Duterte creates inter-agency board for implementing LGU reforms

President Rodrigo Duterte  has established an Inter-Agency Governing Board (IGB) to implement local government reforms.

This is provided under Administrative Order 40 issued by the President on Wednesday, April 28, which stated that the IGB will be implementing the Local Government Reform Project (LGRP)—in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB)—to boost local government revenue mobilization through improvements on the administration and management of real property taxes.

The IGB will be headed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and will have representatives from the following entities as members:

• National Economic and Development Authority
• Department of Budget and Management
• Department of the Interior and Local Government
• Department of Information and Communications Technology
• Bureau of Internal Revenue
• Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF)
• Leagues of Provinces, Cities, and Municipalities
• non government organization which may be from a women's organization
• the private sector

“The ensure the successful implementation of the LGRP and as part of its implementing arrangements, there is a need to convene an interagency body that will set the policy direction of the project and ensure proper complementation, cooperation and coordination of executing and implementing agencies, and relevant stakeholders,” AO 40 read.

Expenditures for the conduct of consultative meetings, workshops and similar activities of the IGB and its Implementing partners will be charged against the funding allocations of the LGRP.

AO 40, however, will not prevent implementing partners from including allocations for subsequent LGRP-related activities in their annual agency appropriations under the General Appropriations Act, subject to the usual budgeting process and accounting rules and regulations.

The IGB will be deemed dissolved by 31 July 2024, unless extended by the President.

This means IGB will still be existent even after President Duterte’s term ends on June 30, 2022.

But before the date of its dissolution, the IGB is mandated to publish its accomplishment report detailing the activities, projects or programs implemented in accordance with the LGRP's four major outputs namely:

• strengthening institutional development and policy support for property valuation;
• implementing property tax valuation database and information systems;
• enhancing real property taxation of selected LGUs; and
• professionalizing local assessors and strengthen capacity of LGUs

A copy of the said accomplishment report shall be submitted to the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary.—LDF, GMA News