenged this trait. Constructive engagement may have waned and CSOs marginalized. But TS Sendong awakened this spirit and fueled the people’s passion to engage government, to be critical in all political exercises and to relive the memories of the thousands that perished by instituting reforms in Local Governance.

The Grassroots Participatory Process or the Bottom-Up Budgeting Process of the Government’s Local Poverty Reduction Action Program enjoined all these passions. Caused-oriented groups, NGOs and Socio-Civic Organizations, the Academe, the Interfaith Forum and all Basic Sector Organizations converged to work for Local Poverty Reduction. Since the 2013 elections, never have CSOs been more engaged with the Local Government Unit. The Kagay-anon’s spirit, actualized by the representation of the CSO Sectoral Representatives have vigorously engaged the Legislature, Executive Office and the Bureaucracy with the sole purpose of ensuring a critically CSO-inclusive and constructive cooperative between and among these three branches. Almost 50% of the membership of the Local Special Bodies are CSOs. More than 25% of the City Development Council are CSOs. And in all these engagements, the CSOs maintain that due governmental processes and constant consultation shall be maintained to ensure transparency and accountability in the pursuit of Good Governance.

Even with the partisan animosity between the Legislative and Executive, the implementation of programs and delivery of services by the different departments of the LGU have the voluntary oversight of the CSOs, ensuring that appropriate processes are followed. And in the course of this engagement, the CSOs recognize that dysfunctions of the bureaucracy is a result of political instability and restrictive partisanship.

And now, the spirit of the people of the City is again challenged by another tension with the impending dismissal of Mayor Oscar Moreno from office by virtue of the Ombudsman’s decision. Observers, allies, detractors and interest groups are starting to take positions according to their biases. Apparently, the division is taking its toll on the delivery of services and even in the deliberation of resolutions and ordinances that are of utmost benefit to the people like housing, poverty reduction programs and interventions for the impending El-Nino. With the bureaucracy adversely affected in doing its regular functions, the Kagay-anons are, again, at a loss.

As such, the Assembly of Civil Society Organizations in Cagayan de Oro City strongly expresses and maintains that peoples’ welfare must take primacy in all government affairs, therefore the processes to be taken in resolving the current issue should take the Kagay-anons as the primary consideration.

In this regard, the Assembly of Civil Society Organizations in Cagayan de Oro City manifests that:

• While the issue is being resolved and for the common good, Government functions, especially delivery of basic services, must proceed unhampered.
• If positions of parties need consideration in the Ombudsman’s decision, then due process shall be carried out and respected. The CSOs appreciate the renewed vigor of the Ombudsman in speeding up its investigation and in promulgating decisions as long as it does not sacrifice impartiality and due process.
• Let all stakeholders respect and accept whatever will be the outcome of the legal process.
• The engagement of the CSOs will continue at any cost and shall not be hampered by this issue and shall be respected by all parties. The CSO will strongly resist any actions to suppress people’s participating and continuing engagement.

We call on all Kagay-anons, regardless of affiliations and political allegiances to refrain from instigating emotional and partisan agitation and division. Together we will collectively observe the processes to be undertaken as responsible citizens, as one people, with the Kagay-anon spirit, as Kagay-anons.

Assembly of Civil Society Organizations in the City of Cagayan de Oro