By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff Reporter
Laoag City—The Sangguniang Panlungsod here has greenlighted the creation of three new offices for the city government.
The new offices are City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Information and Communications Technology Office (CICTO) and the Communications and Media Office (CMO).
The council approved the said offices’ creation on January 8, 2020 with councilor Benjamin Roque Ablan as main sponsor.
Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon certified the bills as urgent.
Mr. Ablan, who chairs the council’s committee on labor, said the CENRO is tasked to recognize the importance of sharing responsibility and accountability for the sustainable development management and protection of its environment and natural resources for the enjoyment of the present and future generations.
The Local CENR officer is also mandated to formulate measures to ensure the delivery of basic services and provision of adequate facilities relative to environment and natural resources services.
The CITC officer, meanwhile, will serve a vital role in community development and to participate fully in all forms of productive activities and developments currently taking place within the field of information and communications and technology.
The CITC officer will also be in charge of recognizing the need to provide a secured framework to govern the existence and usage of its website and information technology system and network facility for the purpose of protecting the integrity of electronic documents.
The CMO, on the other hand, will bring the local government closer to the people and in the process, reawaken their consciousness the need for continuing cooperation and coordination among all sectors of the community.
It will also be tasked to provide the information and research data required for the delivery of basic services and provision of adequate facilities so that the public becomes aware of said basic services and may fully avail of the same.
The city mayor will appoint and designate qualified personnel and staff with orientation and background in communication and media affairs.
Allocation of funds needed in the operation of said offices were included in the 2020 annual budgetary allocation under the Office of the Mayor.
The Human Resource Management Officer states that the term of the information officer is coterminous with that of the appointing authority.