Councilors must lead by example
Published Mar 13, 2023 11:19 pm
The Local Government Code clearly defines the qualifications, roles, and responsibilities of an elected city or municipal councilor. They craft, review, and approve ordinances, resolutions, and regulations, ensuring that these are up to date and relevant for the constituents they serve. More than these tasks, councilors are often looked up to as “wise counsels” of a community, ready to dispense advice, lend a helping hand, and lead by example.
It is in this vein of “leading by example” that the President called on councilors all over the country to “uphold transparency” and “inhibit from corrupt practices.” This statement was made during the national convention of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) last March 9, 2023.
“Never surrender to any form of temptation that will taint your integrity. Remember, as public servants we must uphold transparency, accountability in all our work,” said the President. “Apart from inhibiting yourselves from corrupt practices, I also urge you to avoid dangerous acts that put the bureaucracy in a state of decay.”
PCL, an organization composed of municipal and city councilors, aims to provide a platform for its members to have a strong, united voice in order to advocate for effective local legislation. The oathtaking of its newly elected officers was an opportune time for the President to remind the councilors of their indispensable duties and vital role in post-pandemic economic recovery from the ground up.
“I enjoin you to focus on tasks that are beneficial to the people and push for concrete ways that will address the needs of every sector of our society,” he said. “It is your obligation to give life, meaning, and substance to the constitutional mandate of local autonomy and decentralization of powers. You are also endowed to engage in meaningful discussions on matters involving local legislative concerns.”
Addressing specifics, the President asked the councilors to ensure that “local ordinances enable the free and unhampered flow of goods within their localities” and to “bring the government closer to the people by formulating programs, projects, and activities that nurture the well-being of the public.”
“Instead of mobilizing your people to go to urban communities and other centers of activity, let us bring ourselves to the far-flung areas to make governance more accessible and convenient for everyone,” he said.
In return, the President vowed to support all LGUs, emphasizing that they have as much vital role as the national government in addressing urgent concerns. “You can count on the national government to step in whenever you need help.”
The President took the opportunity to encourage councilors to support the priority legislations of his administration, particularly those that will empower LGUs to discharge their responsibilities more effectively. Among these legislations include the E-Governance Act, which will institutionalize digitalization in the bureaucracy; the Waste Treatment Technology Act, which will pave the way for modern options in solving the garbage problem; and the National Land Use Act, which will allow the government to allocate land for priority sectors such as in agricultural and fishery production, settlement and infrastructure development, transportation, communication, water resources, as well as social infrastructure.
In the national conversation, the contributions of councilors may not be emphasized enough, but the ordinances they approve — or reject — form the basis of numerous laws that affect our daily lives and set the course of our nation. A weak set of councilors will shake the foundation of a community, putting our country and our future at risk.
It is in this vein of “leading by example” that the President called on councilors all over the country to “uphold transparency” and “inhibit from corrupt practices.” This statement was made during the national convention of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) last March 9, 2023.
“Never surrender to any form of temptation that will taint your integrity. Remember, as public servants we must uphold transparency, accountability in all our work,” said the President. “Apart from inhibiting yourselves from corrupt practices, I also urge you to avoid dangerous acts that put the bureaucracy in a state of decay.”
PCL, an organization composed of municipal and city councilors, aims to provide a platform for its members to have a strong, united voice in order to advocate for effective local legislation. The oathtaking of its newly elected officers was an opportune time for the President to remind the councilors of their indispensable duties and vital role in post-pandemic economic recovery from the ground up.
“I enjoin you to focus on tasks that are beneficial to the people and push for concrete ways that will address the needs of every sector of our society,” he said. “It is your obligation to give life, meaning, and substance to the constitutional mandate of local autonomy and decentralization of powers. You are also endowed to engage in meaningful discussions on matters involving local legislative concerns.”
Addressing specifics, the President asked the councilors to ensure that “local ordinances enable the free and unhampered flow of goods within their localities” and to “bring the government closer to the people by formulating programs, projects, and activities that nurture the well-being of the public.”
“Instead of mobilizing your people to go to urban communities and other centers of activity, let us bring ourselves to the far-flung areas to make governance more accessible and convenient for everyone,” he said.
In return, the President vowed to support all LGUs, emphasizing that they have as much vital role as the national government in addressing urgent concerns. “You can count on the national government to step in whenever you need help.”
The President took the opportunity to encourage councilors to support the priority legislations of his administration, particularly those that will empower LGUs to discharge their responsibilities more effectively. Among these legislations include the E-Governance Act, which will institutionalize digitalization in the bureaucracy; the Waste Treatment Technology Act, which will pave the way for modern options in solving the garbage problem; and the National Land Use Act, which will allow the government to allocate land for priority sectors such as in agricultural and fishery production, settlement and infrastructure development, transportation, communication, water resources, as well as social infrastructure.
In the national conversation, the contributions of councilors may not be emphasized enough, but the ordinances they approve — or reject — form the basis of numerous laws that affect our daily lives and set the course of our nation. A weak set of councilors will shake the foundation of a community, putting our country and our future at risk.