THE League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) has expressed its unwavering support for the Marcos administration’s development agenda detailed in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.
LMP National president Mayor Joseph Santo Niño Bernos of La Paz, Abra presented the declaration to President Marcos last Wednesday during the group’s 2023 General Assembly at the Manila Hotel, which was held from February 21 to 23.
This year’s assembly has adopted the theme, ‘Strengthening Municipal Capabilities Around Autonomy and Fostering Resiliency.’
In its declaration, the municipal mayors called for “strengthened complementation between the national and local governments as one of the cornerstones in achieving the national goal for actualized economic and social transformations to reinvigorate employment generation and to accelerate poverty reduction as articulated in the newly minted PDP plan.”
“This declaration, therefore, is a testament to our unwavering support of the Marcos administration’s development agenda and a show of our solid commitment to continuously partner with the national government, coupled with collaborative action and cooperation between local authorities, towards the shared goal of a better Philippines in 2028,” the group said.
At the same time, the LMP called for the revision of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Executive No. 138 (Full Devolution of Certain Functions of the Executive Branch to Local Governments) to highlight the lengthened timeline implementation and give ample time to local governments to put in place transitory systems to cater to the changes and full assumption of revolver roles and responsibilities prescribed under the approved Devolution Transition Plans (DTPs).
The LMP likewise said municipalities should be allowed to make decisions and craft solutions that are localized, tailored fit, and responsive to local needs and contexts. “When local governments have the power to make decisions and the requisite resources, they can streamline services and respond, appropriately and timely, to identify the needs of localities and the people,” it said.
In his speech during the event, the President affirmed his administration’s support for the devolution of local governments and assured the municipal mayors that E.O No. 138 is being reviewed.
“Gagamitin ngayon namin itong one year na ito para pag-aralan nang mabuti yung 138. Tingnan natin na siguro may mga function kasi na binibigay sa local, hindi naman dapat sa local talaga (We are going review 138 this year. We will determine which functions should not be devolved to local governments),” Marcos said.
The three-day conference underscored the various challenges facing municipal mayors amid the planned improvements in the delivery of services to their localities. The annual meeting serves as a venue for updating and discussions on the development activities of municipal mayors.
The LMP was created through Republic Act 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991, which states that there shall be an organization of all municipalities in the country that shall convert issues affecting municipal government management and formulate solutions to such matters.
Part of the LMP’s powers, functions, and duties is to “assist the national government in the formulation and implementation of the policies, programs, and projects affecting municipalities’” in the country, “promote local autonomy at the municipal level,” and “supplement the efforts of the national government in creating opportunities for gainful employment within the municipalities.”
