The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) asked the incumbent local chief executives (LCE) on Wednesday, March 16, to organize their Local Governance Transition Teams (LGTT) before April 7 for a smoother turnover of power ahead of the May 9 local and national elections.
DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año stressed that all LGU assets, records and documents must be turned over “transparently and efficiently to a new set of elected local officials for the seamless continuance of ongoing programs for the people.’’
"Public service must not be hampered amid a possible transition of leadership in the LGUs. We remind our local chief executives (LCEs) that as early as now ay bumuo na ng kanilang mga LGTT to guarantee the continuity of public service and ensure that all assets are well accounted for upon the transition," Año said.
Año noted that the LGTT will be composed of the LCE as the chairperson, LGU department heads; DILG representatives such as DILG Provincial Director in case of a provincial government, DILG City Director in case of city government, or DILG Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (LGOO) in case of municipal government; and, the secretary of the local Sanggunian as members.
“There should also be one representative from a civil society organization (CSO) or people's organization (PO). The vice-chairperson will be elected among the members,’’ he added.
Through DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2022-029, Año said that LGTT must ensure the safekeeping of LGU records and documents and the protection of LGU assets during the election period; and guarantee the smooth local governance transition of the new and re-elected officials on June 30 this year.
He added that the LGTT must conduct an inventory of LGU properties including immovable properties such as land, buildings, infrastructure facilities and their improvements, and pieces of machinery made immovable as well as movable properties such as vehicles, office equipment, furniture, fixtures, and office supply stocks.
The transition team must also gather, secure, and preserve all official documents and/or records of LGU official transactions; and, turnover accountabilities using the prescribed forms, in case of a new set of incoming elected officials, and update the list of accountabilities, in case of re-elected officials.
Among the official documents the LGTTs must secure are the 2021 Governance Assessment Report; Contracts and Loans Agreement; Comprehensive Development Plan; 2022 Annual Investment Program; Comprehensive Land Use Plan; Public Service Continuity Plan; LGU's Citizens Charter; and, various Full Disclosure Policy documents.
"Along with the other LGU documents, the LGTTs are expected to ensure that the all-important LGU Devolution Transition Plan, in line with the implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court ruling and Executive Order No. 138, will be forwarded to the new set of local officials," Año said.
An LGTT must likewise organize a turnover ceremony for the incoming local officials, to include a briefing on the Governance Assessment Report and key challenges, to be conducted on June 30, 2022; and, ensure the accomplishment of the Elective Local Official Personal Data Sheet by the incoming officials to be submitted not later than July 11, 2022 to their Human Resources Management Office, Office of the Sanggunian, and to the DILG Field Office. (Chito A. Chavez)