CHAMPIONING LOCAL AUTONOMY. File photo shows Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas (center, seated) as he graced a Seminar Workshop in Davao City in June to personally discuss the implementation of Mandanas ruling and its impact on the socio-economic developments of local government units. The governor on Monday (Nov. 6, 2023) said that LGUs need a “fair share” of tax revenues for an effective public service. (Photo courtesy of Batangas PIO)
BATANGAS CITY – The provincial governor here has appealed to lawmakers to be more generous in appropriating funds to local government units (LGUs) during the next budget deliberations given their growing financial needs.
In an interview on Monday, Governor Hermilando Mandanas said that LGUs need a “fair share” of tax revenues to enable them to extend a more effective public service.
He pointed out that the Supreme Court (SC), through its 2018 Mandanas-Garcia Ruling, has effectively strengthened financial decentralization in government, affirming that LGUs should have a just share of the tax collection of national government agencies (NGAs).
Mandanas cited Article 10, Section 6 of the Philippine Constitution, stating that “local government units shall have a just share, as determined by law, in the national taxes which shall be automatically released to them.”
“The importance of the SC ruling is to obey the law. This is the beginning of the real development of our people,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mandanas said the recent increases in funding as a direct result of the SC’s Mandanas-Garcia Ruling has greatly benefitted Batangueños.
He said because of the increase, the provincial government was able to provide all barangays with multi-purpose rescue vehicles for emergency response, especially during the recent Taal volcano incident where it emitted high levels of sulfur dioxide that led to volcanic smog or vog spreading to parts of the province of Batangas.
Through better funding, Mandanas said he is positive that the overall delivery of services in such fields as healthcare, education, livelihood, and disaster response will greatly improve. (PNA)
