'Public office is a public trust… Gov’t. employees must be accountable to the people’ - BM Danzel Langkit

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Atty. Danzel Michael Dasayon Langkit, during the third edition of the "Know Your Candidates" Forum of the Tabuk City Public Information Office on Wednesday, December 4, shared his thoughts on two key pillars of good governance - the accountability and transparency.

Danzel Langkit, an incumbent Board Member of District 1 in Kalinga, is among the four candidates vying for the Vice Governor of the province for the 2025 midterm elections.

When asked to define these pillars in his political career during said forum, Langkit stressed the core principle that ‘public office is a public trust.’ He explained that every government employee, particularly elected officials, must be accountable to the people they serve.

For Langkit, accountability means being responsible not just to the public but also to the office one holds and the duties entrusted to them, as well as being ready to face the consequences of their actions.

“Public office is a public trust, and all government employees must be accountable to the people and must observe transparency. Accountability means we must serve well." It also includes being ready to face the consequences of our actions and the consequences of our public service. We must take responsibility and observe integrity," Langkit emphasized.

For his definition of transparency, Langkit said it is an important aspect of good governance. According to him, transparency is not just giving the government money to the people; it is letting them know clearly how those funds are distributed and how they are actually used.

"Nu ada ited da kadatayo nga kuwarta ah para kadagiti tatao ideliver tayo. Haan lang nga ideliver, ipakita tayo nu anya ti napanan na diay kuwarta," he added.

Apart from financial transparency, he explained that transparency also comprises providing the public with information on government programs and services. For him, transparency means a politician must explain to the people what the government's programs are and how they're being delivered to them so that citizens understand how the policies are implemented and resources utilized for their benefits.

“Ipakaawat tayo ti tatao daytoy programa ti gobyerno, dagiti services nu anya ti programs kanyada,” he concluded.

Langkit's responses during the forum reflect a long commitment to accountability as well as transparency that he believes are critical in building trust both between the government and the people.