By Minerva Newman CEBU CITY— More than 100 purok leaders and other local government officials from 13 cities and municipalities in Cebu took part in “Purok Talks” which highlighted the role of puroks, in strengthening communities and advancing the vision of Mega Cebu 2050. Mega Cebu is a movement initiated by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) with the Metro Cebu Development and Coordinating Board (MCDCB) as the moving ship that advocates of a livable, competitive and sustainable Cebu. Dominica Chua, President/COO of RAFI and co-chairperson of MCDCB said members of the board are from the private and public sector in the cities of Carcar, Naga, Talisay, Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-lapu and Danao and the muncicipalities of San Fernando, Minglanilla, Cordova, Consolacion, Liloan and Compostela. Puroks are neighborhood clusters within every barangay in the country, Chua said. “These puroks are mechanisms for engagement and collaboration among and between households, purok clusters and barangays toward local community development,” Chua explained. In a 2017 MCDCB annual report, Chua said there is a greater need to cascade the vision of Mega Cebu 2050 down to the smallest groups in the communities where families are settled and familiar with each other. “Localization of issues and projects,” she added. This need led to the organization and mobilization of 2,644 puroks in 12 LGUs in Metro Cebu. It was during the last quarter of 2017 that “Purok Talks” was convened in partnership with the province of Cebu that brought together LGUs and purok leaders and other partners sharing practices, experiences and insights about community development and how this translate to Mega Cebu 2050 vision, Chua said. To sustain the gains of ‘Purok Talks’, MCDCB and Mega Cebu conducted this year’s Mega Cebu Leader’s Summit over the weekend to fortify and continue to nurture the purok system in Metro Cebu. Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III lauded Mega Cebu in helping to improve the lives of Cebuanos. Davide said Mega Cebu and RAFI have promoted long term planning and actions towards sustainable urban development and infrastructure.