QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno called on local public officials to strengthen their role in nation building.

During the 2023 League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) General Assembly at the Manila Hotel on February 22, Diokno said, "As frontline service providers, the performance of local chief executives (LCEs) and legislators spells the difference between regional development and regional decay."

In pursuit of increased local autonomy and resiliency among municipalities, he appealed for greater synergy between the local and national governments in key areas of cooperation.

For one, local governments must make use of the additional intergovernmental grant as a result of the Supreme Court ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia case to lead their municipalities towards fiscal responsibility and sustainability. According to Sec. Diokno, this can be done through improved resource mobilization, better allocation of public resources, and good governance.

“Operationalizing this Supreme Court ruling is a welcome opportunity to optimize the shared responsibility between local and national governments,” Diokno added.

Public-private partnership (PPP) projects may also be explored to support bigger projects.

In support of local government units (LGUs)’ autonomy in entering and implementing local PPP projects, Sec. Diokno mentioned that the proposed Public-Private Partnership Act, which has been approved by the House of Representatives on third reading on December 12, 2022, will enable local governments to develop fully as self-reliant communities.

Sec. Diokno also urged local authorities to improve real property tax (RPT) collection, which he claimed is one of the most progressive sources of revenues.

“In order to improve RPT collection, local authorities should periodically update land valuations,” Sec. Diokno said.

He expressed support for the passage of the Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Bill that will promote the development of a just, equitable, and efficient real property valuation and assessment system.

Local governments must also actively undertake reforms that enhance the ease of doing business at the local level to bring in more investments in their respective communities.

Furthermore, Sec. Diokno challenged local government units (LGUs) to pursue digitalization for better local public service delivery and transparency in transactions.

He urged LGUs to take up sustainability and climate adaptation projects to address climate change, which disproportionately affects the most marginalized groups. Sec. Diokno said that doing so will also reduce inequality in the country.

RDCs play greater role 

Like LCEs, the function of regional development councils (RDCs) is projected to be more extensive under the newly-launched Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 of the current administration.

During President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s speech at the said forum held in Pasay City on January 30, he noted the expanded role of RDCs in the promotion and sustainability of the socio-economic development of the regions.

Moreover, he said that the role of RDC in all of the economic planning of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the country’s economy will give proper voice to the local governments.

The RDC serves as a forum where local initiatives can be integrated with regional and national development efforts.

The PDP is seen to set the country’s towards becoming an upper-middle income country by the year 2025.

The President also added that the government, cannot do all the efforts alone and will need to strengthen partnerships from different sector.

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