PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF GOV. RODOLFO P. DEL ROSARIO

Capitol Bldg., Mankilam, Tagum City

Tel. Nos. (084) 218-6437; 217-33-40 (local 123) Fax. No. (084) 400-23-72

DavNor employs anew cluster approach in pursuing development

by Noel P. Baguio

Tagum City, Davao del Norte – The provincial leadership of the province of Davao del Norte is back to the cluster development approach to gain head start in pursuing a very clear direction for development.

Provincial Administrator Rufo L. Peligro briefed the heads of offices of the provincial government on the mechanics of this particular strategy, saying that the new approach is especially designed to jump-start the development thrusts of Governor Rodolfo Del Rosario, which is anchored on the RDR WHEELS.

The acronym stands for Roads and infra development, Development of coops, Reforms in governance and peace and order, Water and electricity development, Health, sanitation and social services, Education, culture and sports development, Economic development and environmental protection, Livelihood, skills development and micro-lending facilities, and Spiritual and moral recovery.

“We go back to the cluster system to ensure proper coordination in attaining our vision and goals,” Peligro said.

PA Peligro identified the provisional clusters as follows: Cluster 1 - Health and Sanitation and Social Services Cluster is composed of the Provincial Health Office and the three district hospitals, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Veterinary Office and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office. Cluster 2 or the Infrastructure Development Cluster includes the Provincial Engineering Office, Provincial Planning and Development Office and Provincial Agriculturist Office.

Cluster 3 or the Budget, Finance and Administration Cluster consists of the Provincial Governor’s Office, Provincial Budget Office, Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Provincial Accountant’s Office, and the Provincial General Services Office. While, all the members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council shall comprise Cluster 4 or the Security Cluster.

Provincial General Services Officer Samson Sanchez welcomed the new setup, seeing the strategy as a way out of the long and winding regular executive meetings. The approach also allows the offices to have better focus on the delivery of public services.

“We now have better focus with this approach and we will no longer have to endure tedious hours in resolving issues as concerns are tackled directly to the point within our level,” he beamed.

Lesser problems and issues will be addressed during the weekly meetings of the respective clusters, while the bigger concerns are reserved for the monthly plenary meeting of all the offices together with the governor.

Del Rosario, who served the province for two-terms before temporarily retiring from politics to join the cabinet of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004, employed the big-brother-small-brother cluster development approach which allowed the better-off local government units to share their resources in order to expand the development opportunities of the inferior LGUs.

The system afforded better inter-LGU unity and coordination that was helpful in carrying out Del Rosario’s no-nonsense brand of pro-poor local governance, using the MBN approach to development. (PGO-ID)