(MAGPET)- The League of Municipalities of the Philippines- North Cotabato chapter held its first meeting for the year 2009 yesterday, April 14, at the Office of the Vice Governor, Provincial Capitol Building in Barangay Amas, this city.

Eight out of the seventeen members of LMP-North Cotabato attended the meeting presided by Magpet Mayor Efren Piñol, Chapter president of LMP-North Cotabato. Other mayors present were Cristobal Cadungon of Antipas, Romulo Tapgos of Arakan, Manuel Rabara of Midsayap, Joselito Piñol of M’lang, Sumulong Sultan of Pikit, and Lucita Racines of President Roxas.

Two top ranking officials from DILG-12 and PhilHealth Regional Office 12 were also present during the meeting.

Engr. Ester P. Valdez, Chief of LGSD of the Department of Interior and Local Government DILG 12 in General Santos City discussed the Comprehensive and Unified Response to Eliminate (CURE) Red Tape, a government project that aims to implement Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act, while Mr. Ramon F. Aristoza, Regional Vice President of the PhilHealth Regional Office 12 based in Koronadal City who discussed PhilHealth’s guidelines, policies and other current issues concerning the company and the North Cotabato provincial government’s health programs for the indigent.

Engr. Valdez presented and explained to the local chief executives their important role in the implementation of CURE.  Valdez pointed out that it is the responsibility of the mayors to see to it that the said program is implemented, practiced and monitored well.

“It is high time that the people’s trust and confidence in the government and the people behind it be again earned”, Valdez stressed.

The CURE program primarily aims to minimize if not totally eliminate red tape in the government offices that creates corruption and brings much difficulty among the people especially the taxpayers.

Under this program, all the local government units are expected to streamline their frontline services and seals commitment between the government and citizens.

Through its training arm the Local Government Academy, the DILG conceptualized CURE as a way of complying with the government’s Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.

The idea is to foster citizen’s knowledge, capacities and alliances to minimize if not totally eradicate red tape in the government.

This idea was welcomed by Mayor Efren Piñol who encouragec the official from DILG-12 to work closely with the local government unit of Magpet as well as other municipal lgu’s in North Cotabato.

Just recently, the North Cotabato provincial government headed by Governor Jesus Sacdalan and Vice Governor Manny Piñol and representatives from Civil Service Commission -12 launched the Anti-Red Tape Act.

With this development, provincial government officials put up a Citizen’s Charter where the public can now have an idea on the flow of transaction especially in the processing of required business licenses, permits and other pertinent records.  (Jimmy Calma)