Barangay officials to undergo training on prudent spending

MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the 42,046 barangays in the country are set to undergo capacity-building training under the administration of incoming president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure prudent use of funds with the implementation of the Mandanas ruling.

Incoming executive secretary Vic Rodriguez said barangay governance is seen to improve with additional funds.

“With (incoming interior) usec. Chito (Valmocina), you will undergo training, capacity-building on how to better use those funds that will be coming (to) your respective barangays and jurisdictions,” Rodriguez said in a press statement issued yesterday.

At present, the internal revenue allotment or IRA of local government units (LGUs) comes from 40 percent of national taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Under the Mandanas ruling, the government is mandated to expand the share in tax collections of LGUs.

On the other hand, LGUs are required to handle the responsibility of operating social services, such as agriculture, connectivity and health, within their jurisdictions.

LGUs are projected to receive an increase of 27.61 percent in their IRA with the implementation of the Mandanas ruling this year.

Rodriguez said incoming interior secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. and Valmocina would ensure that all barangay executives will undergo capacity-building training.