THE PHILIPPINES AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGU)

By Apolinario Villalobos

Local Government Units (LGUs) need not send their employees to expensive seminars to become effective in implementing programs. All they need to do is come up with a checklist of WORDS as reminders…these are simple words that should tell them if they are taking the right direction in fulfilling their Mission and having the right focus towards their Vision. A seminar is not needed for the LGU leadership to know if his or her barangay, town, city, or province is clean or beautiful enough to entice tourists….or to know if peace and order are prevalent to entice investors and more residents, etc.

A TEAM BUILDING seminar is not needed to know if ALL units of an LGU are HARMONIOUSLY COORDINATING WITH EACH OTHER. It is not also necessary to develop COOPERATION among the offices of the LGU because it is supposed to be required among all employees, being part and parcel of their respective mandate in order to EFFECTIVELY SERVE the constituents properly.

A seminar on VALUES AND ATTITUDE is not needed for the employees to become POLITE towards each other, especially, the clients. They are mandated to act in such a way otherwise they lose their job if they fail or adamantly refuse. This simple requirement is in the Civil Service Code.

NEEDED ARE SENSITIVITY, CONCERN AND SERIOUSNESS IN CARRYING OUT THE ASSIGNED JOB OF EACH EMPLOYEE, WHETHER HE OR SHE IS A BOSS OR A MERE STAFF.

A SINGLE MISTAKE IN CARRYING OUT THE OVERALL MANDATE OF AN LGU CAN SPELL DISASTER AND COULD TRAGICALLY AFFECT THE IMAGE OF THE LEADERSHIP. FOR A SIMPLE CONSTITUENT, ANY BAD OCCURENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY IS THE FAULT OF THE BARANGAY CHAIRMAN, MAYOR OR GOVERNOR. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NOT ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE AWARE OR KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DIFFERENT OFFICES IN A MUNICIPAL OR CITY HALL, OR PROVINCIAL CAPITOL FOR THAT MATTER. ALL THEY KNOW IS THAT THEIR COMMUNITY IS  ADMINISTERED BY THE BARANGAY CHAIRMAN, MAYOR OR GOVERNOR. IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE FAULT OF THE LEADERSHIP IF THERE ARE FLAWS IN HIS OR HER ADMINISTRATION. BUT THEN, HE OR SHE MUST BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR SHENANIGANS OR DUMB HEADS WHO REFUSE TO COOPERATE NECESSATING  THE IMPOSITION OF THE APPROPRIATE SANCTION INCLUDING DISMISSAL DUE TO INCOMPETENCE.

IT IS A UNIVERSAL EXPECTATION THAT EVERY ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING THE LGU SHOULD OPERATE LIKE A CLOCK WITH ALL THE PARTS HARMONIOUSLY FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, OTHERWISE, IT STOPS, OR IF FORCED TO FUNCTION BY ALL MEANS, BECOMES INEFFECTIVE AS IT COULD FALTER INTERMITTENTLY.

A SINGLE MALFUNCTIONING AND INEFFECTIVE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT BECOMES AN EYE SORE IN THE IMAGE OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY.