Tags: Elections, Legislation, Politics
By Alexander Villafania
MANDALUYONG CITY, METRO MANILA – Mandaluyong mayor Benhur Abalos wants the Republic Act 7160 or Local Government Code to be amended to provide local government units to manage their own internal revenue and be flexible to impose taxes.
Speaking at the first general assembly of the Philippine Consortium on Good Local Governance (PCGLG), Abalos says R.A. 7160 must also finally undergo a mandatory review every five years.
“The LG Code has specifically provided that it can be reviewed five years since its implementation, but the law has not been reviewed even for the last 10 years,” Abalos says.
The LG Code was passed into law in 1991. According to Abalos, one of the bigger problems besetting local government units or LGUs is the inability to use their own financial resources from tax collection for use in improving their locales.
“The issue on unfunded mandates is another policy bottleneck that LGUs have to confront with because many LGUs continue to bellyache, that they do not have enough resources to implement responsibilities,” says Abalos, who is the president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, a member organization of the PCGLG.
The consortium has been lobbying to amend the LG Code primarily due to its limitations in allowing LGUs to use their own resources.
Abalos says the PCGLG must take advantage of a fresh start with a new administration, referring to the incoming presidency of Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. It should focus on policy development & research, advocacy and lobbying, and network building.
“By conducting these, it is my hope that this consortium will truly work for the realization of the dreams of decentralized and local autonomy,” Abalos says.
Abalos ran under the LAKAS-CMD slate and won against closest rival Ernest Buan of Aksyon Demokratiko in the recent elections.
Photo taken from http://anongbalitangayon.blogspot.com
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We really need to amend the Local Government Code of 1991. It should include stiffer penalties both criminal & administrative for corrupt LGUs & those who refuse to strictly enforce the law &/or who tolerates the violation of the law. Section 60c or disciplinary measures of the LGC ’91 should be strengthen. As of today many LGUs specially barangays issue permits even if the applicants openly violate the law or don’t comply with its provisions. Issuance of permits has become a fund-raising endeavor & not as a regulatory measure (its primary purpose). Adding this would promote discipline among LGUs which would later transfer to the public. Ty