For most in the general public, the common thinking is that the task of taking care of the children and the minors in this country lies in the hands of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. This is partly true; indeed this department has its hands full in taking care of the kids and minors. But it should be remembered that this is not only the job of the DSWD. The Department of Interior and Local Government is also another government instrumentality that is also tasked to protect and promote the rights of minors.

If Secretary Ronnie Puno will have his way, there should be a wider local participation in the future talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. He cited that the locals and local execs should not be left out of the picture, and the peace talks should now always involve Manila-based officials. This policy stand of the secretary was made during the recent meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council which was held in General Santos City.

One of the first institutions that you can think of when you think of protection for the minority and the marginalized sector is the Department of Interior and Local Government. This should not come as a surprise since it is really part of the program and charter of the department to ensure that every sector in the community is protected. Now the DILG together with the other organizations under it that include the Philippine National Police have a number of flagship programs that seek to protect the rights of the general public.

There will be no suspension of police operations in Mindanao against criminals even if there will be that suspension of offensive military operations. This information was revealed to the press and the public by Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government. There will be a suspension in the military operations in Mindanao to give way for the peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front or the MILF. He said that the actions against criminals in the island is not covered by the SOMO order which is part of the peace talks with MILF.

The Department of Interior and Local Government is playing its part in making sure that the Manila Bay is on the right track of rehabilitation. It makes sure that it does its job well by issuing all the required orders and memorandums urging the LGUs located near and around the area to do their part in cleaning up the bay and the rivers leading up to the bay and the order coming from the department also urged these LGUs to do its part in maintaining the cleanliness of the area. The information regarding the recent moves of the department was shared to the press and the public by Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Brian Yamsuan.

Just this month, the Department of Interior and Local Government under the leadership of Secretary Ronnie Puno cited LGUs considered as leaders in the implementation of the Katarungang Pambarangay program of the government. The winners are from four categories, and the department also cited LGUs which they consider as part of the Hall of Fame or the units that have consistently rank high on the list for a certain number of years. But what exactly is the Katarungang Pambarangay, and how does this program fits into the overall program and flagship projects of the department and the government as a whole?

As a response to the clamor of the President and the Supreme Court ruling, the Department of Interior and Local Government initiated a number of steps that will ensure that it will do its part in caring for the Manila Bay. To be more specific, the department and its execs led by Secretary Ronnie Puno have issued a number of memoranda, all addressing the need to clean and maintain the bay.

When the issue of infomercials took the stage front and center last week, one of the cabinet secretaries that were asked to explain was Secretary Ronnie Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government. Some are saying that public funds were used in the production of these advertisements. But when these critics learned that these advertisements were the produced and paid for by the Friends of Ronnie or FOR, the critics immediately said that still this can be a violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Under the code of conduct, the civil servants are prohibited from accepting and even soliciting such gifts from private citizens. The question is this- is the secretary guilty as charged for violating the code of conduct for civil servants? Here is the complete statement of the Section 7(d) of the Code of Conduct;

The two sectors are planning to conduct joint training that will focus on the internal security operations. The planned joint training is expected to be carried out next month, and this will be done as a way to address the insurgency problem in the country.

It has long been the plan of the Department of Interior and Local Government to upgrade the equipments of the Bureau of Fire Protection so that the bureau can easily address the threats posed by emergencies and fires. Now this dream is starting to become a reality thanks to the moves of the department led by its secretary, Ronaldo Puno. The department has approved the modernization program of the Bureau of Fire Protection, and by the estimate of the secretary alone some of the major points in the modernization program can be delivered on time.