Local Government Units Narrative Report
Local Government Units Narrative Report
Local Government Units Narrative Report
NARRATIVE REPORT
Introduction
governments. It provides as a policy that "the State shall guarantee and promote
government. The acts of the local government units affect the ordinary citizen
more directly than those of the national government. The average citizen has
more and closer contacts with the local governments and their agencies than with
the national or provincial government, and is more concerned with the local
country. But for purposes of administrative control, the Philippines is divided into
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units of different sizes -- known as political subdivisions. These are
enjoy autonomy, especially in local affairs. But, they are also under the general
Interior and Local Government (DILG). These local governments are agencies of
the national government in the matter of collection of taxes, law enforcement, and
General Knowledge
The passage of Republic Act No. 7160, or better known as the Local
Government Code of 1991, augurs well for the country. This Act transferred
many of the powers and functions of the highly centralized national government
and its various agencies to the local government unit (LGUs). Among these are
states;
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effectively address, the role of the local government in local and regional
development will not be optimally realized.”
infrastructure capabilities so that they can identify the infrastructure projects their
practices and gives local government units the prerogative to determine which
projects get priority. Local officials cannot remain passive; they have to become
proactive, not reactive. They cannot merely stand by and wait for development to
take place. Since the responsibility for development now rest squarely on their
shoulders, they have to make development their primary concern. They will now
certain sense, they, at the very least, should also be an area managers who will
be responsible for making things happen. They must not merely wait for things to
happen; they must conceptualize, plan, fund and implement local government
projects. In short, the game of development has not change, but the rules have.
The players have not change either but their roles have.
Local politician who are not equal to the new challenges and do not know
how to use the tools available to them should be trained in order to have fighting
chance to win.
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Under the Local Autonomy Code, the local executive plans and program
of his area. To carry out this responsibility, whether he be the municipal mayor,
the City Mayor or the Provincial Governor, he should define his mission – what
he will do or try to do and what he intends to accomplish during his term of office.
He should draw up a plan of action and organized scheme to bring about the
PROVINCES
The provincial government takes care of the functions which affect the
people of a certain province. The province is the largest political unit in the
Philippines. It possess the following powers --- 1) to acquire and transfer real and
obligations, which are expressly provided by law; and 3) to exercise such other
rights and incur such other obligations as are expressly auhtorized by law.
their average income for five consecutive years. The hiigher the income of the
provice, the higher is its classification. The salaries that can be paid to the
provincial officials depend upon the class to which it belongs. Higher salaries are
A province elects its executives -- the governor, vice governor, and the
members of the provinciial board (vocales). There are three vocales in the first,
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second, and third class provinces, and two in the other classes of provinces. The
rest of the provincial officials -- like the provincial treasurer, provincial assessor,
district auditor, judges of the Regional Trial courts, provincial fiscal, division
government.
However, under the New Local Government Code, they are the
vice governor, and members of the provincial board takes place on the Second
Tuesday of November of the election year. They hold office for three years. They
entire province. He also makes known to the people of his province all laws and
orders of the government, especially those which directly concern them and sees
to it that they are faithfully carried out. He acquaints himself with the conditions of
the municipalities comprising the province and advises local officials in matters
The provincial board is the law making body of the province, with the
provincial governor serving as the presiding officer. Some of its most important
functions are as follows: a) it passes laws for the welfare of the municipalites and
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appropriates money for provincialpurposes; d) it exercises the power of eminent
domain; and e) it provides for the maintenance of equipment and buildings for
provincial purposes. The board holds a regular weekly meeting upon a day fixed
any day.
MUNICIPALITIES
by the Municipality Law, which defines its duties and powers. Being public
acquire and hold real and personal properties for municipal purposes; and
the last four fiscal years. There are 1,489 municipalities in the Philippines. They
are autonomous units of government and have elective and appointive officials.
The elective officials are the municipal mayor, vice mayor, and councilors. They
are elected by the qualified voters for a term of three years. They cannot serve
the peace, and chief of police. The municipal mayor is the chief executive officer
of the town. His main functions are: 1) to execute all laws and municipal
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ordinances; 2) to supervise the administration of the town; 3) to issue orders
relative to the maintenance of peace and order; 4) to preside over the meetings
aimed at the improvement of the social and economic conditions of the people.
composed of the mayor -- who is the chairman of the council -- vice mayor, and
the councilors. The number of councilors for each municipality depends upon the
council are the following: 1) to fix the salaries of all municipal offices and
employees, except the treasurer, teachers in the public schools, and staff of
for buildings adequate for municipal uses, including school houses; 4) to provide
for the levy and collection of taxes, fees, and charges as sources of municipal
CITIES
There are 145 cities in the Philippines. The chartered city is also a unit of
local administration. It is created by a special law which serves as its charter. The
charter is the constitution of the city. The charter creates the city, defines its
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boundaries, provides its system of government, and defines the powers and
A city or any of its officials cannot perform any official act which is not
permitted by its charter. The city elective officials are the mayor, vice mayor, and
the members of the board of councilors. They are elected for a term of three
years. They cannot serve for more than three consecutive terms. The mayor is
the executive official of the city, aided by the appointive heads of the various
departments. The vice mayor is the presiding officer of the board. And the city
The lawmaking body of the city is council. Among its important functions
are as folows: 1) to levy and collect taxes in accordance with law; 2) to enact
ordinances; 3) to provide for public workds constructions and for the maintenance
of a local police force; 4) to establish fire zones within the city and to regulated
the type of building which may be constructed within each zone; and 5) to provide
for the protection of the inhabitants from public calamities and to provide relied in
times of emergency.
BARANGAYS
barangays. The barangays are the smallest units of local government in the
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The elective officials of the barangays are the Barangay Captain and the
leader. He enforces all the laws and ordinances applicable to his constituency.
He may organize fire brigades, preside over all meetings both of the barangay
brigandage, and approve all payments from barangay funds. He also sings all
There are 42,044 barangays in the Philippines as of March 2018. They are
public corporations and so, they can sue and be sued in court; can enter into
contracts, can acquire and hold all kinds of property; and can exercise such
Observation
development in the Metropolitan Manila Area. The Code consists of five hundred
thirty-six (536) sections divided into four (4) books. Book I contains policy
governance. Book II covers the taxing powers and other revenue raising powers
exercise of such powers. Book III details the local government structure and
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powers and duties of elective officials. Book IV contains the transitory provisions
that will effect the smooth implementation of the Code. More specifically, the
resources.
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representative democracy through the process of recall and people’s
initiative;
providing them shares in the national wealth and national taxes by way
of taxation.
• enhanced the people’s access to justice and gave them the power to
justice system.
branches of government: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary. The
House known as the House of Representatives, and the Upper House or the
together, enact laws, determine the rules of its proceedings, conduct inquiries or
investigations, and punish its members for disorderly behavior. The Senate is an
assembly of twenty four (24) Senators elected nationwide and are entitled to
serve a maximum of two (2) consecutive six-year terms. On the other hand, the
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House of Representatives is made up of two hundred fifty (250) legislators.
party list system of sectoral parties and organizations, while the rest are elected
by district. Legislative districts are apportioned among the provinces, cities, and
the Metropolitan Manila area in accordance with their respective inhabitants and
The power to execute the laws is vested on the President who administers
the affairs of the government as Chief Executive. The President is the Head of
the State and appoints department secretaries who are his/her alter ego. The
The President can exercise veto power over bills passed by the Congress. The
President is not eligible for re-election after serving a six year term. The Vice-
President, on the other hand, is elected through the same manner as that of the
two (2) consecutive six-year terms. The Vice-President takes over as President if
power refers to the authority to interpret the laws and its constructions. Judicial
bodies.. The Supreme Court, being the Highest Tribunal, is composed of a Chief
Justice and fourteen (14) Associate Justices. The powers of the Supreme Court
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employees, and administrative supervision over all courts and personnel thereof.
The members of the Judiciary are appointed by the President according to the
possesses extensive control over its own affairs. It has a dual personality: public
agent of the state and of the community in carrying out the functions of the
political.
decentralize the State and expand the powers of local governments. In 1959, the
Local Autonomy Act (RA 2264) was passed. This law vested cities and municipal
important legislation was the Barrio Charter Act (RA 2370) that sought to
transform the barrios – then the smallest unit of government — into quasi-
municipal corporations through the grant of selected taxing powers. This was
powers.
reversed the tide towards greater local autonomy. Under authoritarian rule, local
elections were suspended, and the power to appoint local officials was vested in
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the President. Notwithstanding the highly-centralized set-up, the pursuit of local
autonomy was not abandoned at least on paper. The 1973 Constitution called for
policies on local autonomy especially for the barrios and in the area of fiscal
government units through Batas Pambansa 337 otherwise known as The Local
Government Code of 1983. However, the centralizing actions and iron grip of the
local governments. In the same year, a proposal for decentralization made by the
Executive Committee. The committee was entrusted with the task of formulating
proceed.
legislation yet passed on the subject of local governance. The Local Government
decentralization is the transfer of power and authority from the central institution
to the lower or local levels of a government system. It assumes three main forms:
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provincial, city and municipality governments and regional bodies.
but the transfer is made to the private sector and non-government organizations,
not to local government units. As already mentioned, the Code consists of 536
Sections divided into Four Books, dealing with the General Provisions, Local
Taxation and Fiscal Matters, Local Government Units, and Miscellaneous and
Final Provisions. The Code protects the LGUs (Local Government Units)
whenever doubts arise on the interpretation of its provisions. Thus, any question
the devolution of powers and the LGU. Through the general welfare clause, the
for the promotion of the general welfare. The Code gives local governments
and social justice, full employment of residents, peace and order, and the
convenience of inhabitants.
The Code provides for the creation of LGUs at the provincial, city,
municipal, and barangay levels. Except for barangays, all other LGUs are created
bodies at the provincial and city levels. LGUs are classified according to their
annual income, population, and land area. Philippine cities are categorized either
as highly urbanized cities (HUCs) or component cities. Highly urbanized cities are
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independent from the province; component cities remain under the general
supervision of the provincial government where they are located. The province as
coordinates development initiatives within its bounds, delivers basic services and
governs the inhabitants within its territory. It is composed of more urbanized and
developed barangays.
the cities, the only difference being that it consists of less developed barangays.
The Code defines a barangay as a forum where collective views of the people
community.
barangay chairperson or captain. The governors, the mayors, and the barangay
provinces, cities, and municipalities are vested in local legislative councils called
Sanggunians with the Vice Governor and the Vice Mayor as Chair. Among all
local chief executives, the barangay chairperson alone possesses judicial powers
by virtue of his mandate to arbitrate disputes within his territorial jurisdiction. The
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Code stipulates the creation of a Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) as part
of the local government structure at all levels, barangay, municipality, city, and
public affairs, and a training ground for higher positions. The Constitution,
through Section 13 Article II, mandates the State to “inculcate in the youth
patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic
affairs.” The Local Government Code also institutionalizes the different leagues,
League of Provinces.
Referrences
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barangay
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