“There is high anticipation among the mayors here in Northern Luzon for the implementation of the Mandanas ruling of the Supreme Court which expands the role of LGUs (local government units) in the delivery of basic services to constituents.”
This was the statement of Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles who served as main speaker in the 2021 Regional Planning Conference of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) for the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and Ilocos Region held in Vigan, Ilocos Sur last week.
“It’s not an easy process. We need to prepare and train.”
Nograles explained that a comprehensive training and capacity building effort was needed to prepare local governments for the gradual devolution of functions from national government agencies.
“It’s not an easy process. We need to prepare and train. Our ultimate goal is to make the transition to greater local autonomy and decentralization as smooth as possible in order to facilitate the delivery of services to the people,” the Malacañang official noted.
Nograles further stressed that “Kailangan natin magtulungan, our keys to success are the trainings to be conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the various agencies whose functions shall be localized.”
Despite the current lack of information on the proper implementation of the Supreme Court decision, the mayors of CAR and Ilocandia expressed readiness to undergo trainings on the “structural and financial reforms” that form part of the Court ruling.
The mayors of CAR and Ilocandia expressed readiness to undergo trainings on the “structural and financial reforms” that form part of the Court ruling.
Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson said: “We will be working with the national govenment for capacity-building. We want the implementation to be correct and responsive to the needs of the people we govern and serve.”
“The participation and guidance of CabSec Karlo Nograles, in coordination with the DBM and DILG, are first steps in the right direction,” remarked Singson who, together with son Gov. Ryan Singson, hosted the event.
Singson is the National President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP).
In the conference that was attended by 120 mayors from two regions in the North, Nograles likewise laid out the programs of the Zero Hunger Task Force which he heads, explaining that the fight against hunger and achieving food security were important aims during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and the participation of LGUs in the effort was crucial.