Role of LGUs Towards Achieving Inclusive Growth and Development

Identifying the role of LGUs towards achieving inclusive growth and

development reminds me of the DILG - LG Sector Outcome Framework which

emphasizes what they do, based on its mandate which is general supervision over

local government units (LGUs), have meaning and significance in the overall design

of things in the society; and are contributory to the attainment of national goals and

objectives, as articulated by President Benigno S. Aquino III himself in his 16-point

Social Contract with the Filipino people. It invites us to closely re-examine our view

of ourselves and to appreciate the fact that we have a more supreme reason for our

existence than merely output producers: that we play a pivotal role in achieving

societal outcomes that benefit both the LGUs which are our primary partners/clients

and the citizenry, through the civil society organizations (CSOs), which have now

become indispensable partners in local government and national development.

The DILG, being the primary agency tasked to develop and scale up the

capacities of LGUs, render performance oversight and provide incentives to LGUs

that excel and perform, and position themselves in a way that they can greatly

influence and transform LGUs into becoming development-oriented where self-

reliance is a way of life, and where law and order and public safety prevail. This will

hasten the ability of the LGUs to contribute to the achievement of inclusive growth for

the country and poverty reduction.

With the framework being said and for both to materialize fast, I believe that

both the DILG and the LGUs need to be robust to meet their respective mandate,

with the former needing to strengthen its internal governance capacity to shepherd

and nurture LGUs to become accountable, transparent, participative and

effective in rendering services to their constituents. On the other hand, the

LGUs need to strive to observe these tenets of good governance to effectively

discharge their own duties and responsibilities, enroute to becoming socially-

protective and safe; business-friendly and competitive; and disaster-prepared and

climate change-adaptive.

In an ideal scenario, a particular local government unit (LGU) manages its

own growth and change through a body of plans with varying scope and time frame.

The term “ideal”, however, does not imply a utopian, unrealistic or unattainable

dream. It simply means a scenario that does not exist as yet. Nevertheless, it is the

scenario that the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991 (RA 7160) wants every

LGU to achieve. With the aid of various plans, LGUs are expected to more effectively

manage their own local development. For instance, Section 20 of the LGC mandates

LGUs to prepare a comprehensive land use plan (CLUP) enacted through a zoning

ordinance, while Sections 106 and 109 of the same Code mandate the LGUs to

prepare comprehensive multi-sectoral development plans (CDP) and public

investment programs.

These plans influence public and private sector investments which have the

cumulative effects of making available goods and services whose quality has been

improved, and making them more accessible to the people, thereby raising the level

of their well-being. Any change in the level of welfare of the population, on one hand

is expected to create corresponding changes in the character and configuration of

the land and other physical resources of the locality. On the other hand, it may be

noted that any improvement in the level of social and economic well-being of the

local population will almost always entail deterioration in the quality or quantity of the

physical environment. How to achieve development objectives without necessarily

sacrificing the environment poses a major challenge to local development planning

and management.

As the LGU gains longer experience in managing its own growth and change,

especially when the Sanggunian is ever alert for possibilities to formulate regulatory

policies and to further support the implementation of plans, programs and projects

with needed development regulations, its institutional capacity will be enhanced

considerably.

To conclude, without the DILG avidly pushing LGUs to observe and practice

good governance, the drive for clean, honest and good governance will not be as

successful. Without the LGUs, the vision for inclusive growth and poverty reduction

is likely to remain farfetched. In short, a robust DILG helps produce robust LGUs.