College of Education

INTEGRATED LABORATORY SCHOOL

Tacloban City

TOPIC RESEARCH
(Decentralization and Local Governance)

PHILIPPINE POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE 12

Submitted by:

Namoc, Nica
Obando, Elaine Lorenze
Olino, Cristopher
Orejola, Ota
Parena, Allen

Submitted to:

Willan Keith A. Badidles, LPT, MAT Soc. Sci

LNU ILS, Faculty

NOVEMBER 29, 2021

Local Governance in the context of the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC) of
the Philippines and National-Local Government dynamics

1991 Local Government Code of the Philippines: An Overview

One of the fundamental state policies enshrined in the 1987 Philippine

Constitution is the autonomy of local government units. (Art. II, Sec. 25). In this regard,
the Constitution mandated Congress to “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.” (Art. X, sec. 1)

Pursuant to the mandate given by the Constitution, Congress enacted Republic

Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991. The Code is
divided into four books and covers the following:

Book I – basic principles governing the attributes of local government units and
the exercise of powers; intergovernmental relations as well as relations with
people’s and nongovernmental organizations; the qualifications and election of
elective officials and the process for disciplinary action and recall; the creation
and composition of local school boards, local health boards, local development
councils and local peace and order councils;

Book II – local taxation and fiscal matters (which include the imposition of local
business taxes as well as real property taxes);

Book III – the creation, organization, and powers of local government units and
the officials for each local government unit; and

Book IV – penal provisions for violation of the Code, provisions for

implementation and transitory provisions.

The Code replaced Batas Pambansa Blg. 337, which is the old local
government code.

The Local Government Code of 1991 has given impetus not only to the local
government itself, but the rest of the stakeholders in governance. Decentralization as
a framework of governance serves as a tool in building the capacities of both
government and non-government actors in engaging each in managing societal
affairs. Decentralization has provided a democratized space where Local Government
Units (LGU’s - Provinces, Cities, Municipalities and Barangays) are able to transform
themselves into self-reliant communities and be more independent in managing their
own affairs.

In the name of democratic governance, national government may guide local

governments and provide policies and technical expertise but they must recognize that
in the principle of subsidiarity, the decentralized entity - the LGU, is the nearest to the
people.
LGU’s, in order to work smoothly with the national government, should align
their development plans along with the national government’s policies but focus more
on what development needs are to be met in their community. Thus, the
central/national government and the LGUs should not look at each other as
competitors in service delivery but as active partners in governing.

Decentralization

Decentralization refers to the transfer of powers from central government to

local levels in a political-administrative and territorial hierarchy. This process allows
the participation of the people and the local government.

Decentralization hands over political, financial and administrative authority from

central to local governments, so that the government can facilitate and guarantee
better public services for the people.

Effect of Decentralization on Governance

The constitutional guaranty of local autonomy refers to administrative autonomy

of local government units for the decentralization of government authority.

Positive Negative
 Decentralization has had a positive  Unscrupulous local
effect on the delivery of basic government official may have
services, i.e. the Local Government been using government
Code has already devolved health resources to ingratiate
services. themselves to the votes.
 Decentralization has also improved
the receptiveness of the government
to the people’s needs. LGUs know
what their constituents need.
 Local governments bring the central
government closer to the people.

Different Levels of the Philippine Local Government

The provinces, cities, and municipalities comprise the three major levels of local
government. Provinces may be composed of cities and municipalities. In turn cities
and municipalities are made up of several barangays.

The constitution also provides for a bigger political unit, i.e. autonomous regions
in the Cordilleras and Muslim Mindanao. An autonomous region is a first-level
administrative division that has the authority to control a region's culture and economy.
The Constitution of the Philippines allows for two autonomous regions: in the
Cordilleras and in Muslim Mindanao. Currently, Bangsamoro, which largely consists
of the Muslim-majority areas of Mindanao, is the only autonomous region in the
country. The Cordillera Autonomous Region created by RA No. 6766 was rejected by
voters and did not come into being.
Province

Provinces are generally larger than cities. They are at the intermediate level
between the national government and the cities and municipalities. A province
supervises municipalities and component cities under it. It is the political subdivision
through which the national government renders services to the people. a province is
also tasked to evenly distribute resources to its municipality and component cities.
(Tapales, 1998; Cabo, 1998). It is headed by a governor.

City and Municipality

The cities and the municipalities are the basic unit of local
governments. Essential services, such as primary health care, lighting of streets,
collection and disposal of garbage, construction of local roads, and operation of public
markets, are directly provided by these local government units. Because of the basic
services the cities and municipalities render, they are in close contact with the people.

Cities and municipalities are headed by mayors. The local legislative body for
a city is known as the Sangguniang Panlungsod while the lawmaking body for a
municipality is called Sangguniang Bayan.

Classification of Cities

Cities are classified into component cities and highly urbanized cities (HUCs).
They have basically the same powers. HUCs however, are autonomous from the
province. Provinces, cities, and municipalities are also divided into six income classes.
As of July 28, 2008, the following thresholds are used:

Income (In Millions of Pesos)

Class
Provinces Cities Municipalities
First 450 or more 400 or more 55 or more
360 or more but 320 or more but 45 or more but
Second
less than 450 less than 400 less than 55
270 or more but 240 or more but 35 or more but
Third
less than 360 less than 320 less than 45
180 or more but 160 or more but 25 or more but
Fourth
less than 270 less than 240 less than 35
90 or more but 80 or more but 15 or more but
Fifth
less than 180 less than 160 less than 25
Sixth Below 90 Below 80 Below 15

Barangay

The barangay, long a fixture in the political systems in Philippines, is a

submunicipal unit. It makes close interactions possible among the people in the
community. Barangays primarily function to support the services being rendered by
the city and municipal governments.

Today, the barangay is the smallest unit of government in the Philippines. Each
barangay is headed by a barangay captain and barangay assembly, each elected by
the citizens of the barangay. Consisting of nine members, the barangay assembly is
composed of seven council members plus the barangay captain and the chairperson
of the local barangay Youth Council.

Heads and Tails: From the President to the Barangays

The local chief executives (governors and mayors) are the “little presidents” in
their respective provinces, cities, or municipalities. On the other hand, the Sanggunian
enact laws called “ordinances” through a process similar to the process in the
Congress.

Governors and mayors are assisted by their vice governors and vice mayors
who perform lawmaking functions, the vice mayors and the vice governors also
preside over the Sanggunian which is tasked to enact ordinances.

Creation, Merger, Division, and Conversion of Local Governments

Inasmuch as the central government is constitutionally superior, it can create,

abolish, merge, or reorganize local institutions at its discretion. In this regard, Section
6 of Republic Act No. 7160 provides;

Section 6. Authority to Create Local Government Units. A local government unit may
be created, divided, merged, abolished, or its boundaries altered either by law enacted
by Congress in case of a province, city, municipality, or any other political subdivision,
or by ordinance passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or Sangguniang
Panlungsod concered in the case of a barangay located within its territorial jurisdiction,
subject to such limitation and requirements prescribed within this Code.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan or

The Congress
Sangguniang Panlungsod
Creates a Province, City, and
Creates a Barangay through an
Municipality through an Act of
ordinance.
Congress.
Section 10. Plebiscite requirements. No creation, division, merger, or substantial
alteration of boundaries of local government units shall take effect unless approved by
a majority of votes cast in a plebiscite called for the purpose in the political unit or units
directly affected. Said plebiscite shall be conducted by the Commission on Elections
(COMELEC) within one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of effectivity of the
law or ordinance effecting such action, unless said law or ordinance fixes another date.
Criteria

The 1987 Constitution and Local Government Code of 1991 provides the criteria for
creation, merger, division, and conversion of local governments based on the land
area, population, and income.

LAND AREA POPULATION INCOME

Province 2,000 𝑘𝑚2 250,000 ₱ 20 Million
Highly Urbanized
100 𝑘𝑚2 200,000 ₱ 50 Million
City
Independent
100 𝑘𝑚2 150,000 ₱ 100 Million
Component City*
Component City 100 𝑘𝑚2 150,000 ₱ 100 Million
Municipality 50 𝑘𝑚2 25,000 ₱ 2.5 Million
2,000 (5,000 in
Barangay None Metro Manila and None
HUCs)

Cities in the Philippines are classified into highly urbanized cities, or component
cities. All totaling thirty-three (33), the highly urbanized cities (HUCs) have a minimum
population of 200,000 and an annual income of at least fifty million Philippine pesos
(₱50 M). Those cities that do not meet the above requirements are the component
cities. The component cities are considered part of the province where they are
located. However, there are also cities that are further classified as independent
component cities. Their charters prohibit their voters from voting for elective provincial
officials and they are independent of the provinces where they are located. There are
108 component cities and only five (5) independent component cities in the
Philippines. The latter category are Dagupan in Pangasinan, Naga in Camarines Sur,
Ormoc in Leyte, Santiago in Isabela, and Cotabato City. Currently, there are (33)
HUCs and (108) component cities in the Philippines.

Reference/s:

Deligente, M., Guillermo, E., Catchuela, L., (2020). Philippine Politics and
Governance: Workbook for Senior High School. Our Lady of Fatima
University. Retrieved on November 29, 2021. Retrieved from
https://olfu.instructure.com/courses/56334/pages/shs-philpolgov