CEBU CITY, Cebu, Feb. 21 (PIA) - As the Mandanas-Garcia ruling of the Supreme Court took effect this year - a landmark resolution that will change the landscape of local governance starting 2022 - the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG-7) is working with the different local government units (LGUs) in Central Visayas in preparing their devolution transition plan to implement devolved functions. 

The Supreme Court has ruled that a local government's "fair share" of income includes all national government taxes not only those collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and this share shall be released directly to them, thus increasing their financial resources and capabilities necessary to finance and implement developmental projects in their areas. 

As a result, the national government will devolve some of its governmental functions to the LGUs.

At the same time, the LGUs will receive additional resources for them to perform these functions as well as improve their delivery of public services.

With this, DILG-7 is now helping the LGUs in the region to facilitate the transition as ordered by the Mandanas-Garcia ruling of the highest court.

During his interview over DYRC radio program on Feb. 21, DILG Cebu City Director Atty. Ian Kenneth Lucero said this ruling will bring various implications on the processes, systems, and budgetary functions most especially to the LGUs.

He said DILG is now focusing on their assessment of the LGU’s transition plan in guiding them for complete devolution.

“One of the implications niini is more resources for the LGU service delivery kay nag increase na ilang share from the national, and of course, the people will expect a better performance and service from the local government units. Another implication also is fewer resources and programs by the national government," said Lucero.

“Kami sa DILG nag start na sa among assessment sa mga LGUs sa ilang devolution transition plan, ang barangay nahuman na namu and then ang mga munisipyo, cities, and provinces padung na, ilang nang gihimu ilang devolution transition plan for our assessment (We at DILG have started assessing the devolution transition plan of the LGUs. We're already done with the barangays, and we'll soon start with the municipalities, cities, and provinces),"  he added.

With the transition, the national government will now focus on the development of policy standards, oversight functions, and capacity development while LGUs will have to revisit their organizational structure and check if their organizational structure model would still align with the changes being applied on their functions, resources, and the ways they deliver their services to the their constituents. (RGC/PIA7)