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Local Government and Regional Administration

Glenne Lagura

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“L oc a l Go v er n m e n t A d m i n i s t r a t i o n a n d t h e C h a l l e n g e s o f R u r a l
De v e l o p m e n t ”

Local Governance serves its big importance for the development of a

c e r t a i n c o u n t r y a s i t is c o n s i d e r e d a s t h e b a s i c go ve r n in g en t it y . It is t h e m e a n s
of reaching people and a way of uniting them. It is the avenue of the common
people to address their needs and for them to know that they are part of this
w h a t w e ca l le d go ve r n m e n t . It m u s t a c t a s t h e im m e d ia t e m e d i u m o f p e a c e
and prosperity, a problem solver and a provider of cure or remedies in any
problems of the diverse people living in the country, thus such a big
responsibility to be one of the persons involved in local government sector.
With its importance, it is imperative that certain knowledge must be acquired
to those who will handle such big obligations; they are the public servants of
the local government unit. Such equipment of knowledge and good governance
m u s t b e p r a c t ic e d in a n y op e r a t i on s in v o lve d s u c h a s i n p l a n n in g a n d d e c i s io n
making.

Unfortunately, as being experienced, the above must have are being

reckoned and serving in the public unit was taken for granted. Administering
t h e l oc a l g ove r n m e n t s e r v e s a n o t h e r p u r p o s e t h a t in s t e a d o f b e in g a n a l lie d t o
foster development in the country it becomes a hindrance to achieve such
t h in g . At t a i n m e n t o f co u n t r y ’s d e v e lo p m e n t r e q u i r e s m o s t t h e p a r t i c ip a t i on o f
the local government for the fact that it would lead the way to national
prosperity. But in our case, it leads in different path, the problem in our local
government is that such empowerment of administrators was disregard, there
is an inadequacy of well trained and qualified personnel, political will is
m i s s in g , a s a r e s u l t s u c h “g oo d g ov er n a n c e ” t h a t w e a r e a i m i n g is l o s t a n d w i t h
this the sustainability among all the citizens including the government and
a d v a n c e m e n t t h a t w e a r e l oo k in g a r e s a i d t o b e u n lo ck e d .

It is known to me that tough job of having such job; it would really

require such passion. It is not really an easy job, having such multiple
cultures, diverse language and unlimited wants of needs of those diverse
p e o p l e a n d a c h i e vi n g t h is w e c a l le d o v e r a l l s a t i s fa c t i o n . I t i s i n d e e d a c h a l le n g e ,
not just to the people involved in public service but also to all the people
c o n c e r n e d , a n d t h e y a r e t h e in d i vi d u a l c it iz e n s i n t h e c o u n t r y , i t ’s m e a n d y o u .

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If we a r e g o in g t o b a s e e v er y t h i n g h is t o r i c a lly , w e c ou l d s a y t h a t w h a t w e
experienced right now is due to what we called knowledge from the past.
H is t o r y d o b r o u g h t u s t o w h a t w e h a v e r ig h t n o w, b u t n o t a l l t h e t h in g s i n t h e
past are good. Some officials became quiet interested in regards to the idea of
u s i n g t h e m o n e y of t h e p e o p le s i n c e it i s k n o w n t o u s t h e p o lit ic a l s ys t e m
d u r i n g t h e r e g im e o f t h e in v a d e r s o f o u r c o u n t r y , t h e p o l it i ca l s t r u c t u r e s o f t h e
p r e vio u s a d m in i s t r a t o r s , a n d t h e a w a r e n e s s o f b r i b er y t o c or r u p t io n .

Local Government at present can create its own new history, a history
that will serve as a legacy. It needs only such enrichment in the political
system such political efficacy and deep view to this what we called good
governance and with that, local government will serve its purpose as the path
a n d g u a r a n t o r t o n a t io n a l in t e g r a t io n , a d m i n i s t r a t io n a n d d e ve lo p m e n t .

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“T h e o r y a n d H is t o r i c a l B a c k g r ou n d o f L oc a l Go v er n m e n t s ”

Every country in the world has its own sovereignty being declared, part
of its sovereignty is the territory it comprise. With that, sovereignty is said to be
the level of a government which naturedly appended as a nation. In dealing
with nation, government exists and government itself is the people. By that,
since one specific country which composes of a large territory and populous
c it i ze n s s u b s is t , s u c h Lo c a l G o ve r n m e n t (LG ) c o m e i n t o e x i s t e n c e .

Central government can no longer accommodate the services necessary

to be supplemented to all the levels in a country, if not, then the means of
providing those is a bit difficult to handle and untimely. Thus, the come up of
such structure would mean the sensible provision of services for the
inhabitants of one specific location within the boundaries provided by law if
such.

Local government in a country varies historically, and most of the time

depends on the political and geographical pattern of a certain country. Though
it varies a lot in a name or delineation of power, the nature itself is almost the
same. Such local government in a specific country is a provision of law, in the
case of the Philippines it is the Local Code of 1991. By that, there is still what
w e c a l le d c e n t r a l g o ve r n m e n t w h e r e i n e n t i t le d t o a l lo w g r ea t e r a u t h o r it y t o LG
to perform th eir activities.

Sometimes, it is said to be that a one LG can perform more functions

while in others perform less, it is due because they are entitled on their
delegated authorities and its capability and such differences occur because
a l s o o f r e s o u r c e s a n d c a p a b i lit i es . B u t r e g a r d l e s s h o w s m a l l, o r p o w er f u l a n L G
is, LG exist for the reason of helping the central government in providing
services in accordance to the national policies as well as to cultivate greater
peop le’s pa rticipation.

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“S t r u c t u r e s a n d Fu n c t i o n s o f Ph i l i p p i n e L oc a l G ov e r n m e n t s ”

E v en b e fo r e t h e e x is t e n c e o f t h e R e p u b l ic Ac t N o . 7 1 6 0 , m o r e c o m m o n l y
known as Local Government Code of 1991 in the Philippines such delineation
o f lo c a l a u t o n o m y in t h e c o u n t r y e x is t s a l r e a d y .

Local government in the Philippines has its roots in the colonial

a d m in i s t r a t io n o f S p a i n , w h i ch la s t e d i n t h e P h i lip p i n e s f or 3 2 7 y ea r s . T h e
e s t a b l is h m e n t o f C e b u C it y in 1 5 6 5 s t a r t e d t h e lo c a l g ove r n m e n t s y s t e m . Aft e r
S p a i n , t h e U n i t ed S t a t e s c a m e i n t o p o we r i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 0 0 s a n d ‘F ilip p i n iz ed ’
lo c a l g ove r n m e n t a d m i n i s t r a t io n . Th e l a s t 5 0 y ea r s o f t h e t w e n t ie t h c e n t u r y
s a w s e ve r a l d e ve lo p m e n t s t o wa r d s d e c e n t r a l iz a t io n . 1

Th e s t r u g gl e fo r d e c e n t r a li za t i o n o ve r t h e p a s t 5 0 y e a r s c u lm in a t e d in t h e
p a s s a g e o f t h e Loc a l Gov e rn m e n t Cod e i n O c t o b e r 1 9 9 1 . T h e Loc a l Gov e rn m e n t
Code i s a m o s t c o m p r e h e n s i v e d o c u m e n t o n l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t t o u c h i n g o n
structures, functions and powers, including taxation and intergovernmental
r e l a t i o n s . T h e Loc a l Gov e rn m e n t Co d e h a s b e e n i m p l e m e n t e d a s p a r t o f t h e
c o n t i n u in g a d vo c a c y o f t h e c o u n t r y fo r e ffe c t iv e d e c e n t r a li za t i o n a n d a w o r k in g
local autonomy.

Out of the readings encountered the outlined below presented the

detailed and current operational structures and functions of the Philippine
Lo c a l G o ve r n m e n t s .

 Lo c a l G ov er n m e n t C a t e g o r ie s a n d H i e r a r c h i es

The categories of local authorities in the Philippines are as follows:

 1 M e t r o p o lit a n G o ve r n m e n t ;
 2 Autonomous Regional Government;
 8 0 P r o vi n c e s ;
 1 3 8 C it i es ;
 1 , 4 9 6 M u n i cip a li t ie s ; a n d
 42, 026 Barangays.

 Lo ca l G ove r n m e n t S t r u c t u r e s a n d F u n c t io n s

All levels of local government exercise the following general

fu n c t io n s a n d p o we r s :

 Efficien t s ervice delivery;

 Ma n a g e m e n t o f t h e e n v ir o n m e n t ;
 E c o n o m ic d e ve lo p m e n t ; a n d
 Poverty alleviation.

Th e va r i o u s p r o v is i o n s o f t h e Loc a l G ov e rn m e n t Cod e o n p r o vin c e s , c i t ie s ,

m u n i c i p a l i t i e s a n d b a r a n g a y s , all cite these functions. Enabling legislation
fr o m l oc a l c o u n c ils m a y b e in it i a t e d wh e r e n e c e s s a r y .

Th e Loc al Gov e rn m e n t Co d e or Re p u b lic Act 7 1 6 0 , contains the following

fo u r lo ca l go ve r n m e n t l a ws , d e fin i n g t h e fu n c t io n s a n d p o w er s o f lo ca l
governments:

1 C o u n t r y R e p o r t o n L o c a l Go ve r n m e n t S y s t e m s : P h i li p p in e s

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 S e c t io n 4 6 8 F u n c t i o n s a n d p o w e r s o f p r o vin c e s (P r o vi n c ia l La w )
 Section 447 Functions and powers of municipalities (Municipal
Law)
 S e c t io n 4 5 8 F u n c t i o n s a n d p o w e r s o f c it i es (C it y La w )
 S e c t io n 3 9 8 F u n c t i on s a n d p o w e r s o f b a r a n g a y s (B a ra n gay Law)

The functions and powers of the Metropolitan Manila Development

Au t h o r it y is d e fin e d i n Re p u b lic Act 7 9 2 4 , t h a t o f t h e A u t o n o m o u s R e g i o n o f
M u s l im M in d a n a o (AR MM ) i n RA 6 6 4 9 a n d RA 6 7 6 6 , a n d t h a t o f C o r d i l l e r a
Adm inistra tion Region (CAR) in R A 6 7 6 6 .

All these sections have been standardized so that the respective

fu n c t i o n s a n d p o w e r s a r e s i m i la r . F o r ex a m p l e , p r o v in c i a l , c it y , m u n i c ip a l a n d
b a r a n g a y c ou n c ils s h a ll a ll e n a c t o rd in a n c es a n d a p p r o ve r e s olu t i on s ,
a p p r o p r i a t e fu n d s , a n d p u r s u e S e c t io n 1 6 (G e n e r a l We lfa r e C la u s e ) o f t h e Loc a l
Government Code . Lo c a l go ve r n m e n t s a r e l ik e w is e e m p o w e r e d t o e xe r c is e t h e ir
c o r p o r a t e p o w er s a s p r o v id e d fo r in S e c t io n 2 2 (c o r p o r a t e p o w e r s ). T h i s s p e c i fic
s e c t io n p r o vid e s t h a t lo c a l g ove r n m e n t s a s a c o r p o r a t io n s h a l l h a ve t h e
following powers:

1. To h a ve c o n t in u o u s s u c c es s i o n o f it s c o r p o r a t e n a m e ;
2. To s u e a n d b e s u e d ;
3. To h a ve a n d u s e a c or p o r a t e s e a l ;
4. To a c q u i r e a n d c o n v e y r e a l o r p e r s o n a l p r o p e r t y ;
5. To en t e r i n t o c o n t r a c t s ; a n d
6. To exercise such other powers as are granted to corporations, subject
t o lim i t a t io n s p r o vid e d i n t h e Loca l Gov e rn m e n t Cod e a n d o t h e r la w s .

Moreover, provinces, cities, municipalities and b a r a n g a y s s h a l l :

1. Ap p r o ve or d i n a n c e s a n d p a s s r e s o lu t io n s n e c e s s a r y fo r t h e effic ie n t
a n d e ffe c t iv e l oc a l g ov er n m e n t a d m i n is t r a t i on ;
2. G en e r a t e a n d o p t im i ze t h e u s e o f r e s ou r c e s a n d r e ve n u e s fo r th e
development plans, program objectives and priorities of the specific
level of local government provided under Section 18 (Power to
G e n e r a t e a n d Ap p l y R es o u r c e s o f t h e Loc al G ov e rn m e n t Cod e );
3. S u b je c t t o t h e p r o vis i on s o f B oo k II o f t h e Loc a l Gov e rn m e n t Cod e
g r a n t fr a n c h i s e s , a p p r o ve t h e is s u a n c e s of p e r m i t s or lic e n s e s o r
e n a c t o r d in a n c es , a n d l evy t a x es , fe es a n d c h a r g es u p o n s u c h
c on d i t io n s a n d fo r s u c h p u r p o s es i n t e n d e d t o p r om o t e t h e ge n e r a l
w e lfa r e o f t h e i n h a b i t a n t s ;
4. Ap p r o ve o r d in a n c e s w h i c h s h a l l e n s u r e t h e e ffic ie n t a n d e ffe c t ive
delivery of ba sic ser vices a n d facilities; a n d
5. E x er c is e s u c h o t h e r p ow er s a n d p e r fo r m s u c h o t h e r fu n c t io n s a s m a y
b e p r e s c r ib e d b y l a w or o r d i n a n c e .

T a b l e 1 : F u n c t i o n s o f Lo c a l Go v e r n m e n t O f fi c i a l s 2

2 Lo c a l G o ve r n m e n t C o d e o f 1 9 9 1 a n d R e p u b l i c Ac t 7 1 6 0 – s e c t i on o n p o w e r s a n d fu n c t i on s
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