Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ Abalos Jr. issued a memorandum circular (MC) ordering the conduct of a national survey on satellite market operations (SMO) in the barangays nationwide.
In MC No. 2022-126 dated Oct. 3, Abalos directed the local government units (LGUs), barangays, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Interior and Local Government and the department’s field offices to enforce the order immediately.
The DILG through the National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) spearheads the SMO to entice the barangays to “further expand economic opportunities through the establishment, operations and regulations of the satellite markets.
One of the identified activities of the project is the conduct of the survey to determine the various models on SMO in the barangays.
Abalos noted that the survey plays an essential role in the formulation of a policy and development of a model in the establishment, management, regulation and monitoring of satellite markets in the barangays.
The memorandum stated that Section 17 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7160 or the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991 guarantees that all LGUs including the barangays shall be self-reliant, exercise the power and discharge duties and functions vested in them.
The LGUs can also discharge the functions of the national government and offices devolved to them and exercise appropriate actions in the efficient delivery of public services and facilities like the satellite markets or public markets in the barangays when they are viable.
In case there are two or more satellite markets in the barangays, the punong barangay (PB) or village chief shall only select one existing and operational satellite market which can best provide the information during the conduct of the survey.
The DILG and LGU field offices shall assist the DILG regional and provincial offices and the BARMM Ministry of Interior and Local Government identify the barangays in the conduct of the survey, orient the barangays in the said surveys, provide technical assistance to the barangays in the accomplishment and submission of SMO online and offline survey forms. oversee the submission of the accomplished SMO online survey forms of the barangays and prepare and submit the report on the total number of barangays that have submitted the SMO online survey forms.
The concerned city or the municipal government meanwhile, shall ensure the participation of the component barangays with existing and operational satellite markets in the survey activity as well as the submission of the accomplished SMO online or offline survey forms. (Chito A. Chavez)