THE League of Municipalities of the Philippines has appealed for the revision of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive No. 138 (Full Devotion of Certain Functions of the Executive Branch to Local Governments) that will allow municipalities to make decisions and craft solutions that are locally-tailored fit and responsive to local needs and contexts.
The LMP issued this appeal during its National General Assembly recently at the Manila Hotel where the group expressed its unwavering support to the development agenda of President Marcos Jr. detailed in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.
“When local governments have the power to make decisions and the requisite resources, they can streamline services and respond, appropriately and timely, to identify the needs of localities and the people,” the LMP said.
Marcos, who graced this year’s assembly working on the theme “Strengthening Municipal Capabilities Around Autonomy and Fostering Resiliency,” said the government is reviewing EO 138, adding his administration is supporting the transfer or delegation of power to a lower level or the devolution of local governments.
“Expect that under this administration, we will not be deaf to your calls,” he told the gathering, adding his administration needs the cooperation of local governments to address the problems of Filipinos in every community.
In the LMP declaration, municipal mayors called “for strengthened complementation between the national and local governments as one of the cornerstones in achieving the national goal for actualized economic and social transformations to reinvigorate employment generation and to accelerate poverty reduction as articulated in the newly-minted PDP plan.
“This declaration … is a testament to our unwavering support of the Marcos Administration’s development agenda and a show of our solid commitment to continuously partner with the national government, coupled with collaborative action and cooperation between local authorities, towards the shared goal of a better Philippines in 2028,” the LMP said.
