The regional office of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in Western Visayas is encouraging the civil society organizations (CSOs) and citizens to actively participate in the preparation and implementation of the Devolution Transition Plans (DTPs) of their respective local government units.
“There are still barangays that have not prepared their DTPs. This is where we encourage the CSOs, non government organizations and other people’s organizations in the barangay to incorporate the DTPs in their Annual Investment Plan and their budget, to ensure that this will be implemented,” said DBM 6 Director Mae Chua during the episode 1 of Dagyaw 2021 virtual town hall meeting, November 3, where discussion focused on the effects of the Mandanas ruling.
Chua said it is very necessary that LGUs prepare their DTPs at the barangay level considering that there are functions that will be finally assumed and done by the barangays.
“With the devolution people are expecting changes in the service delivery from the LGUs and the active role of the CSOs and citizens as partners of local autonomy is highlighted,” she added.
The Supreme Court has ruled that the share of LGUs will include all collections from national taxes not only those collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue but also the collection of the
Bureau of Customs. This results in an expected increase of the national tax allocation of the LGUs in fiscal year 2022.
Under the SC’s ruling, Executive Order 138 series of 2021 was issued to implement the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch to LGUs as well as the formulation of DTPs of the LGUs.
The DTPs will serve as the roadmap in the implementation of the full devolution of functions, services and facilities of national government agencies to the local government units.
Chua said that starting 2022 the LGUs are expected to assume the responsibilities and implementation of the basic services and facilities under Section 17 of the Local Government Code.
The half-day event dubbed ‘’Usapang Mandanas at Budget” also tackled the experiences and challenges of the LGUs in formulating their DTPs as presented by the representatives from the local government units of Kalibo, Aklan; Jamindan, Capiz; Bacolod City; and province of Antique.
The Dagyaw 2021 Virtual Townhall Meetings, streamed live via the Facebook pages of the Department of the Interior and Local Government 6 and Philippine Information Agency 6, will be held every Wednesday this November. (PIA6-Iloilo)
