Marcos says gov't reviewing EO 138, devolution issues

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Wednesday that his administration is reviewing an executive order that aims to provide guidelines on the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch to local government units.

Marcos was referring to Executive Order No. 138 of his predecessor, President Rodrigo Duterte, which was released to implement the July 2018 Supreme Court ruling widening the base of the LGUs’ share in taxes or the so-called "Mandanas Ruling".

"Let us study this well. Because sa papel it looks okay, pero ang net effect sa maraming lugar  — hindi lang iba, sa maraming lugar — ang net effect ay nababawasan pa ang pondo na puwedeng gamitin ng chief executive ng local constituency," Marcos said in his speech at the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

(On paper it looks good, but the net effect in several areas will include loss of funding for the chief executive and the local constituency.)

"Noong tinitingnan namin, sabi ko, marami talagang kailangan tayong ayusin dahil nagbago rin, nagbago talaga ang panahon and we have to coordinate and to synchronize all that we are doing at the local level with what we are planning to do at the national level," he added.

(When I studied it, I saw that there are a lot of things that should be sorted out because a lot has already changed.)

Further, Marcos pointed out that there were some functions being given to local government units that were really for the national government to execute and perform.

"Gagamitin ngayon namin itong one year na ito para pag-aralan nang mabuti ‘yung 138. Tingnan natin na siguro may mga function kasi na binibigay sa local, hindi naman dapat sa local talaga," Marcos said.

(We will use this year to study it carefully. We will look into it as some functions are given to the local government that should not really be handled by them)

"For many reasons, one reason, walang pondo; pangalawa, walang bagong item para makakuha ka ng tao; pangatlo, walang expertise," he added.

(There are several reasons. For one, there is no funding. There's also the lack to get new people and they don't have the expertise.)

He also said other issues arising from the Mandanas Ruling are being reviewed by his administration.

"Asahan ninyo, as I said that we are taking very seriously the issues that have come out from the Mandanas ruling and how we will implement it," he said.

Marcos also emphasized the need to support local government units for the country's economic growth, adding that he is also eyeing to increase the role of LGUs in the planning process of the national government. 

"You are the experts about your municipality. You are the most aware of the problems that you have. You are also the most aware of the possible solutions".  —VAL, GMA Integrated News