A little bit of consultation will go a long way.

Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Brian Yamsuan has filed a bill that aims to mandate local government units (LGUs) to meet twice a year with homeowners’ associations (HOAs) within their respective jurisdictions to strengthen partnerships and address pressing concerns.

Embodied in House Bill (HB) No.2582, the measure aims to mandate such bi-annual consultations, which would help harness the untapped potentials of the country’s 24,200 registered HOAs as partners in shaping and implementing government programs and projects that would truly benefit the people.

“Our HOAs interact directly with their members and thus have first-hand knowledge of what’s really happening on the ground. Their inputs could prove valuable to our LGUs and even the national government in planning and executing programs and projects," Yamsuan said.

"Sila ang nakakaalam kung ano ba talaga ang kailangang mga dapat unahin at pagtuunan ng pansin ng gobyerno sa kanilang mga komunidad (They are the ones who have first-hand knowledge of what really needs to be prioritized and focused on by the government in their communities),” he added.

“By fostering a regular engagement between LGUs and HOAs and making sure that all voices are heard, the bill also aims to enhance the accountability of local governance and improve service delivery to the people on the ground,” said Yamsuan, a former assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Yamsuan’s proposed legislation amends Section 18 of Republic Act (RA) 9904, or the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Associations, by adding a provision stating that “LGUs shall conduct bi-annual public consultations with the members of homeowners’ associations within their jurisdiction to gather feedback, suggestions, and inputs on matters of mutual concern, including but not limited to proposed programs, projects and other issues impacting local communities.”

“Meeting twice a year would help foster mutual trust and eventually aid local governments in immediately seeking the assistance of HOAs, especially during emergencies,” Yamsuan said.

The first-time district House member first introduced his proposed measure during the previous 19th Congress in response to the concerns aired by the different HOAs in Parañaque’s 2nd Ddstrict.

The lawmaker pointed out that in his congressional district alone, there are about 30 registered HOAs, all with varying concerns and needs.

“Hence, the need for this amendment that aims to empower and provide to these associations improved access to their respective LGUs by establishing a structured mechanism for communication and feedback,” he said.

Under the bill, each LGU shall coordinate with their HOAs in setting a schedule for the twice-a-year consultations.

Proper notice of the meeting, along with the preliminary agenda, shall be provided to the HOAs at least two weeks prior to the scheduled consultations, which should be held in a public venue accessible to HOA members.

Documentation of each meeting shall be made publicly available within 30 days after each consultation.

Non-compliance with the requirements stated under the bill may result in administrative sanctions as provided under the Local Government Code and relevant laws and regulations.