Republic Act 7160

Local Government Code 1991

This code establishes the system and defines power of provinces, cities, municipalities and
barangay governments in the Philippines. It provides for a more responsive local government
structure instituted through a system of decentralization whereby Local Government Units are
delegated more power, authority, responsibilities and resources.

Salient of the code

Tiers of the Government

There are several levels of local authority. Province as the intermediate unit, providing
supervision to the municipalities and component cities under it, and performing services for the
national government. The basic units of local government, or those performing services for
people who live together in a community are the cities and municipalities. And barangay as sub-
municipal unit, which provides face to face interaction to people.

Officials
Each local government unit has a set of executive and legislative officials. At the provincial
level, the officials are the elected Governor, Vice-governor and memebers of Sangguniang
Panglalawigan. The cities and municipalities each have a mayor and memebers of the council.
They are all elected term for three years.

Services.
Basis Units of Government provide for sanitation, operate markets, and other utilities. The local
government code devolves to all local units the administration five basic services: agriculture,
health, social welfare, maintenance of public works and highways and environmental protection.

Power of the president to supervise

The president of the Philippines shall exercise general supervision over local governments.
Provinces with respect to component cities and municipalities with respect to component
barangays shall ensure that the acts of their component units are within the scope of their
prescribed powers and functions.

Power of taxation
Local governments are authorized by law to impose certain taxes to support their activities.
However, their main source of revenue is the internal revenue tax, which is shared by the
national government with them. The code raises their share of these taxes from 20 percent to 40
percent.
Autonomous special Economic Zone

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

MMDA was created for sole purposeof coordination of delivery of basic services.
Organic act for Muslim Mindanao
RA 6734 or Organic act for Muslim Mindanao. The intention of the act was to provide a form
of government which would respond to the special needs in the predominantly Muslim areas, It
provide for a Governor and an Assembly as well as a cabinet for the ARMM.

Indigenous people right act or the Republic act 8371 enacted by the congress in 1997. This act
includes provisions on the inherent right of indigenous people to self-governance and self-
determination and consequently guarantees their right to freely pursue their economic , social
and cultural development and the right to determine and decide their own priorities for
development. It also assures that IPs are given maximum participation in the direction of
education, health and other services so that they would be more responsive to the needs of the
communities. Indigenous community also have the right to use their customary laws and
practices for conflict resolution.

The code 1991 is the enactment of the constitution’s provision that the LGUs “shall enjoy local
autonomy “and in which the president exercises “general supervision”. Hence, we must
understand that Local autonomy does not make local governments sovereign within the state
rather it was autonomous in a sense that it is given more powers, authority, responsibilities and
resources. The code 1991 is a process of decongesting the national government through
devolution and giving autonomy to LGUs which is a stepping stone for our country’s
decentralization. On the account of geographic features and ethno-linguistic diversity, a
decentralized form of government seems more compatible for the Philippines. As stated by some
scholars, “No centralized authority could possible wield power effectively over a hundred
cultures by subsuming them under a monolithic administrative structured governed from
Manila”. In connection, one of the salients of the code is providing broader powers, functions
and responsibilities to the ARMM and to the IPs hoping that it will elevate their economic
status.Thus ARMM remains as one of the poorest regions in the country and relies mainly on the
national government for financing devolved responsibilities, especially in education.
In addition, despite of Imposed levy taxes to their community, some Local Governments
continue to depend on their shares to the Internal Revenue Allotment.
On the other hand, LGUs have these major complaints regarding the Code too. Such as the
Responsibilities are devolved from the national agencies to LGUs, but not the corresponding
funds and National Government continues to hold and control the Bulk of Productive Sources of
Revenue even in the Post-Code period. Nevertheless, the code was not one without flaws
therefore it must undergo to a more comprehensive review and improvement.
Sources:

Caliling-Cruz F.,(2012), Essentials of politics and Governance with the 1987 Philippine
Constitution, Books Atbp.Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong City.

Samson,L.,(2005), Politics and Governance, Developed Academy of the Philippines, DAP

Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City.

Development Academy of the Philippines, (2005) Decentralized Capacity Building, Pasig City,
Development Academy of the Philippines.

Prepared By:
Edilyn A. Tampoco
AB Political Science

Submitted to:
Ms. Arrieth Genoveva O. Sanderson
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences