To improve gov’t programs: DILG to LGUs: Create people’s special bodies
>> Wednesday, August 24, 2022
BAGUIO CITY – The Dept. of the Interior
and Local Government – Cordillera Administrative Region hosted the “Luzon
cluster orientation on DILG memorandum circular no. 2022-083” and “conduct of civil society organization”
conferences on July 7 here to prepare local government units (LGUs) for
reconstitution of local special bodies (LSBs) in September this year.
In collaboration with the CSO People’s Participation Partnership Program Project Management Office (CSO/PPPP PMO) and “Support to local governance program,” this was geared to orienting regional accreditation focal persons on said MC which outlines policy on accreditation of CSOs and selection of representatives to LSBs.
DILG-CAR regional director Araceli A. San Jose, in her message, cited the critical role CSOs play as LGUs’ developmental partners and in equalizing power-sharing between the local government and civil society.
San Jose cited the country’s transition towards full devolution as one important avenue for CSO collaboration considering insights these civic groups contribute to improving the LGUs’ prioritization of programs and projects and in revisiting their devolution transition plans.
“We have great hope that our LGUs will strive to innovate and maybe even reinvent their LSBs to welcome more CSOs who shall be their partners in promoting an inclusive, accountable, transparent, and responsive local government,” San Jose said.
Enhancing citizen participation in governance was among priorities of DILG Sec. Atty. Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. in line with the first 100 days of the current administration.
CSO/PPPP accreditation focal person Sean Nicholas Apostol discussed features of DILG MC No. 2022-083.
He said Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 does not explicitly prohibit the expansion of the LSBs, rather, it only provides the minimum criteria, thus LGUs may innovate their LSBs in their exercise of local autonomy.
Apostol said this MC responds to clamor of CSOs to provide an enabling policy for the expansion of the LSBs to further increase civil society participation.
As such, his MC encourages LGUs to increase the membership of CSO representatives in the LSBs to one-half of the fully-organized council, but not less than one-fourth as provided by RA 7160.
In a bid to engage more CSOs, this MC also details references on activating the LGUs’ local development councils’ committees where recognized CSOs may participate as members.
This MC also introduces the issuance of a certificate of recognition to CSOs that meet all criteria for accreditation and has submitted all the requirements stipulated in this policy except the certificate of registration or existing valid certificate of accreditation from any national government agency.
Recognized CSOs may participate in the LSBs for the purposes only of meeting minimum requirements for membership but shall not be accorded voting rights.
This MC also addresses concerns of LGUs with limited number of CSOs in their areas of jurisdiction.
While the policy prohibits a CSO to be part of more than one LSB within a province, city, or municipality, a representative-organization may participate in more than one LSB for the sole purpose of meeting the membership requirements but shall only be a voting member of the LSB they are represented in.
Development management officer Sharn Rosmer Baluyot of the SLGP PMO presented guide on conduct of CSO conferences in all LGUs in the country on the first week of August 2022.
The CSO conference serves as a general assembly of all CSOs operating within the LGU with the goal of enjoining them to get accredited and participate in local governance.
Baluyot said this activity is geared towards informing CSOs of the relevance of citizen participation in the LGUs’ decision-making and planning processes.
“The CSO conference aims to enlighten CSOs on the avenues for participation, to encourage them to apply for accreditation, and to serve as a venue for networking among CSOs that can help in the formation of their local people’s council (LPC),” he said.
A major component of the CSO conference is discussion of modules prepared by the SLGP PMO which shall tackle topics such as relevance of participatory governance, code-mandated avenues for participation, and an orientation on the accreditation procedures and formation of the LPC as provided by DILG MC No. 2021- 054.
DILG-CAR has rolled out MC No. 2022-083 and the CSO conference field guide to its operating units last July 12 to prepare all LGUs in the region to stage CSO conferences in their respective localities. -- RJMV/DILG-CAR
In collaboration with the CSO People’s Participation Partnership Program Project Management Office (CSO/PPPP PMO) and “Support to local governance program,” this was geared to orienting regional accreditation focal persons on said MC which outlines policy on accreditation of CSOs and selection of representatives to LSBs.
DILG-CAR regional director Araceli A. San Jose, in her message, cited the critical role CSOs play as LGUs’ developmental partners and in equalizing power-sharing between the local government and civil society.
San Jose cited the country’s transition towards full devolution as one important avenue for CSO collaboration considering insights these civic groups contribute to improving the LGUs’ prioritization of programs and projects and in revisiting their devolution transition plans.
“We have great hope that our LGUs will strive to innovate and maybe even reinvent their LSBs to welcome more CSOs who shall be their partners in promoting an inclusive, accountable, transparent, and responsive local government,” San Jose said.
Enhancing citizen participation in governance was among priorities of DILG Sec. Atty. Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. in line with the first 100 days of the current administration.
CSO/PPPP accreditation focal person Sean Nicholas Apostol discussed features of DILG MC No. 2022-083.
He said Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 does not explicitly prohibit the expansion of the LSBs, rather, it only provides the minimum criteria, thus LGUs may innovate their LSBs in their exercise of local autonomy.
Apostol said this MC responds to clamor of CSOs to provide an enabling policy for the expansion of the LSBs to further increase civil society participation.
As such, his MC encourages LGUs to increase the membership of CSO representatives in the LSBs to one-half of the fully-organized council, but not less than one-fourth as provided by RA 7160.
In a bid to engage more CSOs, this MC also details references on activating the LGUs’ local development councils’ committees where recognized CSOs may participate as members.
This MC also introduces the issuance of a certificate of recognition to CSOs that meet all criteria for accreditation and has submitted all the requirements stipulated in this policy except the certificate of registration or existing valid certificate of accreditation from any national government agency.
Recognized CSOs may participate in the LSBs for the purposes only of meeting minimum requirements for membership but shall not be accorded voting rights.
This MC also addresses concerns of LGUs with limited number of CSOs in their areas of jurisdiction.
While the policy prohibits a CSO to be part of more than one LSB within a province, city, or municipality, a representative-organization may participate in more than one LSB for the sole purpose of meeting the membership requirements but shall only be a voting member of the LSB they are represented in.
Development management officer Sharn Rosmer Baluyot of the SLGP PMO presented guide on conduct of CSO conferences in all LGUs in the country on the first week of August 2022.
The CSO conference serves as a general assembly of all CSOs operating within the LGU with the goal of enjoining them to get accredited and participate in local governance.
Baluyot said this activity is geared towards informing CSOs of the relevance of citizen participation in the LGUs’ decision-making and planning processes.
“The CSO conference aims to enlighten CSOs on the avenues for participation, to encourage them to apply for accreditation, and to serve as a venue for networking among CSOs that can help in the formation of their local people’s council (LPC),” he said.
A major component of the CSO conference is discussion of modules prepared by the SLGP PMO which shall tackle topics such as relevance of participatory governance, code-mandated avenues for participation, and an orientation on the accreditation procedures and formation of the LPC as provided by DILG MC No. 2021- 054.
DILG-CAR has rolled out MC No. 2022-083 and the CSO conference field guide to its operating units last July 12 to prepare all LGUs in the region to stage CSO conferences in their respective localities. -- RJMV/DILG-CAR
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