PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE (QUARTER 2- MODULE 9: LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT)

MELC: Explain the roles and functions of Local Government Unit (LGU)
What I Know (Pretest)
Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer, and write the CAPITAL LETTER of your answer in the space provided.
___1. It is the lowest level of territorial organization within a state.
A. National Government B. Local Government C. International
___2. Which of the following does not belong to the political subdivision?
A. Provinces B. State C. Municipalities
___3. These political subdivisions are under in what government agency?
A. DILG B. DFA C. PCOO
___4. What is the law making body of the province?
A. Provincial Board B. Provincial Legislative C. Governor
___5. How do you call the head of a Barangay?
A. Governor B. Barangay Captain C. Mayor
___6. Who is the chief executive officer in the town?
A. Governor B. Barangay Captain C. Mayor
___7. In what article in 1987 Philippine Constitution provides the guidelines for LGU?
A. Article X B. Article XI C. Article XII
___8. The lawmaking body of the city is ____________.
A. Board of Members B. Department Heads C. Councils
___9. It is the the smallest units of local government in the Philippines.
A. Region B. Municipalities C. Barangays
___10. How many municipalities does the Philippines has?
A. 1540 B. 1405 C. 1450
What’s New
Activity 1. KWL Chart Organizer
Directions: Answer first the two columns of the KWL Chart about the Local Government Unit. After the discussion of the topic, go back
to this activity and complete the table through answering the Third Column.
What I Know What I Want to Know What I Learned

What Is It
Local government unit is defined as institutional units with fiscal, legislative and executive authority extends over the smallest
geographical areas distinguished for administrative and political purposes. It is the lowest level of territorial organization within a state.
Though it is the smallest and basic unit of governance, it constitutes the foundation of the entire structure of the 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 affairs than with those of the national or provincial in scope.
The Constitution of the Philippines recognizes the importance of local governments. It provides as a policy that "the State shall
guarantee and promote the autonomy of the local government units -- especially the barangays -- to ensure their fullest development as
self-reliant communities." Article X Section 3 of 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “ The Congress shall enact a local government
code which shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of
decentralization with effective mechanisms of recall, initiative, and referendum, allocate among the different local government units their
powers, responsibilities, and resources, and provide for the qualifications, election, appointment and removal, term, salaries, powers
and functions and duties of local officials, and all other matters relating to the organization and operation of the local units.”
The President of the Philippines exercises supervision over the whole country. But for purposes of administrative control, the
Philippines is divided into units of different sizes - known as political subdivisions; these are provinces, municipalities, cities, and
barangays. These political subdivisions enjoy autonomy, especially in local affairs. But, they are also under the general supervision of
the Chief Executive, through the Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). These local governments are
agencies of the national government in the matter of collection of taxes, law enforcement, and other governmental functions, which may
be delegated by the national government to these local governments.
Roles, Functions, and Organization
PROVINCES
The provincial government takes care of the function so which affect the people of a certain province. The province is the
largest political unit in the Philippines. It possesses the following powers:
1) to acquire and transfer real and personal properties;
2) to enter into contracts, including those incurring obligations, which are expressly provided by law; and
3) to exercise such other rights and incur such other obligations as are expressly authorized by law.
There are 77 provinces in the Philippines. They are classified according to their average income for five consecutive years.
The higher the income of the province, 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 paid to the officials of the higher-class provinces. A province elects its executives
- the governor, vice governor, and the members of the provincial board (vocales). There are three vocales in the first, 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 superintendent of schools, district health officer,
district engineer, and register of deeds - are all appointed by the corresponding departments of the national government. However,
under the New Local Government Code, they are the administrative control of the provincial governor.
The election of the governor, 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 cannot serve for more than three consecutive terms. The
provincial governor exercises general supervisory powers over the 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 affecting their
official work.
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 municipalities and cities within its jurisdiction;
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 b) it prepares and approves the provincial budget;
c) it appropriates money for provincial purposes;
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 by it. Special meetings, however, may be called by the provincial governor on any day.
MUNICIPALITIES
Each province is composed of municipalities commonly called towns. The municipality is a public corporation created by an act
of congress and is governed by the Municipality Law, which defines its duties and powers. Being public corporations, municipalities can
sue or be sued in court; enter into contracts; acquire and hold real and personal properties for municipal purposes; and exercise such
other powers as are granted by law.
Municipalities are classified according to their average annual income for the last four fiscal years. There are 1,540
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 for more than three consecutive terms. The appointive officials are the municipal secretary, treasurer, justice of 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 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 of the municipal council; and
5) to recommend measures to the municipal council aimed at the improvement of the social and economic conditions of the people.
The municipal council is the lawmaking body of the town and is 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 class to which the municipality
belongs. Each councilor is in-charge of a village or barangay. Some of the more important mandatory powers of the municipal 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 national
government agencies assigned to the municipality;
2) to provide for expenses necessary to carry out the functions of the municipality;
3) to provide 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 revenue; and
5) to establish and maintain an efficient police department and an adequate municipal jail.
CITIES
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 boundaries, provides its system of government, and defines the
powers and duties of its officials.
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 courts exercise judicial functions. The lawmaking body of the city is council. Among its
important functions are as follows:
1) to levy and collect taxes in accordance with law;
2) to enact ordinances;
3) to provide for public works 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. There are 67
chartered cities in the Philippines.
BARANGAYS
Each municipality or city is composed of a number of villages or barangays. The barangays are the smallest units of local
government in the Philippines. They are governed by the Barrio Charter.
The elective officials of the barangays are the Barangay Captain and the Barangay Councilors. As chief executive, the
barangay captain is its recognized 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 council and assembly, organize groups of citizens to fight criminality and
brigandage, and approve all payments from barangay funds. He also sings all contacts in which the barangay is a party. There are 41,
945 barangays in the Philippines. 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 powers or perform such acts as are provided by law. 
Source: http://www.ph.net/htdocs/government/phil/loc-gov/index.html
Figure 1: Structure of Local Government (Padilla, 1998)

Photo Source:

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/roleoflocalgovernment-110826092012-phpapp02/95/role-of-local-government-11 728.jpg?cb=1314351710
What’s More
Activity 2: Summarizing Organizer
Complete the table by filling in the missing essential parts.
Political Subdivision Officials Roles, Functions, and Power

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 Provinces

Municipalities

Cities

Barangays

Activity 3: LGU Projects and Initiatives

Direction: Identify and evaluate the activities done by your local LGU (Province, Municipality/city, and Barangay Level) in the following
services.
Services Province Municipalities/ Cities Barangays
Health and Social Services
Environmental Management
Agriculture
Infrastructure
Tourism
Education
Activity 4: What Have I Learned So Far?
Directions: Write a reflection learned from the discussion. In writing your reflection, you have to complete the sentence below on the
lines provided.
I learned that________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I realized that________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If given a chance_____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What I Have Learned
Local government unit is defined as institutional units with fiscal, legislative and executive authority extends over the
smallest geographical areas distinguished for administrative and political purposes. The President of the Philippines exercises
supervision over the whole country. But for purposes of administrative control, the Philippines is divided into units of different sizes -
known as political subdivisions. These are provinces, municipalities, cities, and barangays. These political subdivisions enjoy
autonomy, especially in local affairs. But they are also under the general supervision of the Chief Executive, through the Secretary of
the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
What I Can Do
The Local Government Unit and its people should work hand-in-hand in order to ensure a healthy and progressive community.
With this, your task is to make an interview(Phone call) to a Barangay Captain in your locality and ask them about their projects and
initiatives to make your place a safe and develop barangay. Use the template provided in conducting the interview and answer the
following questions.
Name of Barangay Official: __________________________________
Designation: Barangay Captain
Number of Years in Service: _________________________________
Name of Project: ____________________________________________
Description of Project:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Purpose of the Project:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Implementation Process and Timeline:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Expected Outcome:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Questions:
1. In your own evaluation, does the project can truly help your own locality? Explain.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. As a Filipino Citizen, how can you help your own Barangay to ensure the success of the said project?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. If you are the Barangay Captain in your own Barangay, what are your top three possible projects and why?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Post test
Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer, and write the CAPITAL LETTER of your answer in the space provided.

___1. It is the lowest level of territorial organization within a state.

A. National Government B. Local Government C. International
___2. Which of the following does not belong to the political subdivision?
A. Provinces B. State C. Municipalities
___3. These political subdivisions are under in what government agency?
A. DILG B. DFA C. PCOO
___4. This is the law making body of the province.
A. Provincial Board B. Provincial Legislative C. Governor
___5. How do you call the head of a Barangay?
A. Governor B. Barangay Captain C. Mayor
___6. Who is the chief executive officer in the town?
A. Governor B. Barangay Captain C. Mayor
___7. In what article in 1987 Philippine Constitution provides the guidelines for LGU?
A. Article X B. Article XI C. Article XII
___8. The lawmaking body of the city is ____________.
A. Board of Members B. Department Heads C. Councils 3
___9. It is the smallest units of local government in the Philippines.
A. Region B. Municipalities C. Barangays
___10. How many municipalities does the Philippines has?
A. 1540 B. 1405 C. 1450
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