Disclose finances, local executives urged

MANILA, Philippines – Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara asked governors and city and town mayors to disclose the state of their finances to their constituents.

He said revealing their finances and financial transactions would be in keeping with the full disclosure policy, one of the local governance reforms initiated by the late Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Angara has filed a bill that would require governors, mayors and even barangay captains to post and publish within their territorial jurisdictions a summary of all income and revenue from both public and private sources, as well as a listing of all their disbursements, expenditures and utilization of funds for the entire year.

“This is our way of acknowledging the legacy of a great man, by continuing the worthy program that he had started,” he said.

“Sec. Robredo was a consistent practitioner of ‘daang matuwid (straight path).’ He was always at the forefront of advancing transparency and accountability in local governance, thus we dedicate this measure in honor of his great deeds and principled brand of leadership,” he said.

Under Angara’s bill, the summaries of incomes and expenditures would be posted in the provincial capital, city and town hall, and barangay hall, and in at least three other conspicuous places for at least two consecutive weeks after the end of each year.

Governors, mayors and barangay chairmen would also be required to publish such summaries within 60 days from the end of each year in a national newspaper for at least two consecutive weeks.

Angara said the income and expenditure reports would be prepared and signed by the local treasurer, to be attested to by the governor, city or municipal mayor, and barangay chairman, and by a representative of the Commission on Audit.

Violators of the requirement would be fined at least P30,000 but not more than P50,000, or imprisoned for three to five months. The court would have the discretion to impose both penalties.

The violator could also be barred from holding any public office.

Angara said Robredo initiated the full disclosure policy to ensure transparency in all their financial transactions.

He said even in the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Robredo required the posting of status of funds, procurements, bidding processes, and other transactions in their department’s website.