MANILA — Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr. highlighted the critical role of the church and civil society in development, saying that a “whole-of-country approach” is needed to address the country’s challenges in our march towards progress.
“We need the help of everyone. Let’s harness the support of all sectors, the church, mananalo tayo hindi lang sa droga. The solution is always grassroots, it’s a whole of a country approach, lahat tayo may papel dito,” Abalos said during the Samar Island Partnership for Peace and Development (SIPPAD) Assembly in Borongan, Eastern Samar.
In his message, he stressed the significance of forging strong partnerships between the government and various sectors of society towards improved good local governance to address decade-old problems such as local insurgencies, economic disparities among MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), and vulnerability to natural disasters and calamities.
“Let’s make it strategic. Hindi natin kayang mag-isa ito, masyadong malaki ang mithiin natin. Let’s partner with the government, let’s partner with the community, each and every individual has a crucial role to play. Fortunately, we have the perfect platform for this, which is the SIPPAD.”
He also rallied stakeholders to unite in the shared responsibility of protecting and preserving the region’s natural resources as he assured the Church of the DILG’s support towards environmental protection and preservation. “You got one of the biggest forests here (in Eastern Samar), at ‘wag po kayong mag-alala, tutulong ang kapulisan at ang Kagawaran upang mapangalagaan ito.”
He also emphasized the importance of environmental preservation to the growth of the local tourism industry in the region: “Walang turista ang pupunta kung magulo ang lugar. Hindi kayang ipreserve ang environment kung magulo ang lugar. This is why community attitude towards the environment is very important.” (UnliNews Online)
