The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Caraga (Region 13) said Friday, Dec. 2, that its Regional Committee on Devolution (RCommDev) had conducted a forum with various local government units (LGUs) in preparation for their transition to full devolution.
DILG-Caraga Regional Director Lilibeth Famacion said local chief executives and other concerned parties exchanged insights during the regional fora on full devolution held last month in Butuan City.
Famacion stated that 100 percent of the LGUs in the region complied with the creation of the Devolution Transition Plans (DTPs) as she acknowledged that the challenge now lies with ensuring that the LGUs are equipped with the appropriate capacities to deliver the devolved functions, services, and facilities (FSFs).
Intended as a platform for sharing knowledge about the transition, Famacion stated that the activity also enabled LGUs to maximize their preparations following the creation of their respective DTPs.
Likewise, Famacion pointed out that the national government agencies (NGAs) were able to share the various forms of assistance they can provide in view of the transition, especially in building the capacities of LGUs.
In the said activity, Famacion also maintained that the LGUs validated the need for strengthened capacity development through the concerns they raised in the interactive question-and-answer part of the program.
“Local officials and functionaries shared that the anticipated decrease in the national tax allotment is a prime challenge in sustaining the demands of full devolution. In response, the DILG upheld the need for heightened capacity development and prioritization of devolved FSFs,’’ Famacion said.
Meanwhile, Annabel Yangson, chief of the Capability Development Division of DILG-Caraga, assured LGUs and NGAs of their support during the transition period.
“As the harmonizer of the region’s capacity development interventions, the DILG highly encourages our partner agencies to share the menu of technical assistance they can provide so we can properly address our LGUs’ needs and match them to the appropriate CapDev market,” Yang-son added.