TACURONG CITY, Nov 4 (PNA) — The Lupong Tagapamayapa (Peace Council) of Barangay Upper Katungal, Tacurong City has been named as one of the country’s Top 4 National Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives and Awards (LTIA) Component Cities Category, officials said on Wednesday.
Winning as the Best Lupong Tagapamayapa (LT)-Independent/Component Cities Category in Region XII in 2014, the Lupong Tagapamayapa of Barangay Upper Katungal is now in the region’s Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives and Awards (LTIA) Hall of Fame.
It represented the region in the national search.
Hernane Fermo, Upper Katungal Village chair and Lupon chairperson, said they have won the admiration of regional evaluation teams due to its efficient and well-documented transactions in settling conflicts.
For 2014, Lupon of Upper Katungal reported that all cases filed in the barangay were settled.
Some cases did not even reach the barangay court because “Lupon” (council) members who are purok (district) presidents made efforts to settle disputes in their level.
”At the district level, we conduct effective mediation of disputes involving neighbors and came with settlement agreeable to both sides,” Fermo said.
Fermo said the Lupon supported activities that promoted peace in the community.
“Through contests like cleanest and greenest district, people work together and keep themselves busy working for the community thus reducing conflicts because of communal efforts,” Fermo said.
With its innovative practices in settling cases and for its proactive approach in peace and conflict resolution, Upper Katungal Lupong Tagapamayapa was shortlisted as among the Top 4 among the 14 contenders in the National LTIA-Component Cities Category.
“LTIA is now on its 25th awarding year. For the first time in the history of LTIA, it was only now that judges picked four instead of three finalists,” said Justice Bernardo Abesamis, chairperson of the LTIA National Board of Judges.
Abesamis and the rest of the National Validation Team went to Barangay Upper Katungal on October 22 and interviewed Lupon members on purok level mediation, efficient implementation of the barangay justice system, and their strategies in peace and conflict resolution.
Abesamis explained that the scores in the on-site validation will finally determine the Top 3 who will receive the LTIA Presidential Citation.
“Upper Katungal is an active partner in promoting peace. We have seen how it has improved through the years and we are positive that they will receive due recognition,” Mayor Lina O. Montilla who was also present during the validation, said.
Two more Lupons in Region XII are eyeing for the national awards, namely Barangay City Heights in General Santos City (Highly Urbanized Cities category) and Lupon of Barangay Poblacion, Polomolok, South Cotabato (third class municipalities category).
The Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives and Awards (LTIA) is an annual recognition of the exemplary performance of the Lupong Tagapamaya in their implementation of Katarungang Pambarangay or Barangay Justice System. (PNA)