Apat Dapat: A Change for Muzon’s Betterment?

Nazylen Joy Mabanglo

December 13, 2023

The division on a most populous barangay in San Jose del Monte, province of Bulacan brought changes on its local governance.

Last March 25, a plebiscite was held in Barangay Muzon of the said city to ratify the Republic Act No. 11896 that will make the Muzon divided into four: Barangay Muzon West, Muzon South, Muzon Proper, and Muzon East.

The Commission on Election later released the result on the said voting wherein 92.51 percent of the 13,322 people voted "yes" that decided the extent to which Barangay Muzon ought to become divided into four, while 969 residents voted "no."

The Changes

With the successful campaign of “Apat Dapat”, the largest barangay in CSJDM splitted into four independent barangays, and that mean one thing: a small constituent for each barangay leaders.

This marks a change to its governance structure as the divided barangay will have a different set of leaders which means that the budget will also be separated on each sector.

Each barangay will stand on its own, have their supplies and necessities equally distributed. Yet, does this mean an equal and more effective governance for its locality?

The Adjustments

As the bill effectively established within the said location, adapting on a new set up is probably one of the effects of this change. 

“May pansamantalang discomfort sa mga mamamayan na nasanay sa dating iisang barangay lang, pero darating ang time na magiging normal na yung operation ng lahat,” Muzon South’s Barangay Captain, Edgar Celis statement in regard on the adjustment he noticed towards his people.

In line with this, Muzon also has only one fire truck and patrol for its four components to be used in case of emergency, and one ambulance each barangay, that still receives complaints regarding its lapses particularly on urgent reasons.

Barangay Captain Celis also noted the dilemma on budget 2023 as it is still on financial plan of Muzon as a whole, which does not exist anymore. 

“So ang problema, hindi yung availability ng funds, kung hindi kung paano siya maididisburse sa kasalukuyan, ayan ang ginagawa ngayon ng ating lungsod katuwang ang ilang mga departamento sa city, lalo na ang local finance committee na tumutulong sa atin, umaalalay,” he said.

Apat Dapat: For the Masses?

The division of Brgy. Muzon is somewhat a big movement for the local officials to focus more on a small group of people and to ensure that they will cater the needs of their constituents.

“Malaking ginhawa sa akin na maliit na yung aking napapamahalaan, kayang kaya kong umikot… lahat, maikutan lahat at makita ang pangangailangan  ng ating mga kabarangay,” one of the Barangay Captain of Muzon said.

It is also a way for a progressive local government with a more welcoming barangay hall and an active barangay officials whose presence can be felt by its people.

Yet, this is too soon to declare that this change can indeed give an equal and more effective leadership for the people.

The only thing we can assure is that the separation of Muzon into four is for the masses, because it can be easily determined a problem and act on it once a leader can properly see everyone and everything on its leadership.

Apat Dapat brought change, and its people and officials are hoping that once their adjustment period is over, more advantages of it could be seen and reflect the locality.—OVERTURN