AMONG the committees that I have enumerated in my column last week, I would like to actively involve myself in Consumer Welfare; Human Rights; Education; City Land Use, Urban Planning and Development; Cleanliness and Physical Enhancement; The Elderly, Differently-abled Persons and Social Services; Public Order and Safety; Agriculture; Fisheries, Marine Life and Aquatic Resources; Trade, Commerce and Industry; Cooperatives, Livelihood, People Empowerment and Participation; Climate Change, Adaptation and Environment; Sister City and Internal Relations; Tourism, Culture and the Arts; Muslim Affairs; Economic Enterprises; Urban Poor Affairs; Public Utilities; Public Affairs and Information; Gender Equality, Family and Children’s Welfare and Population Management; and Barangay Affairs.
The rationale: Consumer Welfare – Having served the power industry for nearly twenty years where Customer Relations formed part of my main functions, I was trained and exposed to excellent customer service, client relationship management, public relations, corporate citizenship, and the like which I have embraced both personally and professionally.
Consumer welfare is essential in good business, in good governance, in partnerships and collaborations, in the most basic relationship between a buyer and a seller because it guarantees the protection of the consumer from unfair practices, abuses, and similar acts that when left unattended, can become a habit and the accepted norm. When this happens, it’s the poor consumer that suffers.
It is unfortunate that our consumer group in the city is not strong in its advocacy to protect consumer rights.
Human Rights – As a gender and woman advocate, I understand that gender rights, woman rights, children’s rights, the elderly’s rights, among others, are basically human rights. We need to ensure that these rights are respected, honored, and protected at any given day and at any given time. Laws are already promulgated to punish human rights violators but the advocacy to protect these rights should be pushed, understood, and appreciated by the different actors of society.
Education – Being a long-time trainer and lecturer at the PNP-Regional Training Center 12 in General Santos City, I have always advocated for quality discourse, academic freedom, enabling students to think freely, and question the status quo. We must build a generation of critical thinkers.
City Land Use, Urban Planning and Development – Quite the city’s challenge. There are many professionals in the city with expertise in this area. However, it takes strong leadership and political will to really push for the implementation of a comprehensive land use plan in the city of General Santos.
Cleanliness and Physical Enhancement – Need I explain this? If we look around, we can immediately spot our unkempt streets and road islands, parking spaces or the lack of it, ugly wires suspended on telecommunications and distribution structures, condemned posts, busted traffic lights, the abandoned roundabout structure in Bula, and other abandoned construction works. These contribute to the city’s ugliness and poor physical enhancement.
The Elderly, Differently-abled Persons, and Social Services – This sector is an integral part of Philippine society. Since they have less in life, they should have more in law. This sector should be given extra care and attention given their vulnerability and susceptibility to health issues, disasters, and social exploitation.
Public Order and Safety – As always, the safety and security of our constituents are paramount. Public order ensures that every citizen sleeps soundly at night and their lives safe and secure from all harm. This is where collaboration among the local government unit, the police, the Philippine Army, other branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other national agencies of government, plays a vital role to ensure that the fundamentals of public order and safety are laid down and fleshed out benefiting all.
Agriculture; Fisheries, Marine Life, and Aquatic Resources – I’m privileged to have served the SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. over the years; served the information needs of the South Cotabato Swine Producers Association, Inc., and wrote about the shrimp industry. Having served these industries, I am able to grasp the intricacies of the trade and advocate on their behalf in my newspaper column and radio talk show.
Trade, Commerce and Industry – Having served the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. as executive director for two years, I was exposed to the business climate of the city, the pillars of the business community, the city’s competitiveness, the GSC Chamber’s relationship with other Chambers in the country and abroad, and the partnerships needed to push the city’s economic agenda. Being an agribusiness-driven city, trade, commerce and industry should be given substantial attention since an economically dynamic city generates more jobs and thus helps improve the residents’ standard of living. (To be continued)
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Writer can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
