LGSP II Extension - Program Updates

Over 84% of all LGUs participated in the LGPMS first national roll-out, both inputting data and navigating the system for reports generation. DILG support mechanisms were also in place at the national, regional and provincial levels to provide assistance to LGUs in the analysis and writing of LGPMS results.

LGSP's assistance to LGPMS included:

• Assistance to targeted LGPMS users
• Support to system enhancement and handover
• Strengthening LGU leagues involvement in LGPMS
• Support to LGPMS communication program
• Support to LGPMS forums and conferences

For more information on LGPMS, visit the LGPMS website on www.blgs.gov.ph/lgpms

A working team in DILG was convened and formalized to improve the Department?s capacity in terms of its understanding of the essential elements of the RPS and capacity to facilitate processes for effective planning.  There was also improved consensus on local planning between DILG and NEDA through sustained coordination in their policy initiatives. Moreover, national government agencies with devolved functions such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), were selected to be the targets of a simple information campaign to introduce the importance and function of the ELA.

The work related to the organizational development of the DILG include the following components:

• Analysis and selection of organizational options for the DILG
• Preparation and approval of the Rationalization Plan
• Support to DILG on the Strategic Review of Devolution and Decentralization
• Continuing Support to DILG on the Strategic Review of Devolution and Decentralization and enhancing its capacity for policy work

 A Rationalization Plan was drafted and reviewed by the Change Management Team and the new leadership before submission to the DBM. Support was extended to the Committee on Devolution in Phase 1 of its work under Executive Order 444, which covered the review of devolution in the agriculture, environment, health and local government financing and fiscal management sectors. Also, a framework for devolution was drafted.

The Policy Development project with the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) and the League of Municipalities (LMP) finalized the following: a diagnostic report on the Leagues' capacity for policy development and advocacy and a policy document on solid waste management which was presented to the LCP General Assembly and the National Solid Waste Management Commission. The Policy issue documents on local revenue generation and the Local Government Code review were referred to the Committee on Devolution.

Under this project, LGSP II was instrumental in the preparation and approval of recently signed Executive Order 444 on the strategic review of devolution and decentralization under the Local Government Code. It coordinated with the Leagues to help them prepare their policy reform agenda on devolution and decentralization as well as strengthen their internal policy development and advocacy process in response to the completed diagnostic study. The internal policy development was continued under the Leagues' agreement with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. 

LGSP institutionalized Local Governance Resource Centers (LGRCs), in partnership with the Local Government Academy (LGA) and the DILG Regional Offices. Seven DILG Regional Offices (Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 10) enrolled as Regional LGRC pilot sites. LGA, as the National Local Governance Resource Center, coordinated the entire LGRC network. 

Some accomplishments were:

• Development of a web-based Integrated Library Management System (ILMS) that  underwent testing/debugging
• Development of the Local Governance Knowledge Management Framework and LGRC Operational Knowledge Management Framework
• Completion of Knowledge Management Diagnostics in LGA and in all Regional LGRC sites
• Conduct of a series of multi-stakeholder consultations (Ugnay Talakay) in LGA and in regional LGRCs
• Multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnerships identified and forged in some select regional LGRCs

Part of LGSP's efforts to support DILGs Governance Facility for Adaptation and Replication or GOFAR was strengthening the replication process in three (3) laboratory regions, namely Regions 2, 6 and 10, which were also LGRC pilot sites. This involved a series of capacity development activities on replication concepts, principles, documentation, and other tools. GOFAR also advocated the replication of selected exemplary practices.  As of August 2005, four (4) inception workshops involving 17 LGUs were conducted. LGSP also assisted LGSPA and GOFAR ARMM in conducting inception workshops for four (4) ARMM LGUs in replicating the Linamon experience and ?Plant a Tree and Grow with Me? project of Oroquieta City.

LGSP also completed the documentation of 22 replicable practices on local governance.

These are available as references to organizations such LGUs, DILG and other government agencies, donor programs, academe, etc. who are interested in finding out more about these exemplary practices and how they can be replicated.  LGSP shared its replication methodology with other agencies such as Department of Health, the Philippine Australia Local Sustainability program, the Philippine Australia Community Assistance Program and the USAID funded ECO-Governance project to communicate the value of replication as a methodology in capacity development.