PNoy commends LGUs for heeding the call for transparency

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

PNoy commends LGUs for heeding the call for transparency

by Rodrigo S. Victoria

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Febr 1, (PIA) - No less than President Benigno S. Aquino III has commended Local Government Units (LGUs) in the country who heeded the call of his administration for full disclosure and transparency in all their financial transactions.

This was part of the message of President Aquino delivered by DILG Usec. Austere A. Panadero during the Philippine Councilors League-Eastern Visayas Chapter (PCL-EVC) 2010 Local Legislative Awarding Ceremony and Regional Congress and Joint Induction of the PCL-EVC Regional Council/Provincial Federation Officers held on January 28, 2011 at the People’s Center here.

In his message, President Aquino also commended the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through the able leadership of Secretary Jessie Robredo for full disclosure policy which requires all LGUs to be transparent in all their financial transactions.

"Secretary Robredo reported to me that the DILG, all its attached agencies and a total of eighteen (18) provinces and thirty-one (31) cities have already complied with the full disclosure requirement as they have already posted their local finances on their website and in prominent places in their respective localities" Aquino said in his message.

President Aquino challenged in his message other LGUs to do the same with those who have already heeded the call for full disclosure and transparency.

The President added in his message that the General Appropriations Act (GAA) mandates full compliance to the DILG Memorandum on full disclosure of local budget and finances, and bids and public offering.

He further said that it is also complementary to the Commission on Audit (COA) memorandum which requires LGUs to do the same thing.

The President informed that around half a trillion pesos of internal revenue allotment and locally generated funds, or a third of the total government expenditures for delivery of services will be in the hands of the LGUs next year.

He further said that Secretary Robredo is right that full disclosure will be the most concrete anti-corruption tool that will allow our citizens to engage and make their LGUs accountable.

"Let us elevate the practice of good governance that values transparency, accountability, participation and performance", President Aquino said. (PIA 8)

Cabatuan.com - Kasimanwa.com - Austere Panadero