Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Saturday urged the national government to move forward with a proposed tripartite agreement among the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Agriculture (DA) that would prioritize qualified local government units (LGUs) in the implementation of development projects.

Escudero said the proposed framework would allow LGUs with proven capacity to implement projects and maintain peace and order to directly benefit from national government support for infrastructure, education facilities, and agricultural development.

Citing his recent conversation with Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, Escudero said LGUs will be assessed based on two primary criteria: their track record in completing projects and the presence of a stable peace-and-order environment.

“The focus should be on LGUs that have demonstrated they can plan and execute projects effectively and sustain peace and order,” Escudero said, adding that this approach would allow national agencies to roll out programs more efficiently.

He also encouraged LGUs to position themselves to meet the requirements of the proposed agreement to gain access to additional national government support.

Escudero said Dizon informed him that Sorsogon is among the provinces that meet the criteria under the proposed model and could be prioritized for implementation.

From 2019 to 2022, when Escudero served as governor of Sorsogon, the province completed several infrastructure projects, including the Sorsogon Coastal Road, and carried out road rehabilitation projects at the provincial and barangay levels.

During the same period, the provincial government supported Barangay Development Projects under the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC), which the senator said contributed to improved peace and order conditions.

According to Escudero, the tripartite arrangement may be adopted in other provinces that meet similar standards, allowing national agencies to concentrate resources on LGUs deemed ready to implement programs.

“This is exactly how the Local Government Code envisioned development — strong national support matched with capable, empowered LGUs delivering results on the ground,” Escudero said.

He added that the DPWH-DepEd-DA partnership could also serve as a model for future inter-agency collaborations involving infrastructure, education, and agriculture.

“When we back LGUs that are ready and proven, progress becomes faster, fairer, and felt by more families,” Escudero said.