The Roles and Functions of the Local Government

This document is about the roles and functions of the local government units in the Philippines.

1. The Roles and Functions of Local Government

2. Draw a symbol representing the decentralization of the power and functions of the government through local government units. Write a brief description of the symbol. Summarize what you learned in this lesson in three to five sentences. Provide additional three or four sentences for your reflection or opinion on the decentralization of the power and functions of the government and the performance of local government units.

3. Local Government Units - refers to the agencies dispensing government functions under the umbrella of the national or central government - pertains to the provinces, municipalities or cities and the barangays - a thorough discussion of this is provided for by Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines of 1991

4. Local Government Code of the Philippines of 1991 - it brought about significant changes, among which are the devolution of basic services, facilities and regulatory power; and the enhancement of governmental and corporate powers

5. Local Government Code of the Philippines of 1991 - the provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays enjoy autonomy, specifically on local affairs, but the president of the country exercises general supervision over these local government units (Article X, Section 4).

6. The Structure of the Local Government National Province City / Municipality Barangay

7. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE PROVINCE a province is “composed of clusters of municipalities, or municipalities and component cities, and as a political and corporate unit of government serves as a dynamic mechanism for developmental processes and effective governance of local government units within the territorial jurisdiction” (Local Government Code, Title IV, Chapter I, Section 459)

8. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE PROVINCE The manner of its creation depends upon an Act of the Congress (Local Government Code, Title IV, Chapter I, Section 460)

9. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE PROVINCE A province could not become a province unless it satisfies the population requirement of not less than 250,000 inhabitants as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority or in general, a contiguous territory with an area of at least 2,000 square kilometers as certified by the Bureau of Lands Management and a Department of Finance-certified annual income of not less than 20,000,000 pesos.

10. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE PROVINCE The provincial officials are either elected or appointed. The Provincial Governor, Vice-governor and members of the Provincial Council occupy elective posts.

11. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE PROVINCE The officials who hold an appointive post are the following: Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan , the provincial treasurer, assessor, accountant, engineer, budget officer, planning and development coordinator, legal officer, provincial administrator, heath officer, social welfare and development officer, general services officer, agriculturist and a provincial veterinarian.

12. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE PROVINCE The Provincial Governor has the option to appoint a population officer, a natural resources and environment officer, a provincial cooperative officer, a provincial architect, and a provincial information officer.

13. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE MUNICIPALITY A “municipality, consisting of a group of barangays, serves primarily as a general purpose government for the coordination and delivery of basic, regular and direct services and effective governance of the inhabitants within its territorial jurisdiction” (Local Government Code, Title II, Chapter 1, Section 440.

14. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE MUNICIPALITY a municipality may be “created, divided, merged, abolished or its boundary substantially altered only by an Act of Congress” (Local Government Code, Title II, Chapter 1, Section 441.

15. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE MUNICIPALITY The creation of municipality is subject to the satisfaction of a population requirement of at least 25,000 inhabitants as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority; territorial requirement of at least 50 square kilometers on a contiguous scale as 4 certified by the Bureau of Lands Management; and annual income requirement of 2,500,000 pesos as certified by the Provincial Treasurer

16. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE MUNICIPALITY The municipality could only function well with the presence of its officials who are either elected or appointed. They are the Mayor, Vice-mayor, and the members of the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council) who hold elective positions.

17. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE MUNICIPALITY Those who are appointed are the Municipal Secretary, Treasurer, Assessor, Civil Registrar, Engineer/ Building Official, COMELEC officer, Accountant, Budget Officer, Planning and Development Coordinator, and Health officer.

18. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE MUNICIPALITY As deemed necessary, the mayor may appoint the following: a municipal administrator, legal officer, agriculturist, environment and natural resources officer, social welfare and development officer and a municipal information officer.

19. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE CITY The city “consisting of more urbanized and developed barangays”, serves the same purpose as the municipality. Its creation follows that of a municipality because they are of the same level in the hierarchy, the difference lies in the urbanization issue (Local Government Code, Title III, Chapter I, Section 448)

20. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE CITY With regards the creation requisites that must be satisfied, under the population requirement, there has to be at least 150,000 inhabitants therein, as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority; with a Department of Finance-certified annual income of 20,000,000 pesos ; and, a contiguous territory comprising of 100 kilometers , as certified by the Bureau of Lands Management.

21. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE CITY The city has the same set of electives as well as appointed officials with that of the municipality, but with the inclusion of a general services officer and a city cooperatives officer. Accordingly, the appointment of a city population officer shall be optional where there exist population offices.

22. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE BARANGAY “As the basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects and activities in the community, and as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may be expressed, crystallized and considered, and where disputes may be amicably settled” (Local Government Code, Book III, Title I chapter I, Section 384)

23. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE BARANGAY It could not dispose of its functions sans the elective as well as the appointive officials. The elected officials are the Barangay Captain, the 8 members of the Sangguniang Barangay, the Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman, and its council members.

24. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE BARANGAY The appointive officials are the Barangay Secretary, Treasurer, and the members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa , the Barangay Health Workers, and the Peace officers who are colloquially called the Barangay Tanod .

25. Nature and Role of the Local Government Units THE BARANGAY In addition to the above-mentioned officials, there shall be local councils and local boards (RA 7160 Book 1 Title IV,V, VI, VII) to be created in each of these LGUs like a school board, health board, development council, and peace and order council.

26. Functions of the Local Government Units LEGISLATIVE FUNCTION The barangay, municipal/ city, and provincial councils are charged with the disposal of this function through the enactment of ordinances and preparation of resolutions.

27. Functions of the Local Government Units LEGISLATIVE FUNCTION In the municipality, city and province, the council, headed by the vice-mayor or the vice-governor, is convened to perform this function. It is different in the barangay level because the barangay captain presides over the barangay council.

28. Functions of the Local Government Units EXECUTIVE FUNCTION The head of the local government unit performs this function, where the barangay captain, the municipal or city mayor and the provincial governor is charged with the execution or implementation of the laws of the land and the ordinances or resolutions enacted by their respective legislative bodies.

29. Functions of the Local Government Units QUASI- JUDICIAL FUNCTION Generally, this function is performed by the council of the LGU. It could be attached to the legislative function where an agreed solution to an issue could be reduced to a barangay or municipal or city or provincial resolution or ordinance.

30. Functions of the Local Government Units QUASI- JUDICIAL FUNCTION However, in the barangay level, it becomes a function of the barangay captain together with the appointed members of the ‘ lupong tagapamayapa .’ An example of how this function is performed in the barangay level is an instance where the lupon would be convened to resolve land boundary conflicts or even to arrive at an out-of-court and first level settlement of cases brought by individuals to the courts of law.

31. Functions of the Local Government Units QUASI- JUDICIAL FUNCTION It is called quasi-judicial because this function is a mere vested judicial authority to the LGU as the governor or mayor or barangay captain or the members of the councils are not members of the judiciary.

32. Functions of the Local Government Units TAXATION FUNCTION The barangay, municipality or city and the province are now given a hand in generating their own local income through their own taxation schemes, like imposing tax on sand and gravel extracted from the local quarry site or imposing tax on local businesses, clearances or permits and others. The tax imposed on the community tax certificate (cedula) may be done by the city or municipality.

33. Functions of the Local Government Units LOCAL BUDGET PREPARATION After collating the budgetary recommendations of the different offices or departments, the local chief executive shall prepare the executive budget for the fiscal year subject to the concurrence of the local legislative body for a legislative enactment, most likely in the form of a resolution.

34. Functions of the Local Government Units EXERCISES THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN Under this function, the LGU has the authority to take private properties for public use as deemed necessary with the payment of just compensation. It is incumbent in the LGU to take a privately-owned piece of land for road widening and the property owner must be compensated justly.

35. Functions of the Local Government Units MAINTENANCE AND PROTECTION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY Public property refers to government-owned or state-owned infrastructures like public markets, amusement parks, government offices etc. The LGU, through its officials, are responsible for keeping these buildings and infrastructures in an A-1 condition.