CBMS ROLLOUT TO BE CONDUCTED EVERY ELECTION YEAR

THE Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) survey/rollout will be conducted after the election year to avoid any malicious perception on the political side.

This was the recommendation of Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya during the joint meeting of the committees on planning, research and innovation and people’s organization accreditation and on social services, respectively chaired by Councilors Nacaya and Joyleen Mercedes L. Balaba. The committees discussed the status of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) entered into by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the city government of Cagayan de Oro sometime this year.

The MOA covers the implementation of the CBMS in the city pursuant to Ordinance No. 14235-2022.

Ramir M. Balquin, OIC of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), reported that the execution or the signing of the MOA was held in abeyance and deferred at that time to be able to secure the needed budget of P79 million.

The former city mayor was already authorized by the 19th City Council to enter into the MOA, he explained.

As certain activities of the PSA-led CBMS survey which was undertaken early this year have been rolled out during the “election time”, certain restrictions were experienced. Some executive officers were not also available causing the delayed approval of some documents, Balquin further reported.

The CPDO has proposed an allocation of P35 million for the CBMS for 2023, which will be derived from its five-percent CDR fund. It was learned that the city mayor also sent a letter to the PSA inquiring or asking for technical assistance and other forms of support it can extend to the city to pursue CBMS activities.

The PSA submitted its official response affirming its support for the undertaking to be conducted in 2023. A copy of the said letter was furnished to the committee for reference.

“As the rollout started in 2022, which was already too close (to the election period) and the city has not secured, at that time, the funding for the activity given that it was an election year and there was some realignment on the budgetary resources, the proposed budget of P35M was the best allocation the city can afford,” Balquin explained.

With this development, Nacaya requested the CPDO to submit its report in coordination with PSA and DSWD, and other agencies. The MOA will also be drafted and/or revised as a guide or basis of discussion in the next meeting, he said.

Councilor Balaba presided over the joint meeting with Nacaya as the co-presiding officer. Councilor Malvern A. Esparcia was also present during the meeting.