“Reducing decentralization, improving budget allocation”

On the Rappler recent report about the Mandanas ruling, they said that
Duterte’s new Executive Order states that local governments will have more budget
starting 2022. In 2018, the supreme court ruled that local governments are entitled to
a share of all national taxes, not just the national internal revenue.
The fact that this new order will lessen the decentralization in Philippine
government is a good leap forward. The local government unit will function more on
certain services that are needed on the specific locality.
Growth equity is also evident in this function since the former power that can
only be executed in the national level are now utilized in the community to improve
certain sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and other industry.
The process will also allows freedom in the local government unit since there
will be no fiscal control over their respective autonomy. These steps will make the
local movement a much quicker and efficient response to community problems.
Among these, the best thing that will happen is that the local governments will
provide the basic services that is needed in the community. It will also allow them to
allocate much attention to the crucial sectors that needs their attention. The public
administration will assist the people in a specific manner to permit growth and
development in their area.
However, the worries of having lack of coordination since the LGUs will move
on their own rules and will utilize the budget allocated for them. The risk of the
transition could also lead to the service gap since the mass are already accustomed
to the old ways of service.
There is also a gap between connecting the bridge between local and national
government in charging towards a decentralized system since these new rulings will
also ask for transition in myriad of ways.
Overall, understanding the pros and cons of this ruling should be the priority
now. Change is inevitable. Making proper services to provide quality of live, equal
opportunities and efficient services from the budget that is now allocated to the local
unit can make a positive impact in our society.