POSITIVE LINES

By Joseph Z. Abeleda

Kotong can be cured!

As I recall from year 2004, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) then headed by Angelo Reyes as Secretary was able to almost eradicate “kotong.”

How was this seemingly impossible task done? Yes, your answer is as good as mine – political will. The president of Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP) and Spokeperson of 1-UTAK Party-list, Orlando F. Marquez, told yours truly that this is the main reason why they chose Reyes as nominee for their party.

Their group (1-UTAK) approached Reyes for assistance to solve the array of injustices lurking on the streets, and DILG under Reyes responded and almost eradicated these syndicated extortion activities within a week. Your eyes are not deceiving you---JUST A WEEK!

The formula is simple: they started from the very root of government, the barangays. That is what the department is all about, to promote peace and order, ensure public safety, and further strengthen local government capability aimed towards the effective delivery of basic services to the citizenry.

They have given the mandate over the mayors, barangay officials, police and other key people inside the local governments, not the other way around.

Again, I am just stating a fact in history to reiterate the possibilities of cure for our societies’ illnesses of epidemic proportion. Let us just hope that the current people behind DILG are not blind, deaf and mute as most of our people may think.