REVIEWER FOR THE PPG FINAL EXAM
Module 9: Decentralization and Local Governance
The Constitution of the Philippines acknowledges the importance of local
governments. It provides as a policy that “the State shall guarantee and promote the
autonomy of the local government units-especially the barangays- to ensure their fullest
development as self-reliant communities.
The local government in the Philippines are divided into three levels:
- provinces and independent cities,
- components cities and municipalities, and
- barangays.
These political subdivisions enjoy “local autonomy”. But they are also under the
general supervisions of the President, through the secretary of Department of Interior
and Local Government.
Congress enacted the Republic act 7160 otherwise known as the Local
Government Code of the Philippines in 1991 to provide for a more responsive and
accountable local government instituted through a system of decentralization, self-reliant
communities and active partners in nation building by giving the local governments more
powers, authority, responsibilities and resources.
The process of decentralization shall proceed from the National Government to the
local government units. Decentralization or transfer of authority, responsibility and
resources from the central government to lower government is very important
especially when the geographical area of country and its population are too large for the
central government to manage.
Roles and Functions of the Philippine Local Government Units:
There are four units of local government in the Philippines as stated in Article X,
section 1 of the 1987 Constitution:
• barangay
• municipality
• city
• province
Barangay. The barangay is the basic unit of government. It is made up of at least two
thousand (2000) inhabitants certified by Philippine Statistics Authority.
Officials of the Barangay Government:
• Punong Barangay
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• Seven (7) Sangguniang Barangay members,
• the Sangguniang Kabataang Chairman,
• a Barangay Secretary and a
• Barangay Treasurer.
• Lupong Tagapamayapa.
Role of the Barangay. As the basic political unit, the barangay serves as the primary
planning and implementing unit of government policies, plans, programs, projects and
activities in the community and as a forum wherein the collective views of the people may
be expressed, crystallized and considered and when disputes may be amicably settled
Basic Functions of Barangay:
1. Ensure the delivery of basic services.
2. Enforce laws and regulation relating to the protection of the environment.
3. Adopt measures to prevent and eradicate drug abuse, child abuse and juvenile
delinquency.
4. Serves a forum where people’s interests and opinions on local and national issues are
articulated.
5. Serves as a place for settling neighborhood disputes or conflicts.
Municipality. A municipality may be created if it has:
• an average annual income, as certified by the provincial treasurer, of at least
two million five hundred thousand pesos (P2,500,000.00) for the last two (2)
consecutive years based on the 1991 constant prices
• a population of at least twenty-five thousand (25,000) inhabitants as certified
by the National Statistics Office; and a
• contiguous territory of at least fifty (50) square kilometers as certified by the
Lands Management Bureau
Officials of the Municipal Government:
• municipal mayor,
• municipal vice-mayor
• Sangguniang Bayan members
• secretary to the Sangguniang Bayan
• municipal treasurer
• municipal assessor
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• municipal accountant
• municipal budget officer
• municipal planning and development coordinator
• municipal engineer/building official,
• municipal health officer
• municipal civil registrar
• municipal administrator
• municipal legal officer
• municipal agriculturist
• municipal environment and natural resources officer
• municipal social welfare and development officer
• municipal architect
• municipal information officer
Roles of Municipality. The municipality, consisting of a group of Barangays, serves
primarily as a general-purpose government for the coordination and delivery of basic,
regular and direct services and effective governance of the inhabitants within its territorial
jurisdiction. (The Local Government Code of the Philippines section 440).
City. A municipality or a cluster of Barangays may be converted into a component city
if it has:
• an average annual income, as certified by the Department of Finance, of at
least Twenty million pesos (Php20,000,000.00) for the last two (2) consecutive
years based on 1991 constant prices,
• and if it has either of the following requisites: (i) a contiguous territory of at least
one hundred (100) square kilometers, as certified by the Lands Management
Bureau; or, (ii) a population of not less than one hundred fifty thousand
(150,000)
Officials of the City Government:
• city mayor
• vice-mayor
• Sangguniang Panlungsod members
• secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod
• city treasurer
• city assessor
• city accountant
• city budget officer
• city planning and development coordinator
• city engineer
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• city health officer
• city civil registrar
• city administrator
• city legal officer
• city veterinarian
• city social welfare and development officer
• city general services officer.
• city architect, city information officer
• city agriculturist
• city population officer
• city environment and natural resources officer
• city cooperatives officer
Role of the City. The city, consisting of more urbanized and developed Barangays,
serves as a general-purpose government for the coordination and delivery of basic,
regular, and direct services and effective governance of the inhabitants within its territorial
jurisdiction.
Basic Functions of Cities and Municipalities:
1. Ensure the delivery of basic services.
2. Enact policies and laws, enforce them, and govern their jurisdiction.
3. Exercise regulatory powers within their jurisdictional areas to ensure that private
enterprise does not impede the good and welfare of the public.
4. Issue permits and licenses and to revoke or taking back the same if necessary for local
business, land use and construction, both for industrial and private purposes.
Province. A province may be created if it has:
• an average annual income, as certified by the Department of Finance, of not
less than twenty million pesos (Php20,000,000.00) based on 1991 constant
prices and
• either of the following requisites: (i) a contiguous territory of at least two
thousand (2,000) square kilometers, as certified by the Lands Management
Bureau; or (ii) a population of not less than two hundred fifty thousand
(250,000) inhabitants as certified by the National Statistics Office
Officials of the Provincial Government:
• governor
• vice-governor
• members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan
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• Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan
• provincial treasurer
• provincial assessor
• provincial accountant
• provincial engineer
• provincial budget officer
• provincial planning and development coordinator
• provincial legal officer
• provincial administrator
• provincial health officer
• provincial social welfare and development officer
• provincial general services officer
• provincial agriculturist
• provincial veterinarian
• provincial population officer
• provincial natural resources and environment officer
• provincial cooperative officer
• provincial architect
• provincial information officer
Role of the Province. The province, composed of a cluster of municipalities, or
municipalities and component cities, and as a political and corporate unit of government,
serves as a dynamic mechanism for developmental processes and effective governance
of local government units within its territorial jurisdiction (
Basic Functions of Province:
1. Supervision - Every provincial government is tasked with supervising the municipal
governments in the planning, budgeting, and service delivery process.
2. Developmental - This function has to do with facilitating economic development of
municipalities within the jurisdiction of a provincial government by paving the way for
transfer of technology and the granting of agricultural assistance to farmers.
3. Environmental - This is associated with the enforcement of laws and ordinances
relating to the preservation of the environment.
4. Health - Provincial governments provide tertiary health services in addition to what are
provided by each municipality.
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