The Barangay, as the basic political unit, serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects, and activities in the community and as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized and considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled (section 384, RA7160). As enumerated under section 17 (b) of RA 7160, the barangays are expected to deliver the following basic services and facilities:
·
Agricultural
support services which include planting materials distribution system and
operation of farm produce collection and buying stations;
·
Health and social welfare services which include
maintenance of Barangay health center and day-care center;
·
Services and facilities related to general hygiene and
sanitation, beautification, and solid waste collection;
·
Maintenance of Katarungang Pambarangay; (structure
such as barangay hall is necessary)
·
Maintenance
of Barangay roads and bridges and water supply systems;
·
Infrastructure
facilities such as multi-purpose hall, multipurpose pavement, plaza, sports
center, and other similar facilities;
·
Information
and reading center; and
·
Satellite
or public market, where viable.
Being
at the forefront of local development and community resiliency, the barangay development
councils are expected to ensure that government services reach the community
especially the community’s basic needs as enumerated in in Batas Pambansa Blg.
220 which include, Water Supply; Roads and Streets; Drainage System; Solid and
Liquid Waste Disposal; Parks and Playgrounds, and; Power Supply. Fundings for
these services may be accessed by the barangays from higher local government
units like their respective cities and municipalities and provinces as well as concerned
national government agencies and even from the private sector.
The
following are some basic requirements that the barangays have to consider as they
establish these basic services:
1. Water Supply
·
Public
water supply system should be made available, (Level 1 and Level 2 Water
System). One communal faucet should serve 10 households.
·
Communal
well can be located strategically not closer than 300 meters from each other.
·
Alternative
water supply may be availed, e.g., rain water collector and other devices with
water impounding capacity.
·
PD.
1067 also known as the Water Code of the Philippines emphasizes that the
following belong to the state (Article 5) (a) Rivers and their natural beds; (b)
Continuous or intermittent waters of springs and brooks running in their
natural beds and the beds themselves; (c) Natural lakes and lagoons; (d)
Seawater; (e) All other categories of surface waters such as water flowing over
lands, water from rainfall whether natural, or artificial, and water from agriculture runoff, seepage and drainage; (f)
Atmospheric water, and; (g) Subterranean or ground waters. It also emphasized under
Article 6 that the following waters found on private lands belong to the State:
(a) Continuous or intermittent waters rising on such lands; (b) Lakes and
lagoons naturally occurring on such lands; (c) Rain water falling on such
lands; (d) Subterranean or ground waters; and, (e) Water in swamps and marshes.
·
The
law also underscored that the owner of the land where the water is found may
use the same for domestic purposes without securing a permit, provided that
such use shall be REGISTERED, when required by the Council. The Council,
however, may regulate such when there is wastage, or in times of emergency.
·
Under
Article 51 of the same law states that “the banks of rivers and streams and the
shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a zone
of:
3 meters in urban areas;
20 meters in agricultural areas, and
40 meters in forest areas, along their
margins are subject to the easement of public use in the interest of
recreation, navigation, floatage, fishing and salvage. No person shall be
allowed to stay in this zone longer than what is necessary for recreation,
navigation, floatage, fishing or salvage or to build structures of any kind.”
2.
The following are planning standards for roads and bridges and planting strips:
A.
Roads and Streets
·
National
Road = 30 meters
·
Provincial
Road = 15-20 meters
·
Municipal
Road = 10 meters
·
Barangay
Road = 7 meters
·
Alley
and Pathwalk = 3 meters (60 m. max.
length)
B.
Planting Strips
·
Municipal
Road = 0.8 meters
·
Barangay
Road = 0.4 meters
·
Roads
should intersect at right angles as much as practicable.
·
Multiple
intersection along major roads shall be minimized.
·
Distance
between offset intersections should not be less than 20 meters.
·
Maximum
block length is 400 meters. Block length exceeding 250 meters shall be provided
with alley approximately at mid-length.
3.
Drainage System
·
The
drainage system shall be concrete lined canal with load bearing cover.
·
Drainage
system shall drain into appropriate catchment area, water bodies or natural
outfalls.
·
If
applicable, underground drainage system shall be provided with adequate
reinforced concrete pipes (RCP), catch basins, manholes/inlets and cross drains
for efficient maintenance.
4.
Solid and Liquid Waste Disposal
·
Garbage
disposal system shall be in accordance with R.A. 9003.
·
The
sewage disposal system shall be communal or individual septic tank conforming
to the design standard of the Sanitation Code of the Philippines.
·
Whenever
applicable, sewage disposal connections shall be to an approved public or
community sewer system.
·
Section
10 of RA 9003 also known as the Ecological
Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 provides that “the LGUs shall be primarily
responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this
Act within their respective jurisdictions. Segregation and collection of solid
waste shall be conducted at the barangay level specifically for biodegradable,
compostable and reusable wastes: Provided, That the collection of
non-recyclable materials and special wastes shall be the responsibility of the
municipality or city.”
·
Also,
under Section 32 of the same law provides that “there shall be established a
Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in every barangay or cluster of barangays.
The facility shall be established in a barangay-owned or -leased land or any
suitable open space to be determined by the barangay through its Sanggunian.
For this purpose, the barangay or cluster of barangays shall allocate a certain
parcel of land for the MRF. The determination of site and actual establishment
of the facility shall likewise be subject to the guidelines and criteria set
pursuant to this Act. The MRF shall receive mixed waste for final sorting,
segregation, composting, and recycling. The resulting residual wastes shall be
transferred to a long-term storage or disposal facility or sanitary landfill.
·
SEC.
13 of PD 856 also known as the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines emphasized
that “to protect drinking water from contamination, the following measures
shall be observed:
(a) Washing clothes or bathing within a
radius of 25 meters from any well or other source of drinking water is
prohibited.
(b) No artesian, deep or shallow well
shall be constructed within 25 meters from any source of pollution.
(c) No radioactive sources or materials
shall be stored within a radius of 25 meters from any well or source of
drinking water unless the radioactive source is adequately and safely enclosed
by proper shielding.
SEC. 90 also of PD 856 also known as the
Code on Sanitation of the Philippines provides that the following requirements
shall be applied and enforced:
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person
to bury remains in places other than those legally authorized in conformity
with the provisions of this Chapter.
(b) A burial ground shall at least be 25
meters distant from any dwelling house and no house shall be constructed within
the same distance from any burial ground.
(c) No burial ground shall be located
within 50 meters from either side of a river or within 50 meters from any
source of water supply.
5.
Power Supply
·
The
barangay should be connected to reliable power source e.g., local electric
cooperative, local electric franchise holder or the local utility company.
·
Provision
of street lighting per pole shall be mandatory if poles are 50 meter apart, and
at every other pole if the distance is less than 50 meters.
·
The
barangay should be connected to reliable power source e.g., local electric
cooperative, local electric franchise holder or the local utility company.
·
Provision
of street lighting per pole shall be mandatory if poles are 50 meter apart, and
at every other pole if the distance is less than 50 meters.
