DILG wants barangay inventory for smooth transition to next officials

Officer-in-charge Eduardo Año has of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has directed all incumbent barangay chairmen to start conducting inventory of the financial records and properties for transparency and a smooth turnover to next officials.

Año said the inventory should include records and properties under their custody from the start of their term of office up to the present to ensure a smooth and systematic transition from the outgoing barangay officials to the incoming officials come June 30.

“This is also part of our efforts to sustain transparent and accountable local governance at the barangay level and to further ensure that all concerned barangay officials exercise due diligence in using barangay funds and properties,” he said.

The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections is set on May 14.

Under the directive, a barangay inventory team (BIT), to be chaired by the barangay chairman, shall be created in each barangay. Its members shall include at least two councilors, a barangay secretary, a barangay treasurer, a bookkeeper or city or municipal representative, and at least two civil society organization (CSO) representatives, preferably from a faith-based organization or members of the Barangay Development Council.

It said that part of the functions of the BIT was to ensure the completeness of all barangay properties, financial records and documents (BPFRDs).

BPFRDs include legislative and administrative records, transcript or minutes of meetings, list and status of complaints filed before the Lupong Tagapamayapa, updated registry of barangay inhabitants, list or inventory of current local or international development assisted projects, and all other documents containing barangay transactions.

The BIT shall also see to it that all properties of the barangay, supplies, finances that are entrusted to concerned barangay officials are properly accounted for and turned over.

Año also urged city and municipal mayors in the country to create, through an executive order, a city or municipal audit and transition team for barangays not later than February 28 to ensure compliance.

He said the audit and transition team will be chaired by a city or municipal accountant and its members are the DILG city director or local government operations officers, Liga ng mga Barangay chapter president, selected staff of the city or municipal accounting office, and representatives from a faith-based organization or from CSOs.

He said the group will be in charge of supervising the BITs under their jurisdiction in their conduct of inventory and turnover of BPFRDs and money accountabilities.

The audit and transition teams should verify before June 15 the actual physical count of barangay properties as against the accomplished inventory and turnover forms prepared and submitted by BITs.

“List of names of accountable barangay officials who fail to turnover barangay properties, financial records, documents and money accountabilities will be submitted by city or municipal audit and transition teams to their mayor, Office of the Ombudsman, Commission on Audit, and DILG,” Año said.

He warned that criminal charges will be filed against barangay officials who will fail to turnover barangay properties, financial records, documents and money accountabilities assigned to him/her or under his/her custody. — MDM, GMA News