DILG to LGUs: Organize transition teams for turnover of responsibility

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government reminded all incumbent governors and mayors of local government units to organize their respective Local Governance Transition Team by April 7 for an effective transition and turnover of responsibilities ahead of the 2022 polls.

In a statement sent to reporters Wednesday morning, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said that all LGU assets, records, and documents, among others, must be turned over transparently and efficiently to a new set of elected local officials "for the seamless continuance of ongoing programs for the people."

"Public service must not be hampered amid a possible transition of leadership in the LGUs. We remind our local chief executives that as early as now they should be forming their LGTTs to guarantee the continuity of public service and ensure that all assets are well accounted for upon the transition," he said in mixed Filipino and English.

According to Año, each LGTT will be composed of the local chief executive as the chairperson. Members of the transition team are LGU department heads; DILG representatives such as DILG Provincial Director in case of a provincial government, DILG City Director in case of city government, or DILG Municipal Local Government Operations Officer in case of municipal government; and, the secretary of the local Sanggunian. 

There should also be one representative from a civil society organization or people's organization. The vice-chairperson, he added, will be elected among the members.

In DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-029, Año said that LGTT must ensure the safekeeping of LGU records and documents and the protection of local government assets during the election period; and guarantee the smooth local governance transition of the new and re-elected officials on June 30, 2022.

The LGTT is also tasked with conducting an inventory of LGU properties including immovable properties such as land, buildings, infrastructure facilities, and their improvements, and pieces of machinery made immovable as well as movable properties such as vehicles, office equipment, furniture, fixtures, and office supply stocks.

The transition team must also gather, secure, and preserve all official documents and/or records of LGU official transactions; and, turnover accountabilities using the prescribed forms, in case of a new set of incoming elected officials, and update the list of accountabilities, in case of re-elected officials.

Among the official documents the LGTTs must secure are the 2021 Governance Assessment Report; Contracts and Loans Agreement; Comprehensive Development Plan; 2022 Annual Investment Program; Comprehensive Land Use Plan; Public Service Continuity Plan; LGU's Citizens Charter; and, various Full Disclosure Policy documents.

"Along with the other LGU documents, the LGTTs are expected to ensure that the all-important LGU Devolution Transition Plan, in line with the implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court ruling and Executive Order No. 138, will be forwarded to the new set of local officials," Año said.

An LGTT must likewise organize a turnover ceremony for the incoming local officials, to include a briefing on the Governance Assessment Report and key challenges, to be conducted on June 30, 2022; and, ensure the accomplishment of the Elective Local Official Personal Data Sheet by the incoming officials to be submitted not later than July 11 to their Human Resources Management Office, Office of the Sanggunian, and to the DILG Field Office.