What is Purok System:
Purok System is now considered as the smallest form of government in the Philippines as suggested by the law, for the delivery of basic government services and to promote Bayanihan in the community. One of the most successful Purok System in the Philippines can be found in the Municipality of San Francisco, Camotes, Province of Cebu.
The legal basis of the Purok System is provided for in Paragraph (16) Section 391 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 stating that the "Sangguniang Barangay can provide for the organization of Community Brigades, Barangay Tanod, or Community Service Units as may be necessary."
History of Puroks:
Purok started during the time when the Department of Education through its Non-Formal Education had organized Puroks and Purok Reading Centers in the different sitios/places in the Barangays as its support system and beneficiaries of non-formal education, and since the activity is seen by the local officials as active partners in the pursuit of local autonomy, delivery of basic services and maintenance of peace and order in the locality, some local government unit in various municipality in the country adopted the Purok System as part of their basic services.
In the Municipality of Bantayan under the administration of Mayor Arthur E. Despi, he considered the Puroks as People's Organization and one of the community service units in the Barangays, and the same have been accepted by all the 25 Barangay Councils in the LGU as one of their support services units.
The Municipality of Bantayan approved a Resolution "Enacting Municipal Ordinance Entitled 'An Ordinance Strengthening the Purok, Adopting the Purok System and Prescribing its Rules, Regulations, and Functions in the Local Government Unit of Bantayan, Cebu superseding Municipal Ordinance No. 18 Series of 2017'"
Visiting San Francisco, Camotes for Purok System Adoption:
The LGU Bantayan headed by Municipal Mayor Arthur E. Despi visited the town of San Francisco, Camotes in the Eastern portion of Cebu Province to witness how the Purok System worked in the municipality which is being considered as the model of all the Purok System implementation in the Province of Cebu.
The Municipal Mayor together with the 25 Barangay Captains and LGU workers assigned as Purok Organizers of the 25 Barangays accompanied the Local Chief Executive as they investigate and see for themselves how the Purok System worked in San Francisco and how it can be replicated in the Municipality of Bantayan.
San Francisco, Camotes' Purok System is considered as the best not only in the Province of Cebu but also in the entire Philippines as it was recognized by various Non-Government Organization and even the United Nations gave an award to San Francisco for its Purok system implementation.
Composition of Purok:
The Purok System in the Municipality of Bantayan which is patterned to San Francisco, Camotes will be composed of the following officials and members:
Purok Chairman - a Barangay Kagawad assigned by the Barangay Council concerned to coordinate with a certain Purok on whatever mandate, plans, and activities of the Barangay and/or the Municipality through the Barangay.
Purok President - elected among the Purok Members who shall head the entire Purok in all its activities.
Purok Vice-President - assist the Purok President in all the Purok activities.
Purok Secretary - shall take minutes of all the Purok meetings and keep all the records of the Purok.
Purok Treasurer - take custody of all the funds of the Purok.
Purok Auditor - examine all accounts and financial obligations of the Purok.
Purok Committee Chairman - Purok member who shall take charge of his/her respective committee assignment.
Purok Members - individuals in the locality composing the Purok System.
Eight Committees of the Purok System:
The Purok System in the Municipality of Camotes and the Municipality of Bantayan shared its own uniqueness compared to the other Purok System in various parts of the country.
San Francisco and Bantayan Purok System are composed of Eight Committees which are listed below:
Committee on Health and Social Services
Committee on Agriculture and Livelihood
Committee on Education and Solid Waste Management (SWM)
Committee on Peace and Order and DRR
Committee on Tourism, Women, and Children
Committee on Infrastructure
Committee on Budget, Finance, and Appropriation
Committee on Youth and Sports Development
How Community Organizing Works?
Community Organizing is considered as the first stage in the implementation of the Purok System in the Municipality of Bantayan. Community Organizers are assigned by the Municipal Mayor in various Barangays in the Municipality depending upon the size of the Barangay population.
Community organizers started their journey by conducting a meeting with various Puroks in the Municipality. Although there is an existing Purok in the Municipality of Bantayan, most of them were non-functional and the number of Purok members was found out as one of the hindrances why there are only a few constituents who are active in every Purok.
The Municipality decided to split bigger Purok which are composed of more than 100 households and it is the job of the Community Organizers to re-organized the Purok so that it will be split into two once they reached more than 100 households for better monitoring and active participation.
Community Organizers were equipped first with various leadership training and community organizing techniques before they were deployed to their respective Puroks to re-echo the learning they gathered through various training and seminars.
Due to the implementation of the New Purok System in Bantayan, the community organizers were able to produce a total of 392 Puroks in the 25 Barangays which is way better compared to the previous number of Puroks which is just 175 Puroks.
This is just the beginning of How Purok System worked in the Municipality of Bantayan, I will add more details and activities of the Purok System here on this page.
Although this is not related to the Bitcoin Cash community, later on, I will try to use the Purok System and Community Organizing to onboard more people to the BCH community and to inform them of the complex world of cryptocurrency to uplift their lives as important members of the society.
Thanks a lot for reading.
At your service,
BCH Enthusiasts and Community Organizer