Re-electionist Senator Leila de Lima on Monday said she hopes that the budget increase for the local government units (LGUs) in the 2022 national budget would empower them in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
De Lima said the start of the implementation of the Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling expanding local governments’ share in national taxes should prompt LGUs to work even harder.
“Doubts being expressed on their spending capacity should serve as a challenge for LGUs to work harder and more efficiently as government braces itself for the start of the implementation of the Mandanas ruling,” De Lima said.
“Constantly faced with huge challenges primarily brought about by calamities and disasters, the significant revenue increases for LGUs will certainly be a big boost for them, and hopefully usher in an era of an energized and more empowered LGUs,” the senator stressed.
According to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), LGUs are the biggest beneficiaries of the P5.024-trillion 2022 national budget, getting a P959.04-billion share through their National Tax Allotment, formerly called the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).
The big increase was due to the implementation of the Mandanas ruling which determined that the “just share” of LGUs shall be sourced from “all national taxes and not only national internal revenue taxes.”
The opposition senator said the LGUs’ success in utilizing their funds would be truly possible with sufficient support from the national government.
“With greater autonomy comes greater responsibility. And resources are key to LGU empowerment and rural progress,” De Lima said.
“For its part, national government should do all it can to assist and support LGUs in achieving genuine and effective autonomy that is beneficial to all,” added the lawmaker.
De Lima reiterated that instead of limiting the funds of LGUs due to politics, they should be trusted and guided on how to spend their funds properly through efficient services that can help their constituents and bring about development within their jurisdiction.