Nat’l agencies eye deal favoring empowered LGUs
The DPWH-DepEd-DA partnership could serve as a model for future inter-agency collaborations involving infrastructure, education and agriculture.
SENATOR Francis Escudero
Photo courtesy of PNA
The national government was pressed 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 in implementing development projects.
The framework would allow LGUs with the capacity to implement projects and maintain peace and order to access national government support for infrastructure, education facilities, and agricultural development.
Citing a recent conversation with Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, Senator Francis Escudero said LGUs would be assessed based on two 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,” he said.
He also encouraged LGUs to meet the requirements of the proposed agreement to access additional national government support.
The lawmaker 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, the province completed 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, which Escudero said contributed to improved peace and order conditions.
The arrangement may be adopted in other provinces that meet similar standards, allowing national agencies to focus resources on LGUs deemed ready to implement programs, the senator said.
“This is exactly how the Local Government Code envisioned development — strong national support matched with capable, empowered LGUs delivering results on the ground,” he said.
He added that the DPWH-DepEd-DA partnership could serve as a model for future inter-agency collaborations involving infrastructure, education, and agriculture.