Aquino to barangay officials: Trim red tape

Reminding them of their role as the primary link between the people and the national government, President Benigno Aquino III ordered barangay (village) officials Saturday to shun corruption and trim the red tape in their dealings. Speaking at a village assembly in Barangay Central in his home province of Tarlac, Aquino pushed transparency, responsibility, accountability and participation in village affairs. “It is the duty of village officials to bring to the people the aspirations of our government. If I say let us go the straight path, no one should go the other way. If I say no one should receive bribes, let us stop expecting envelopes under the table. If a trader needs a barangay clearance, don’t subject them to added difficulties. If procedures are unnecessary, let us cut them off," he said in Filipino in his speech during the local assembly. While in Tarlac on Saturday, President Aquino led officials of the more than 42,000 barangay nationwide in reciting the pledge for good governance during the first synchronized barangay assembly day under his administration. In his speech, he also said village officials should get rid of unnecessary forms and procedures, and should make their operations simple. Aquino said all these should form the new “people power" even at the village level. “Kahirapan pa rin an gating pinakamalakas na kalaban (Poverty is still our greatest enemy)," he said, adding the solution to the problem is good government. On the other hand, Aquino said the time for bickering has ended, especially now that the Oct. 25 election for village officials had already passed. He said now is the time for village officials to guide their constituents and extend government assistance to them. — LBG, GMANews.TV