In order to enhance regional cooperation on human trafficking cases, senior officials of ASEAN member countries launched Wednesday a comprehensive handbook that will help fight people trafficking in the Asian region. The ASEAN Handbook on International Legal Cooperation in Trafficking in Persons Cases, which was launched during the week-long 10th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) in Makati City, was developed with the support of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) through the Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons Project (ARTIP), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.  Interior and Local Government Undersecretary and SOMTC chair…

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through its Local Government Academy (LGA) yesterday launched a program that would enlist the active participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-government organizations (NGOs) in local governance. Dubbed as “Vigilance to Volunteerism: A Program Intensifying People’s Engagement in Local Governance (V2V PIPELOG)”, the program was launched with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with program partners Caucus of Development NGO Networks (Code-NGO) and Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA) at the SEAMEO Innotech in Quezon City. DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Austere…

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo today called on local chief executives in the National Capital Region (NCR) to assist stranded commuters by providing them rides in going home amid the bus strike staged by bus operators this morning. Robredo directed Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero to immediately coordinate with local governments of Metro Manila as a remedial measure to lessen the adverse effects caused by the strike on the people. Panadero said coordination has already been undertaken with LGUs in the Metropolis like Las Piñas, Manila, Marikina, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Taguig and Valenzuela whose officials have…

To efficiently plan and manage local development, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday called on all local government chief executives to prepare and update their comprehensive development plan (CDP) and comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) to include the current policies of the Aquino administration. Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said there was a need for all provincial governors, and city and municipal mayors to formulate or revisit their respective CLUPs and CDPs to consider the continuing changes in the physical framework of local government units and the present thrusts of President Benigno…

Indigenous persons (IPs) should be represented in local legislative councils and policy-making bodies, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo asked all local government executives in the country on Tuesday. In a memorandum circular, Robredo reminded provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, and other local government officials of Republic Act 8371, or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, which calls for the mandatory representation of IPs. Section 16 of RA 8371 gives IPs the right to participate voluntarily, through procedures which they should determine, at all levels of decision-making that may affect their rights, lives and destinies. The…

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo on Friday called on city and municipal mayors nationwide to identify lands in their respective localities that could be used for socialized housing projects. Robredo said identifying possible sites for housing projects had to start with conducting inventory of lands and pinpointing the actual number of project beneficiaries. “This is to further implement the government’s housing program at the local level,” he said. In a memorandum circular, Robredo said the lands to be covered by the inventory would include unregistered or abandoned lands, and residential and government lands, whether owned by the…

QUEZON CITY—Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo on Thursday urged all provincial governors and city mayors to designate a local economic and investment promotion officer in their respective provinces and cities to promote growth of local economy. In a directive, Robredo said the designated local investment officer should facilitate and coordinate economic programs in provinces and cities. “This is part of our efforts to encourage local governments to play active roles in attracting more investments by providing an environment that will generate and enhance economic activities in their area,” he said. Specifically, the directive requires investment officers to…

 Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo on Tuesday gave stern warning to local government officials all over the country on the presence of persons posing as government contractors but are actually swindlers. “We would like to tell local government officials that we are not in any way negotiating with these persons who claim that they have strong influence and connections with government agencies and can facilitate the immediate approval of any contract,” said Robredo. The warning came after Operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) nabbed in an entrapment operation Friday morning two women posing as…

Human trafficking, illegal drugs and terrorism are high on the agenda of senior officials from ten ASEAN member countries during the 10th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) which formally started today at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.  Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, who delivered the keynote address during the meeting, said there is a need to strengthen regional cooperation and commitment against these crimes and the other transnational crimes identified in the ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crime in 1997 namely, piracy on the high seas, cyber crimes, intellectual property, money laundering  and…

The Philippines shall host this year’s 10th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to be attended by senior officials from ten ASEAN member-countries in Makati City from October 25 to 29, 2010.  Expected to attend the high-level ASEAN meet are senior officials from ASEAN member states (AMS) namely, Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Lao PDR, Malaysia , Myanmar , Singapore , Philippines , Thailand and Vietnam ; other country delegates of the AMS; representatives from dialogue partner countries and other international organizations.  Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, who shall deliver the keynote speech during…