DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. (File photo)
MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday announced that 1,715 peace and order councils (POCs) of local government units (LGUs) will be subjected anew to an annual performance audit.
In this year’s performance audit, the DILG stressed that local POCs need to have a rating of at least 70 percent compared to the 2022 passing rate of 65 percent for them to be considered functional based on the pillars of "organization, meetings, policies, plan and budget, reports and general supervision".
“Through this yearly audit, we want to make sure that our regional, provincial, city and municipal POCs are functional and are carrying out strategies and interventions to further improve the peace and order situation in their areas,” Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said in a statement.
The DILG chief bared that "bonus points" await the POCs that have made innovations or new programs that contribute dramatically to maintaining peace, order and security in their respective localities.
“Ang mas mataas na functionality rate ng POCs ay repleksyon ng mas kaaya-ayang mga LGUs (The higher the functionality rate of the PCO is a reflection of a more appealing LGUs),’’ Abalos stressed.
“POCs will bring meaningful development in their areas such as an increase in participation and engagements of various sectors,” he added.
Based on Executive Order 773, the POCs are required to meet every three months, must have a three-term based plan in peace and order and public safety (POPS), allocate yearly budget for the illegal drug campaign and submit accomplishment reports using the POPS Plan Policy Compliance Monitoring System.
In this year’s audit performance, the DILG, for the first time, will add ‘development indicators’ like the effectiveness in addressing criminality issues, citizens' satisfaction with peace and order and public safety and women’s participation in POCs.
However, Abalos clarified that such an indicator will only serve as the "baseline data" and will not be part of the overall performance scores.
The National Audit Team is led by the Bureau of Local Government Supervision of the DILG with the various government agencies and civil society organizations representatives acting as members. (PNA)
