Should he win in the upcoming May 2022 senatorial race, Sorsogon Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero said he will pursue amendments to the Local Government Code of 1991 to give local government units (LGUs) more power and autonomy.

The law, which has been substantially unchanged for 31 years, gives little room for LGUs especially in terms of budget, according to Escudero.

The former senator said his experience as a provincial governor has shown him just how tied the hands of local leaders are contrary to the perception that they run their own kingdom like little presidents.

“Sa totoo lang hindi. Natutunan ko iyon ngayon. Ang budget ng lahat ng LGU—barangay man, munisipyo o probinsya—kailangan aprubahan ng DBM. Kung may iki-create kang item, kailangan aprubahan ng Civil Service Commission (The truth is we are not. I learned that now. All LGUs—whether village, municipal or provincial—has to be approved by the Department of Budget and Management. If you need to create an item, you need the approval of the CSC),” Escudero explained.

Escudero further said securing the approval of national government agencies has become cumbersome for LGUs, and proven to be a hindrance to the timely delivery of relevant services.

“At kung may nais kang gawin, kailangan aprubahan ng DILG. Hindi ko nakikitang totoo, bilang gobernador ngayon, ‘yung tinatawag nilang diborsyo at kalayaan ng mga LGUs (And if you need to do something, you need the approval of the Department of Interior and Local Government. As an incumbent governor, there is no truth to what they said there is a divorce or freedom for LGUs),” said Escudero, the only incumbent governor running for senator in the May 2022 elections.

Escudero said LGUs ought to have more freedom and power to carry out their responsibilities as they see fit with the increase in their internal revenue allotment (IRA) provided under the Mandanas ruling and the full devolution of government services mandated by Executive Order 138.

“In the past, limited funding for devolved services has challenged the very agenda of devolution,” he said.

“Now that the law gives local governments a greater share in the IRA, the national government must allow LGUs to allocate their money for programs and services that they know their constituents need,” the former senator stressed.

Escudero also questioned why the DBM has to decide how LGUs appropriate their IRA; he pointed out Executive Order 138, which was signed in June 2021 to mitigate the impact of the Mandanas ruling on the national government’s budget, mandates NGAs and LGUs to prepare devolution transition plans that conforms to the guidelines to be jointly issued by the DBM and the DILG.

Escudero noted the devolution transition plans of NGAs are required to identify the functions and services to be passed on to the different LGUs, and the phasing of the devolution; define the standards for the delivery of such services; set a framework to monitor the performance of the LGUs; and identify areas for capacity development.

These plans must be submitted to the DBM within 120 days from the effectivity of EO. The former senator, however, pointed out that this policy effectively dictates how LGUs will be spending their additional revenue.

“Why should the DBM decide how LGUs appropriate their IRA? If this were some form of financial assistance or subsidy from the national government, then by all means, dictate its use. But this is the IRA of the local governments, and the local governments must be free to decide what they want to do with it,” said Escudero.

“Malayong mas alam ng isang mayor o governor kung anong kailangan at kung anong dapat gawin sa kanyang lugar kaysa sinumang secretary, gaano man siya kagaling, na nakaupo lamang sa loob ng opisina niya sa Metro Manila na hindi man lang tumatayo o dumudungaw minsan sa bintana niya para makita yung kalagayan namin mula sa malalayong lugar (It’s inevitable that the mayor or governor knows what their constituency needs better than any secretary, no matter how good he is. He is only sitting inside an office in Metro Manila and neither looking outside of his window to check the status of those in far-flung areas),” Escudero said.

Escudero also said that if he wins a fresh six year term in the Senate, he will make it his advocacy to ensure that national legislation strengthens and supports local governance.

“We will begin with long-overdue amendments to the Local Government Code to ensure that it serves its purpose of truly decentralizing governance and granting autonomy for local government units,”said Escudero, whose Senate comeback bid has been endorsed by the League of Provinces of the Philippines.