Multi- awarded candidate for Congressman of the lone district of Mountain Province Engr JUPITER ‘JUP’ COTO-ONG DOMINGUEZ, 54 holds a track record of a performing executive of Sabangan municipality during his leadership as mayor of the town from 2001-2007. JUP’s track record is capped with an award as the Most Outstanding Mayor of the Philippines given by the Philippine Senate, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), University of the Philippines (UP) and La Salle in 2006.
Fondly called JUP by his constituents from Sabangan and friends, former Mayor Jupiter Dominguez also served as the president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Mountain Province Chapter from 2004 to 2007.
The two public positions meant responsibility, commitment and reliability to a job and positions he held which in parallel manner meant a responsive and reliable constituents of a collective Sabangan which equally received awards for responsive and exemplary performance.
Awards which talk of exemplary performance that jumpstarts his legislative agenda as Congressman for a Just and Upright Public Service (JUP) on education, health, livelihood, cultural rights, economic livelihood, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure and peace and order.
Jupiter Dominguez brought fame to his hometown with awards from different agencies and institutions in his six years as mayor of Sabangan. An effective administration responsive to the needs of the e-Sabangan earned Mayor Jupiter Dominguez a Hall of Fame Award from the DILG-sponsored Awards for Partners in Development garnering the recognition in 2003, 2004, and 2005. This also catapulted him as the Most Outstanding Public Official of Mountain Province (MP) for 2005, an award given during the Lang-ay Festival in April 2006. Mayor Jupiter Dominguez was the Most Outstanding Public Official of MP for excellence in local governance awarded by the Provincial Government of MP. Jup’s leadership from 2001 to 2007 garnered him other awards as one among 10 outstanding citizens of MP awarded by the Provincial Government of MP during the 2007 Lang-ay Festival. The Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) gave him also the Kabalikat Awardee in 2007.
Not only is JUP technically good as an administrator, he is also good in communicating with people and institutions. The Baguio Midland Courier cited him as the Most Friendly Mayor of the Cordilleras for year 2004.
These awards talk of an exemplary leader that comes with the full trust and confidence of his own people and his co-workers at the executive and legislative offices of his municipal jurisdiction. Former Mayor Jup Dominguez maintained an exemplary working relationship with the Sangguniang Bayan in a productive manner and integrity guided by his guidelines on GODSPEED- Good governance, Office administration, Development priorities, Social services, Peace and order, Environmental management and economic Development- of an executive-legislative agenda.
His motto on GODSPEED e-Sabangan executive-legislative agenda refers to a dynamic development roadmap that focuses on strategic leadership, participatory governance and convergence. A guideline which finds a strong and credible basis for his slogan JUP- Just and Upright Public Service- slogan in his legislative agenda in his bid as Congressman for Mountain Province.
Governance
Governance refers to an executive and legislative agenda, local legislation, transparency, citizen participation, financial accountability, equity, public-private sector and Non Government Organization (NGO) partnership thus a local government-citizen interaction. With good governance, a Code of General Ordinance was enacted and included all existing and relevant administrative and non-revenue ordinances of the municipality. A legislative tracking system was established that allows users to access available information about the LGU’s legislative process. Along with relevant legislation, an SB Member was recognized under the “Awards for Partners in Development” of the DILG. Sangguniang Bayan member Juliet Palicos was an awardee on Awards for Partners in Development by the DILG in 2006.
The LGU’s Performance Billboard was also set up which provides information on the LGU’s plans, projects, targets, and accomplishment and LGU activities. A public information desk was in placed at the lobby properly identified and manned eight hours a day to provide information on office operations. Full community participation in local governance as evidenced by civil society representatives in the Local Development Council and other special bodies.
Participatory and consultative approach in formulation of policies and implementation of programs was done where public and private sector are encouraged to work hand in hand with the LGU toward local development. People are urged to be involved in monitoring and evaluation of LGU programs manifested by an effective financial management system transparent to the public including the Bids and Awards Committee. Besides, the LGU utilizes the equity or counterparting scheme through networking to advance its plans and programs.
With the efficient administration of former Mayor Jup Dominguez, Sabangan was adjudged the Most Outstanding Municipality of MP for Year 2004 and 2005 for excellence in local governance awarded by the Provincial Government of MP.
In 2005, Sabangan was the Cleanest and Greenest Municipality of MP based on the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran Program of the national government. Sabangan bested other municipalities on its environmental management program awarded by the Provincial Government of MP in 2006.
Sabangan LGU bagged Second Place for the Cleanest and Greenest Municipality of MP for Year 2003 by the Provincial Awards Committee, Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran. Sabangan LGU also got Third Place, Cleanest and Greenest Municipality of MP for Year 2001 by the Provincial Awards Committee of the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran. Sabangan is an awardee of the Provincial Gawad Saka Awards in 2003 and Regional Gawad Saka Awards also in 2003. Sabangan got 2nd Place in the National Level for Gawad Saka in 2003. This meant an exemplary accomplishment of the office of the municipal agriculturist during his leadership as mayor of the town.
In DILG’s Awards for Partners in Development, Sabangan Municipal Ecological Solid Waste Management Board was awarded for an active and functional board that effectively manages its ten year ecological solid waste management plan in 2006.
Also, barangay Supang of barangay Sabangan was the Most Outstanding Barangay of MP for excellence in local governance in the barangay level given by the Provincial Government of MP in 2006.
The Rural Improvement Club of Maggon, Supang was awarded the Most Outstanding NGO of MP in 2005 by the Provincial Government. And in the education sector, Namatec Elementary School, Sabangan was adjudged the Most Outstanding Elementary School of MP in 2005 awarded by the Provincial Government.
Development Priorities
Developmental priorities refer to planning, flagship programs and impact projects and infrastructure. During his term, only Sabangan has an approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan among the ten municipalities of Mountain Province. Responsive infrastructure were built in support of environmental management, social development, and economic development.
Social services on health and nutrition, education, disaster preparedness, youth and sports development, and civil registration was in place which equally saw concrete services and results.
During his term, access to safe water was 86% in 2001 for total number of households. It increased to 100% in 2005. Percentage of households with sanitary toilets was 63% in 2001. It grew to 86% in 2005. In 2001, there was one maternal death. In 2005, there was no maternal death. No epidemic or outbreak of disease occurred from 2001 to 2005. The position of Municipal Health Officer was filled up by the LGU in 2004. Total consultations had a dramatic increase from 1,139 in 2001 to 5,795 in 2005.The number of PHIC indigent enrollees being sponsored by the LGU increased from 263 in 2001 to 461 in 2005.
Keen attention to education services was done with the construction and rehabilitation of elementary and secondary school buildings and day care centers. A functional municipal literacy coordinating council was formed. A Special Education Fund was utilized for priority programs on student development. This to include networking with DepEd on the Third Elementary Education Project (TEEP), School Improvement Innovation Facility (SIIF)and Adopt a Child Program.
Education
As part of JUP’s legislative agenda, education comes as a major legislative program for JUP. From the mind starts everything. For the Mountain Province Polytechnique State College (MPSPC) for one, expansion of college programs to include relevant courses in order to improve access to education without the need to leave Mountain Province. For those who have to study outside of MPSPC to provide scholarships with linkages for job opportunities. Helping students graduate is not enough thus the need to make sure that appropriate jobs are also available for them to make their time in college functional, useful and relevant.
With support to the above, facilities including provision of computers, internet connectivity, laboratory equipment should be upgraded and provision of staff development in schools. Sponsorship of relevant trainings, educational and cultural exchange and furthering the educational and technical capacities of staff is equally a need and included in the legislative agenda.
Health
Sustainable public health programs on sanitation, nutrition and health risk management and functional well organized emergency response system is important. Healthy people makes productive force in economic development. Responsive and relevant bills shall be authored to make responsive health services including the provision of equipment such as EEG equipment which is not even present at the regional hospital of Luis Hora Regional Memorial hospital. What more to other district and general hospitals of Paracelis, Bontoc and Besao where other equipment such as EEG or CT Scan machine is needed.
Sports
On youth and sports development saw capability development, an athletic Mayor’s Cup along with aid to athletics, participation in the Palarong Panlalawigan, regional athletic meet and Palarong Pambansa. Sheryl Baldo, Silver Medalist in the 2006 Palarong Pambansa was a product of the LGU’s Program on Youth and Sports Excellence. Sabangan LGU bagged Third Place in the Over all Province-Wide Ranking in the 2005 Provincial Meet, DepEd Mountain Province Division.
In Jup’s legislative agenda, support to an enhanced and strengthened sports program is needed to upgrade our standing in the regional athletic meet and spur inclusion of our athletes in the Palarong Pambansa.
Environment, livelihood and energy
Environmental management was then a main program of Mayor Jupiter Dominguez, an environmentalist by heart and by deed. This covers natural resources management, waste management and pollution control. Through his leadership, a functional municipal ecological solid waste management board spearheaded the feat of Sabangan as the Cleanest and Greenest Municipality of MP for 2005. The Board was also recognized under the “Awards for Partners in Development” for Year 2006.
With good legislative-executive working relations, formulation of an ecological solid waste management ten-year plan was done with a Solid Waste Management Ordinance and the Municipal Environment Code enacted which set guidelines to follow. A monthly “operation linis” was done which led to the Annual Search for Cleanest and Greenest Barangays of Sabangan. An active participation in the “One Million Trees” project of the Provincial government was observed
A Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) was established in 15 barangays of Sabangan with the allocation of a solid waste management fund and an aggressive drive for the construction of sanitary toilet in every household.
With a sound track record, JUP in his legislative agenda aims for location-specific laws on cultural rights enacted and practice of sound and tested indigenous practices based on the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) that supports indigenous peoples rights including customs, beliefs and ways on land, livelihood, and natural resources including property and family and community relations to effect environmental integrity.
For one, the batangan system sets cultural practises on protecting forests in the Province such as setting limits on how many trees shall be cut and setting rules on protecting forests from fires.
PD 705 which prevents the people of MP from accessing forest products, the very trees they have planted and nurtured being located in what is classified as public land and forest reserve needs to be amended to suit indigenous forest management practices.
On culture and tradition therefore, bills shall be authored and sponsored to retain and respect these. As noted, there is yet the need to codify particular and location specific indigenous land and forest management practices on ownership and management. This to include innovation of indigenous ways to promote cooperation and peace relevant to the communities we are in.
Promotion on the integration of culture and traditional craftsmanship in the current education system to fuel local livelihood is a need. Identification of potentials and opportunities in local materials and rich culture is a need. For one, pine cones and other forest products profuse in the mountains which could be of use for livelihood opportunities. But first and foremost the amendment of PD705 to enable people from Mountain Province to practice their indigenous forest management practices and freely access their very own forest products.
Equally, the environment is crucial to be promoted and safeguard optimal but sustainable use of natural resources to spur economic growth. For one, rivers pose potential sources of energy for micro and mini hydro sources to spur local industries such as weaving where energy is needed to run sewing machines.
Natural resources including falls, rice terraces, mountains pose rich potential for eco and adventure tourism as source of livelihood. Yet at the same time tourism along the way should be mindful of the people’s culture, that is to promote immersion and not just “come and go” tourism.
Bills worth authoring and sponsoring are provision of facilities such as rails to protect sites of cultural and environmental value from the physical touch of humans. For example, the burial caves of Sagada and Bauko and the many falls not to be swam in where such is the case should be protected. Bills to author in the preservation of rice terraces is a must where some rice terraces are noted to be eroding. Funds to be allocated is important so that these natural sources shall not continually erode and the people denied of their sources for livelihood. And more facilities and trainings needing appropriation in the preservation of cultural and environmental sites including the preservation of artifacts.
With the environment a vulnerable target for destruction due to insensitive ways of man can result to environmental ruin. While it is forwarded that indigenous ways and practices are promoted to be retained including the need for trainings, education and advocacy, actual and post disaster be addressed.
Disaster risk reduction and mitigation comes in strengthening implementation of proper land use utilization. Sponsorship of bills as part of the legislative agenda is then forwarded on the provision of facilities, trainings, and comprehensive land use with protection measures included such as the planting of anti-erosion plants, tree planting and subsidies on soil fertility, strengthening implementation of proper land use utilization for disaster risk reduction and mitigation. Infrastructure equipment and trainings come in to support the agricultural sector.
Economic development refers to agriculture and fisheries development, business and industrial promotion, increase in annual income, one town one product program, livelihood programs and investment incentives that need a legislative agenda to address this crucial factor in community development.
The reintegration of programs for migrant worker- returnees equally need attention. If possible, people from Mountain Province shall not leave the Province to work in other countries where their contribution to economic livelihood and their nearness to their families shall be kept. Supporting livelihood opportunities is a crucial feature in supporting kaka-ilyan avail of livelihood opportunities. Mountain Province abounds with tourism potentials as source of livelihood. Trainings on souvenir item making where local materials can be availed from, provision of capital, equipment, trainings, marketing opportunities and product development for local industries such as weaving, carpentry, souvenir item making, dressmaking, tailoring, and customer relations in inns, homestays and restaurant business.
Sectoral concerns too are direly important on the inclusive management of programs. For one, strict implementation of the Persons With Disability (PWD) law and other existing laws of marginalized sectors. The PWD law if such shall be implemented needs support services such as the provision of facilities as to separate quarters and services including the provision of personnel to take care of their needs to include physical structures, medical staff, facilities and medicine.
Peace and order
Peace and order refers to public safety and rule of law made manifest by the effective building safe communities program, effective local peace and order council, functional public safety plan, effective networking that resulted to the construction of a municipal police station and the grant of police car, professionalization of barangay tanods and professionalization of the members of the Lupong Tagapamayama.
As part of JUP’s legislative agenda, the necessary equipment shall form part of resolutions and bills to effect peace and order to include patrol cars, and peace and order systems to be in place in the barangay, municipal and provincial levels.
Office administration refers to responsive administration, revenue generation, revenue allocation and utilization, human resource management and development, customer service, decentralized management and management innovations that equally reaped awards for exemplary leadership.
During his leadership a New Municipal Revenue Code was enacted that set an efficient system for real tax assessment and collection as evidenced by the accomplishment of the LGU in generating funds to support delivery of public services. A participatory and responsive annual budget as evidenced by budget hearings and effective allocation and utilization of LGU funds congruent with its programs.
Decentralized management guided by the Code of Conduct for e-Sabangan officials and employees, a work program, and performance evaluation and management innovations set Dominguez to supervise his staff.
A supportive chief executive meant competent and professional local government personnel evidenced by the selection of one of its employee as the Most Outstanding Employee of MP, Theodore Velasco for the Year 2005 awarded during the 2006 Lang-ay festival for excellence in conceptualizing, launching, and managing flagship programs for the municipality of Sabangan. Velasco is a recipient of the DILG-sponsored APD for two consecutive years, 2005 and 2006.
Also, Camen L. Lardizabal was adjudged the Most Outstanding Literacy Worker of the Philippines by the National Literacy Coordinating Council on September 2005. Virginia G. Mangay-at was awarded Most Outstanding Day Care Worker of MP in 2006 by the Provincial Government of MP.
MPDO Salvador O. Decoy was also an awardee on Awards for Partners in Development awarded by the DILG Provincial Office in May 2005. Too, Eveline L. Dalog was adjudged Most Outstanding Agricultural Extension Worker of MP in the Gawad Saka Awards in 2003.
Jup was born in Sabangan from parents Celing Dominguez, former vice governor of Mountain Province and mother Imelda Coto-ong from Taccong, Sagada. He is married to Janet Zarate of Sabangan and they are blessed with six children-four daughters and two sons. He finished Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at St Loius University in 1986.
