The three priorities from the Local Government Code that needs amendments

in order to bolster local development

1. Reformed Internal Revenue

Smaller LGUs with lesser population and land area but with natural resources that
are generating billions of revenues suffer from the current Internal Revenue Allotment.
Revenues from these natural resources should be given to the LGUs where they are found
and even the revenues from other taxes such as income taxes should also be under the
control of the LGUs or a huge chink of it should go to the LGUs instead of the National
Government. This will empower LGUs to fund projects that are needed in their locality
without the need to ask the National Government - a very tedious process which often
leads to nothing.

2. Fiscal Autonomy in relation to the approval of Massive Local Government

Projects
In the present, massive infrastructure projects cannot be done by the LGUs because it
needs the approval of NEDA and other government agencies. Davao and Cebu has been
proposing a Mass Transit System but the appropriate National Agencies are failing to
consider such. In order to hasten development and avoid unreasonable delays, LGUs
should have the control and exclusive right to propose and implement projects concerning
their locality.

3. Shortened but Functional Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy is perhaps the most problematic aspect in our Local Government Code.

Currently, all roads lead to Malacanan. From the control of the local police to the control
of teachers. There should be reforms giving the LGUs more control on issues that
concern the locality. The control of the police, their appointments, duties and functions,
should be with LGUs as it is only logical that LGUs know the issues facing it. Changes in
the ranks of the Police will definitely affect the way the LGU protect itself from
lawlessness and criminality and hampers development.

Federalism may be a solution to the development of Local Communities

A Presidential and Unitary form of government may not be good for the Philippines
because we are an archipelagic and multi-tribal/ethnic people. The Philippines, naturally,
are grouped into different regions, ethnicities and beliefs. These differences makes it
harder for a single government to manage almost, if not all, all the affairs of its people.
Naturally, the group or ethnicity who controls the national government gets a huge chunk
of government services while those who are not gets unjustly less.
In the present, Metro Manila gets a very huge chunk of the National budget even if it
only represent a meager ten (10) percent or less of the entire country. In a federalism,
local communities are empowered by letting them enjoy the revenues, from whatever
source, found in their locality. Bureaucracy will also be diminished because the power of
the National Government will be reduced and more will be given to the LGUs such as
Education, Police, Social welfare, etc. This means that LGUs will be more proactive
without the constant begging for Manila to grant them projects. A proactive LGU will
mean better local community development.