DILG urges vice govs to sync local laws with national policies

MANILA, Philippines — With the assumption of new local government leaders, the Department of the Interior and Local Government urged the 81 newly-elected vice governors to enact policies in sync with the national government’s programs and thrusts in consultation with stakeholders.

Vice governors sit as presiding officers of their local legislative councils.

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. at the 88th League of Vice Governors of the Philippines National Assembly held at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila claimed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration would be "pro-local government development because he was once a governor."

Marcos Jr. was also head of the Senate committee on local government.

"Vice governors are in a unique position to bring about positive change as presiding officers of their respective provincial governments. I strongly support you [vice governors] to craft relevant ordinances for the benefit of the people," Abalos, Marcos' former campaign manager, said.

"The national government and LGUs should work in unison to bring about meaningful change in our country, and vice governors play a significant role in achieving this," he added. "Let us, therefore, be active in collaborating with the administration by anchoring our programs and actions in the same direction while taking into consideration your localities’ needs."

The DILG chief in his keynote speech urged multisectoral cooperation in developing LGU plans and actions to solve systemic problems in the provinces.

"Let's listen to the sectors so that they can join us in formulating the solution. With the multisectoral way of doing simple things fundamentally and the involvement of all sectors, we will never go wrong," he said.

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Duterte and his mayors

As it stands, local governments have already borne — and still continue to carry significant responsibility amid the coronavirus pandemic and the government's national vaccination program. 

The efforts of local government units have been vital the Philippines' pandemic response to COVID-19 — but their disagreements, and eventual squabbles, with the national government became more common towards the end of the Duterte administration.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, himself a former local chief executive who stressed "discipline" in his administration's pandemic response, once told local chiefs in earlier live-streamed addresses to just do what the national government says.

Though he did not mention any names, Duterte also warned that non-compliance on the part of local government officials could lead to administrative and even criminal cases.

Lawyer Salvador Panelo, as presidential spokesperson, also wrote in a later statement that "the national government will not countenance such deviation and disobedience. Errant local officials will face administrative sanctions and criminal prosecution."

READ: National government calls the shots in a crisis, not LGUs

'Ally of LGUs'

Abalos said his department would be "an ally of the vice governors" committed to providing capacity development interventions on policy-making along with environmental sustainability.

He said that the DILG would hold orientations on the basics of local governance and administration and provide online training courses on local government operations and scholarship opportunities for their academic and professional development, and other training interventions.

"Be firm and decisive with your actions. Many will get angry, many will collide with you, but you need to do what is for the greater good," Abalos added.

Abalos urged the local officials to uphold the rule of law in carrying out their programs, including those related to the anti-drug campaign.

"We only have to be creative in finding solutions to the issues and challenges at hand.  The important thing is that we do not break the law with every step we take," he said.