The LCP Caravan heads to Negros Cities

It was a sweet escape from a day in a life of the city mayors when the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) embarked on a three-day LCP Visayas Island Caravan to 18 cities and two municipalities in the Negros Island on August 26-30, 2008. 

LCP President Mayor Benjamin C. Abalos, who led the delegation, said the LCP Caravan has truly become an enriching activity for member-cities which have afforded them to learn and share insights on local governance.   

“The Caravan provides a venue for our city mayors to discuss issues and for the host cities to showcase their local programs and projects. City mayors share with each other programs and projects that have direct impact on their constituencies. With this, we are able to bring out lessons and apply them in our cities as well.”   

Now on its third leg after the Northern Mindanao and Bicol cities, the Caravan also engages the national government agencies, the private sector, and development partners in an outreach activity. “Through the Caravan, we celebrate our diversities and impart meaningful activities and interventions that directly touch people’s lives,” Mayor Abalos added. 

In the Negros leg, the Caravan’s institutional partners – The One World Institute and The Indian Chamber of Commerce – donated 10 wheelchairs and 2,000 pairs of eyeglasses to each city. Also in his capacity as the Union and Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) President, Mayor Abalos with the mayors distributed wheelchairs, eyeglasses, scholarship grant, and a day care center in the scenic towns of Don Salvador Benedicto and Mabinay. The ULAP is the umbrella organization of all the local government leagues. 

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Austere Panadero who attended the Visayas Island Cluster Consultation that opened the five-day tour said the Caravan is an LCP’s innovative program. “There is cross learning that will happen in all of this endeavor. It improves governance,” he added.

Reactivating the Visayas Island Cluster

A highlight in the Caravan was the reactivation of the Island Cluster Consultation on August 27, 2008 in Bacolod City. LCP Vice President for the Visayas Hector Villanueva of Bais City convened the Visayas cities and the National Executive Board (NEB) to discuss national policies with local implications. Representatives from the national government offices attended to shed light on some issues raised by the Visayan city mayors. 

Mayor Eugenio Lacson, the LCP Regional Representative for Region VI, said the issues on solid waste management and amendments to the Local Government Code were among the priority concerns.  

Issues on waste management

City mayors express their concern on the compliance of Republic Act 9003 also known as the Solid Waste Management Act. The deadline imposed on LGUs to close their dumpsite and convert it to sanitary landfill maybe farfetched.

In the meeting, the National Solid Waste Commission disclosed that there remain 826 open dumpsites in various parts of the country. Republic Act 9003 mandates that dumpsites should be closed five years after the law's enactment in 2001.

Bacolod City, in a newspaper report, asked for the extension of the deadline set by the DENR.  A representative from the National Solid Waste Board Commission urged LGUs to cluster in addressing garbage problems.

Moreover, Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando proposed a NEB resolution to conduct a study on the cities’ expenditures of their waste management. She urged the mayors that some LGUs may be spending too much to address their garbage problems instead of basic social services. She urged the LCP Secretariat to conduct a technical study. Lipa City Mayor Oscar Gozos and Mayor Abalos approved the motion. 

The city mayors also proposed to review of Clean Air Act and seek the possibility to use incinerators in waste management as first world countries use it. They also propose to the Commission to facilitate grants for clean development mechanisms and avail of the government’s carbon credit programs.

On amendments to the LGC

Undersecretary Panadero discussed the proposed amendments to the Local Government Code. He said an inter-agency report has been already produced that enumerates the proposals for amendments to the LGC. This however focuses on the fiscal related matters.

”We work on the principle of broadening local taxing powers to enhance the ability of LGUs to raise revenues from local sources by widening of the tax base and removal of some exemptions and increasing the percentage and amount of tax,” Usec.  Panadero reported. 

“Local tax structure should be simple and flexible and local structure and systems should enhance ease of tax administration,” he added. 

Some of the proposed amendments include the increase on ceiling tax transfer of property ownership from 0.5% to 2%, simplifying the business tax to a single rate of 2.5% of gross sale or receipts, expanding the coverage of local businesses to be subjected by local tax like spas and karaoke bars, 

Usec Panadero said cities will gain the most if the amendments are to be approved, “although it is proposed that the tax rate of a number of provincial impositions are increased, it is notable that 79% of the incremental revenues from the proposed amendments is expected to accrue to cities, 14% to municipalities and 7 % provinces.”

On promoting functional literacy among cities

Dr. Norma Salcedo of the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) also presented the Council’s current programs. She said that based on the 2003 official survey, the Philippines stands highly in simple literacy rate at 93.9% but moderately achieves in the functional literacy rate at 84.1%. “Eleven million Filipinos do not possess functional literacy skills,” she said. 

The LCC differentiates simple literacy as the ability to read, write and understand simple messages as to functional literacy as the ability to exhibit a range of life skills, competencies, and to become empowered citizens.   

Dr. Salcedo underscored that LGUs through the DILG, Department of Education (DepEd) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) joint circular series 2003, play a significant role in strengthening the local LCCs.

Mayor Fernando urged the LGUs to enhance the LCCs and engage the women’s sector in raising the level of functional literacy in the cities. She also proposed to use the 5% LGU gender and development fund to support local LCC activities. “We can use the budget to educate the mothers. The mothers will educate their children on life skills that are rarely taught in formal education,” she added. 

Mayor Nestor Alvarez of the Science City of Muñoz agreed that local LCCs need to be expanded to other sectoral members like women. In the case of Muñoz, LCC’s programs focus on out-of-school youth. 

Mayor Abalos confirmed to Usec. Panadero, who also sits as a council member, if LCC activities can use the LGU’s Special Education Fund (SEF). Usec. Panadero said that SEF can only be used for formal education purposes. The SEF is the total proceeds of the one percent tax on the assessed value of real property taxes of LGUs. The Local School Board manages the SEF.

Dr. Salcedo hopes that LGU practices in promoting literacy can be mainstreamed. Every year, the LCC awards outstanding LGUs with the best literacy programs. For 2008, Davao, Pasay, Cagayan De Oro, Puerto Princesa, and General Santos emerges in the highly urbanized cities category. Tagum, Surigao, Kidapawan, Tacloban, and Sorsogon, meanwhile, top the component cities category.

The Caravan

LCP Focal Mayor for Health and Talisay City Mayor Eric Saratan hosted a welcome lunch to the delegation and a tour around the city hall. Meanwhile, LCP Vice Chair and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia personally toured the mayors around the city of smiles. Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco also joined in welcoming the delegation by hosting a dinner and cultural presentation that showcased the best of local talents of province. 

With Bacolod, Silay, Cadiz, Victorias, La Carlota, and Bago cities clustered to receive the wheelchairs and eyeglasses during the Island Cluster Consultation.

Afterwards, mayors trooped to Silay city as the city’s most famous house, the Balay Negrense, provided a nostalgic luncheon. The antiquated French-inspired house built in 1897 of Don Victor Gaston, a famous sugar baron, houses some of the best cultural artifacts in the province. 

In a memorable festive Bacolod hospitality, the city hosted a dinner for the mayors at the new Bacolod City Government Center. Mayor Leonardia also turned over symbolic keys to the city to the city mayors. 

Mayor Abalos in a news conference said the new center is a fitting symbol of city. “Personally, for me it is one the most beautiful city halls I have ever seen in my entire life all throughout the country,” he added.

 Two hours away from Bacolod is San Carlos city, the host of the third day of the caravan, clustering with Escalante, Sagay and Canlaon cities. Mayor Lacson welcomed the delegation with an exciting number of the city’s famous Pinta Flores. The colorful rhythmic dances of life as performed by the local talents depict the city’s indebted gratitude of man of the bounty his environment provides. 

The fourth day brought the mayors to the cities of Kabankalan, Himamaylan, and Sipalay. Stop overs at Balay na Bato in Bago City with Mayor Ramon Torres enthused the delegates of the city’s rich heritage. Himamaylan and Kabankalan delighted the mayors of their city’s famous cuisine and sweets. Mayors Carminia Bascon (Himamaylan), Pedro Zayco (Kabankalan), and Soledad Montilla (Sipalay) were in full force to welcome the Caravan.

 Not to be outdone, Bais City prepared a late afternoon program coinciding with its flag lowering ceremony with the city officials. In a festive mood, Mayor Villanueva led in the symbolic turnover of wheelchairs and eyeglasses to Dumaguete and Tanjay cities, which form the fourth cluster.

From Bais, mayors proceeded to Dumaguete City where Mayor Agustin Perdices, who is also the LCP Representative for Region VII, awaited the delegates in a dinner program at the Rizal Boulevard, the city’s most famous promenade.

 In Bayawan City, the Caravan toured the city’s development project sites like the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Housing and the bio-diesel processing center. Already a favorite lakbay-aral (learning visit) area, the GK houses use indigenous method in treating its wastewater. It uses an indigenous plant, the tambo, whose root system filtrates wastewater leaving the water clean enough for other household use.

At the city’s bio-diesel processing center, the city blends jatropha curcas, a weed, and a coconut fuel to produce a bio-diesel. City Mayor German Saraña toured the mayors in city’s bio-diesel processing center. Mayor Sarana said bio-diesel is already used in some government vehicles. He added that carbon emissions in the city can be reduced as much as 94% compared to fossil fuel.
The short but well-loved trip in Bayawan City capped off the LCP’s longest caravan to date. The four-day caravan has enabled the mayors to gain more insights on local governance. More importantly, it is the sharing of insights among mayors, the friendships they have shared, and the unity among diversities in one brotherhood it has exhibited, which prove the caravan to a more memorable ride.