President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has urged local legislators to back the passage of the administration's legislative priorities, especially measures aimed at empowering local government units (LGUs).
Marcos said this as he attended the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) National Convention 2023 in Pasay City on Thursday, March 9.
In his speech, the President reminded councilors of their obligation to give "life, meaning, and substance" to the constitutional mandate of local autonomy and decentralization of powers.
He added that LGU councilors are endowed to engage in meaningful discussions on matters involving local legislative concerns.
"With this, I am hopeful that you will support the passage of the Administration's legislative priorities, particularly measures that aim to capacitate local government units," Marcos said.
Among these legislations are the e-Governance Act, which will institutionalize digitalization in the bureaucracy and ensure faster government transactions, and the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law amendment to address ambiguities, bottlenecks, and other challenges in implementing the existing law.
President Marcos said amending the BOT Law will empower LGUs to participate in more projects as the proposed revisions streamline the guidelines and eliminate uncertainties that limit their participation in public-private partnerships (PPPs).
He also asked the councilors to help lobby for the passage of the National Land Use Act to effectively manage the country's land and water resources. This would enable LGUs to efficiently, equitably, and sustainably allocate land resources to achieve food security; determine hazardous areas; delineate protected areas; and identify areas for settlement, commercial, industrial, and infrastructural uses.
The Chief Executive also asked the local legislators to back the passage of Tax Package 3, or the Valuation Reform Bill, to ensure the development of a just, equitable, and efficient real property valuation system.
President Marcos likewise rallied the councilor's support for the passage of the Waste Treatment Technology Act, which will pave the way for modern options in solving the persistent garbage problem of the country.
"This will mandate LGUs to promote, encourage, and implement a comprehensive solid waste management program that includes reduction, segregation, recycling, and recovery," he said.
Meanwhile, the President called on local legislators to ensure that local ordinances and measures enable the free and unhampered flow of goods within their localities as he recognized the role of the LGUs in addressing urgent concerns such as inflation.
President Marcos also urged them to continue bringing the government closer to the people by formulating programs and projects that nurture the well-being of their constituents.
According to the President, the PCL must help bring government services to far-flung areas to make governance more accessible and convenient for everyone. He assured the league that his administration would assist in formulating, implementing, and coordinating programs and projects that would benefit the Filipino people.
The Chief Executive also appealed to PCL members to shun corruption, noting that public servants must uphold transparency and accountability in their work.