PIA Press Release
Friday, January 13, 2012 Ninety percent of LGUs are practicing transparency -- RobredoCAGAYAN DE ORO, January 13 -- At least 90 percent of the provinces, cities and municipalities nationwide have become more transparent during the past year as 1,551 of the 1,713 local government units (LGUs) have complied with the Full Disclosure Policy (FDP).The FDP requires local governments to post their budget and other financial transactions in websites, newspapers of general circulation and conspicuous places within their localities. In the Department’s Accomplishment Report for 2011, Secretary Jesse M. Robredo of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said that this high compliance rating can be attributed to the growing awakening among LGUs that good governance is synonymous to transparency. Of the 1,551 compliant LGUs, the report noted, 72 are provinces, 132 cities and 1,347 municipalities. Robredo said that even barangays heeded the call for disclosure as 23,584 of the 42,026 barangays nationwide have also posted their important financial reports in conspicuous places. “Local governments are now embracing the concept of transparency and accountability and have joined the journey towards good local governance,” he said. The DILG Secretary also said that in 2011, the Department continued to give high premium on local government performance as a total of 1,325 LGUs were conferred with the Seal of Good Housekeeping for showing strong performance in key local governance areas, complying with the FDP and having no adverse findings from the Commission on Audit (COA). Of this number, he said, 351 LGUs became recipients of the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) amounting to P7 Million for each high performing province, P3 Million for city and P1 Million for municipality which they used to hasten their anti-poverty initiatives and lessen their constituents’ vulnerability to disasters. “The days of mediocrity are over and from here on, strong performance shall be the cornerstone of any support that the government and development partners will provide LGUs,” said the DILG chief. On disaster prevention and mitigation, the Department issued a policy on calamity-response protocols that led to the activation of disaster command and auxiliary command centers in 1,030 LGUs; 941 LGUs with area-wide warning and alarm system; 836 with developed emergency response, rescue and medical teams; and 846 LGUs with evacuation centers as of November 30, 2011. Sixty-nine (69) provinces; 114 cities; 1,128 municipalities; and 1,699 barangays nationwide have also reorganized and enhanced the capacities of their respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils in compliance with RA No. 10211. The DILG also conducted disaster preparedness audit in all provinces throughout the country, and ensured that disaster risk reduction and management is integrated in local government systems and processes, specifically in planning and budgeting. (DILG/PIA-10) | 
