By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday reiterated its call to local government units (LGUs) to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of power and responsibilities to newly-elected officials in the recently-concluded May 13 mid-term polls.
Memorandum Circular No. 2019-39 requires the creation of Local Governance Transition Teams to be chaired by the local chief executive (LCE) with the vice-chair to be elected from among the members by simple majority vote.
The tasks of the transition team include conduct of an inventory of LGU properties, securing of all official documents and records of LGU transactions, and briefing on the key challenges for the incoming set of officials for a seamless leadership and management transition.
The members of the team are department heads of the local government unit (LGU) and a DILG representative such as DILG Provincial Director in case of provincial government, DILG City Director in case of city government, or DILG Municipal Local Government Operations Officer in case of municipal government. There should also be one representative from a civil society organization or people’s organization.
“Now that the elections are over, let us unite and support our local leaders as we all share the same vision of peace and progress for our localities,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año said in a statement on Thursday.
Año said winners and losers in the recent polls should take the higher ground and let go of political grudges and bitterness for the sake of the people whom they have sworn to serve.
“The Filipino people have spoken and now is the time to move on. A greater agenda awaits and that is the task of nation-building. Kaya magkaisa na tayong lahat at magtulung-tulong para sa kapakanan ng ating mga lokalidad (Let us all unite and work together for the betterment of our localities),” he said.
The DILG, through the Local Government Academy (LGA), is ready to train the newly-elected and reelected local officials through its Newly-Elected Officials (NEO) program to enable them to effectively discharge their duties and responsibilities and define their development roadmaps.
“We assure you of the DILG’s guidance and assistance to help the new local officials who have been given a fresh mandate by the people become good local government managers,” he said.
Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the 12-year-old NEO program helps newly elected officials effectively discharge their duties and responsibilities and be able to define their development roadmap.
“We train newly elected officials on various services on health, education, housing, water supply, policing , taxation and matters relative to enhancing political participation, increased local autonomy and empowerment as provided for in the Local Government Code,” Malaya said.
“These are modules on development agenda of the administration, decentralization and governance, and basics of strategic management among others,” he added.
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