How do you
know if your local government officials are doing their jobs? Various
institutions, government offices, and donor agencies each have a set of
standards against which they measure every possible aspect of governance. The
indicators can guide citizens in gauging the capability and competence of local
officials, in areas of health and social services, infrastructure,
environmental protection, budget and planning, etc. The purpose of grading the
local officials is not just to keep them on their toes, but to keep them
transparent and effective. Also, to arm said officials with correct information
and assessment, so that their plans will be more realistic and strategic.
The Local
Government Code (RA7160) generally provides an effective mechanism for ensuring
the accountability of local government units, through its local officials; the participation of the private sectors in
local governance; and the realization of local autonomy facilitated through
improved coordination of national government policies. It also gives citizens
two weapons within which to ensure the accountability of local officials and
transparency in governance processes: recall and local initiative/referendum, aside,
of course, from the election process.
The Local Government
Unit (LGU) are now mandated to institute management systems that would
translate to better and more efficient delivery of basic services where
constituents have every right to demand better benefits in return, such as:
1.
Agriculture
2.
Health
3.
Social
Services
4.
Public
Works
5.
Tourism
6.
School
Building Program
7.
Environment
and Natural Resources
In short, the
Local Government Code provides for a system/process for local officials’
accountability to the their constituents; recognizes and encourages the active
participation of the private sectors or Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in
governance; and the devolution to the LGUs the responsibility of the delivery of
the basic services.
Accountability
The local
officials, particularly the Mayor, Vice-Mayor and the Sanggunian members should be accountable to their electorates.
There is no ignoring the power wielded by the mayor, who occupies the highest
elective position in a town or city. Elected on three-year terms and allowed
only three consecutive terms, the mayor is responsible of his community, a task
that requires him to take on a variety of roles. The mayor heads the executive
branch and has jurisdiction over all national government agencies in the city
or municipality. The executive branch implements all municipal ordinances and
applicable provincial and national laws and statutes.
The Mayor’s Handbook also defines the
following roles of the municipal mayor:
1 1.
Ensures
that all municipal employees have varied work targets and that they perform their targets effectively and efficiently;
2 2.
Ensures
that law enforcement agencies and personnel are performing their jobs in
maintaining law and order;
3 3.
Ensures
that the town is able to access and generate the necessary financial and other
resources to implement the municipal development agenda. The LGU is able to
impose and collect taxes and secure grants and/or loans from financial sources;
and
4 4. Ensures
that all resources are effectively and efficiently used for the general
welfare.
The Code also
outlines functions specific to the vice mayor, who may be given additional
tasks by the mayor, such as in-charge of the anti-drug abuse program or the
disaster brigade committee. The vice mayor as presiding officer of the Sanggunian, votes only to break a tie.
It is through legislation, however, that the vice mayor and the Sanggunian help shape the destiny of the
municipality or cityh. Among its tasks are the approval of ordinances and passage or
resolutions necessary for the efficient and effective local governance.
Ordinances and resolutions enacted by the Sanggunian
do not automatically become a law. They still to be presented to the mayor who
can either approve or veto it. But the Sanggunian
may override the veto by two-thirds vote of its members to render it
legally effective.
Participation
The private
sectors and NGOs are allowed to participate in local governance processes, such
as (1) opportunities for entering into joint ventures, (2) entering in the
Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) schemes with the LGUs; (3) representation in local
special bodies, such as Local Health Board; Local School Board; Local
Pre-qualification, Bids and Awards Committee; Local Peace and Order Council;
Local Development Council; and People’s Law Enforcement Board; and (4)
Identification of sectoral representatives in local legislative bodies.
Local Autonomy
The
responsibility for the delivery of the basic services has been devolved to the
LGU. It grants LGUs significant regulatory powers that traditionally belonged
to the national agencies. Also, autonomy significantly increases the financial
resources available to LGUs through increased Internal Revenue Allotments
(IRA). Specifically, the devolution
(transfer of appropriate personnel, programs, records and equipment) of the
following national agencies: (1) DOH (2) DA (3) DSWD (4) DENR to the LGUs. The
following are the regulatory functions of the LGUs:
1.
Reclassification
of agricultural lands
2.
Inspection
of food products for consumption
3.
Adoption
of quarantine regulations
4.
Enforcement
of the national building code
5.
Regulation
and operation of tricycles
6.
Regulation
of real estate trade and business
7.
Licensing
the establishment of cockpits and regulation of cockfighting
SOURCE: PCIJ, Investigating
Local Governments, 2001
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