Dear all,
Hope everyone had a great weekend (despite some catching up at work).
Posted below is a rough draft of the resolution calling for the review and amendment of the Local Government Code. Please feel free to revise.
Damcelle
RESOLUTION URGING THE CONGRESS OF THE
PHILIPPINES TO REVIEW AND ACCORDINGLY AMEND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991, TO MAKE IT RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE FILIPINOS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
WHEREAS, Article II, Section 25 of the 1987 Constitution provides as a state policy that “(t)he State shall ensure the autonomy of local governments”;
WHEREAS, Article X of the Constitution grants local government units autonomy, the power to tax and raise revenues, and the right to a just share in national taxes, among others;
WHEREAS, Article X, Section 3 of the Constitution mandated the Congress to “enact a local government code which shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of decentralization…”
WHEREAS, in 1991, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 7160 (“R.A. 7160”), entitled An Act Providing for a Local Government Code of 1991;
WHEREAS, Section 521 of R.A. 7160 provides for “mandatory review of R.A. 7160 at least once every five (5) years and as often as it may deem necessary, with the primary objective of providing a more responsive and accountable local government structure”;
WHEREAS, local government units, its officials and constituents have long clamored for changes in R.A. 7160, including but not limited to the allocation and distribution of the Internal Revenue Allotment, the power of taxation and the administration and delivery of devolved services;
WHEREAS, to date, although a number of bills amending R.A. 7160 have been filed in the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Code remains unchanged and unresponsive to the present needs of the local government units and their constituents;
NOW, THEREFORE, resolved as it is hereby resolved that the participants of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation First Liberal Leadership Training Workshop strongly urge the Congress of the Philippines to review and accordingly amend the Local Government Code of 1991 to make it responsive to the needs of the Filipinos at the local government level;
ADOPTED,
PARTICIPANTS OF THE FRIEDRICH NAUMANN FOUNDATION
FIRST LIBERAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING WORKSHOP
1 September 2006
thanks a lot atty. damcelle! this is a very nice resolution. i hope we can send this to our friends and ally in congress
I’m proud to be part of the First FNS Liberal Leadership Training here in our country. Our batch’s resolution, drafted by Atty. Damcelle, seems to be a small voice, calling for the review and amendment of our Local Govt. Code by Congress…
ours may be a small voice… but we have big dream!…we have a vision… the bigger challenge is to transform that vision into a cause… in our own litttle way and in our respective field and profession, we can spread this cause- of course- down to barangay level!
Nice draft, Damcelle. Actually I was almost turned off when you told the group what legislators do to the bulk of resolutions, petitions that grace their tables. The plan, manifesto I thought was trashed. Anyway, I didn’t argue coz I have my own reservations – Like entrusting the amendment of the Code to the House.
But as Ma’am Liberty Toledo spelled it, TRUST.
Good work Damms!
(Hope we see you Friday at Shirl’s post bday bash)