DSWD to devolve programs to LGUS starting 2022 – exec

Shalaine Marie Lucero, DSWD-7 assistant regional director for operations, says they will decentralize the agency’s programs to LGUs next year. | Futch Anthony Inso

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will start to devolve or decentralize its programs to the local government units (LGUs) starting next year.

This was revealed by Shalaine Marie Lucero, DSWD-7 assistant regional director for operations, as the government would start to implement the 2018 Mandanas ruling of the Supreme Court (SC), which would be expected to increase the internal revenue allotment (IRA) of the LGUs.

The SC’s decision on the Mandanas case specifies that the just share of LGUs, also known as Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), must be computed based on all national taxes, and not just from National Internal Revenue Taxes (NIRT).

These include other taxes such as those collected by the Bureau of Customs and agencies that are authorized by law to collect NIRT.

Lucero said that among the programs that would be devolved to LGUs and other agencies would be supplementary feeding program; assistance to persons with disabilities (PWDs); comprehensive project for street children; social pension, which would be transitioned to the National Commission for the Senior Citizens; Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS); programs for traffic persons; sustainable livelihood program; and the Kalahi-CIDSS.

“So eventually, ang mabilin na lang gyud sa DSWD would be nga kami gyud under the law will have to do the service, pareha anang adoption, kay klaro mana sa balaod nga kami gyud maoy motrabaho ana,” Lucero said.

(So eventually, what will be left for DSWD would be us under the law will have to do the service, such as adoption, because it is clear in law that we are the ones who will work on that.)

Lucero, however, said that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), their centers and institutions, disaster response, and regulatory functions of the agency would remain also to them.

She also clarified that the devolution of programs from DSWD to the LGUs and other agencies would also be implemented gradually in the next three years, especially to 4th, 5th, and 6th class municipalities.

LGUs will also undergo capacity building before their execution.

The devolution of programs of DSWD was first implemented in 1992 under the Local Government Code.

“Ang critical gyud nato ani sir is ang kapasidad sa LGU to accept this all responsibility and accountability and kani atong mga personnel sa national agency nga ma-affected sa Mandanas,” she added.

(The critical part in this is the capacity of the LGU to accept all this responsibility and accountability and our personnel of the national agency would be affected by the Mandanas.)

She said that during their inventory this year, around 835 workers of DSWD-7 would be affected by the devolution of programs.

Lucero, however, assured them that they would be given priority on the vacancies of their other programs.

Likewise, the agency will also endorse them to other national government agencies and LGUs for job vacancies.

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