SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known and cited as the Local Government Code of 1991.SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy.

. (a) It is hereby declared the policy of the State that the territorial and political subdivisions of the State shall enjoy genuine and meaningful local autonomy to enable them to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities and make them more effective partners in the attainment of national goals. Toward this end, the State shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of decentralization whereby local government units shall be given more powers, authority, responsibilities, and resources. The process of decentralization shall proceed from the National Government to the local government units.

What is Local Autonomy?

Local autonomy is the exercise of certain basic powers, i.e. police power, power of eminent domain, and taxing power, by local government units so as to best serve the interest and promote the general well being of their inhabitants. By express constitutional mandate, enjoyment of local autonomy by the territorial and political subdivisions, i.e. all government units including the two autonomous regions (actually just one: ARMM), is now a basic state policy. RA 7160: 1991 Local Government Code Sec. 15. As a body politic and corporate, every LGU shall exercise its powers as a political subdivision of the government and as a corporate entity representing the inhabitants of its territory. The Local Government Code shall
1. Provide for a more responsible and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of decentralization with effective mechanisms of recall, initiative and referendum. 2. Allocate among the different local units their powers, responsibilities and resources 3. Provide for the qualifications, election, appointment and removal, term, salaries, powers, and functions, and duties of local officials 4. Provide for all other matters relating to the organization and operation of the local units. UPDATE: There are supposedly two autonomous regions as per our Constitution ARMM and CAR. But CAR did not have a successful plebiscite for the said purpose hence it remains as an administrative region, i.e., Cordillera Administrative Region. ARMM on the other hand has been replaced by the Bangsamoro pursuant to the 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The Bangsamoro is still an autonomous region.

What is debureaucratization?
Answer:

Debureaucratization or decrease in bureaucratism. This is the process of removing the monopoly of a few bureaucrat-politicians in the government. This is done by making room for the participation of citizen organizations in the country governance. it is the primary way to achieving the goal of a strong, autonomous, and self-sufficient barangays. This is setting to right the excessive centralization of power, authority, responsibility and recourse by the national government. This is the very essence and content of the Local Government Code regarding the barangays. Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. It differs from federalism in that the powers devolved may be temporary and ultimately reside in central government, thus the state remains, de jure, unitary. Legislation creating devolved parliaments or assemblies can be repealed by central government in the same way as any statute. Federal systems, or federacies, differ in that state or provincial government is guaranteed in the constitution. Australia, Canada, India and the United States have federal systems, and have constitutions (as do some of their constituent states or provinces). They also have territories, with less power and authority than a state or province. The devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government. However, the power to make legislation relevant to the area may also be granted.

What is bureaupathology?
Also known as Red Tape Syndrome, Characterized by excessive rules, procedures, meetings, formality that impede progress and are therefore counterproductive.

The Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) is a local government units (LGU) share of revenues from the Philippine national government. Provinces, independent cities, component cities, municipalities, and barangays each get a separate allotment. The allotment is largely based upon the type of government they are and a formula based upon their land area and population. Section 284 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines (RA 7160) sets up the formula for the distribution of the allotment. All or nearly all of the revenue that a local government has to spend comes from their IRA, though some local governments also have additional local sources of revenue such as property taxes and government fees. Typically for municipalities, the IRA accounts for 90% of total

revenues. Since cities have more sources of local revenues, their IRA ranges from 50% to 70% of their total budget. A portion of each local government unit's allotment is set aside their Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) or youth council. Since the money comes from the national government, it is possible for the distribution of the allotment to be delayed or prevented if they local government unit is a political opponent of those in control of the money. Local government in the Philippines is divided into four levels: 1. 2. 3. 4. Autonomous regions Provinces and cities independent from a province Component cities and municipalities Barangays

All divisions below the regional level are called "local government units (LGUs)." According to the Constitution, the LGUs "shall enjoy local autonomy", and in which the president exercises "general supervision". Congress enacted the Local Government Code of 1991 "which shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of decentralization with effective mechanisms of recall, initiative, and referendum, allocate among the different local government units their powers, responsibilities, and resources, and provide for the qualifications, election, appointment and removal, term, salaries, powers and functions and duties of local officials, and all other matters relating to the organization and operation of local units."[1]

Levels of local government

utonomous regions Main article: Regions of the Philippines

Autonomous regions have more powers than other LGUs. Currently, the constitution limits the creation of autonomous regions in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras. Other regions are not considered LGUs since they do not have political power. Currently, only one autonomous region exists: the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). In 2001, a plebiscite confirmed the previous composition of the autonomous region, and added Basilan except the city of Isabela, and Marawi in Lanao del Sur within its jurisdiction; however Isabela City is still politically a part of Basilan despite rejecting inclusion. A 1998 plebiscite for the creation of a "Cordillera Autonomous Region" was only approved by the voters of Ifugao; as a result, the Supreme Court (Ordillo vs. Comelec; G.R. No. 93054) ruled that a region must be composed of more than one province. The proposed Cordillera

Autonomous Region never came to be and the provinces were reorganized into the Cordillera Administrative Region without the expanded powers of an autonomous region. An autonomous region is governed by the regional governor; its legislature is the regional legislative assembly.
Provinces Main article: Provinces of the Philippines

Outside the lone autonomous region, the provinces are the highest-level LGUs. The provinces are organized into component cities and municipalities. A province is governed by the governor; its legislature is the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
Cities Main article: Cities of the Philippines

Cities are of somewhat complex matter; most cities are component cities in which they are a part of a province. Several other cities are highly urbanized cities and independent component cities, these cities are not politically a part of any province, hence city residents are not allowed to run for provincial offices. Cities are composed of barangays. A city is governed by the mayor; its legislature is the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Municipalities Main article: Municipalities of the Philippines

Municipalities are always a part of a province except for Pateros which was separated from Rizal to form Metro Manila. Just as cities, municipalities are composed of barangays. A municipality is governed by the mayor; its legislature is the Sangguniang Bayan.
Barangays Main article: Barangay

Barangays are the smallest of the independently elected Local Government Units. Barangays can be further divided into sitios and puroks but those divisions do not have leaders elected in formal elections supervised by the national government. A barangay's executive is the Punong Barangay or barangay captain and its legislature is the Sangguniang Barangay, composed of barangay captain, the Barangay Kagawads (barangay councilors) and the SK chairman. The SK chairman also leads a separate assembly for youth, the Sangguniang Kabataan or SK.

The center of governance is the barangay hall.

Officials and Offices

Just as the national government, local governments are divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judiciary. The judicial branch is administered solely by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The LGUs have control of the executive and legislative branch. The executive branch is composed of the regional governor for the autonomous region, governor for the provinces, mayor for the cities and municipalities, and the barangay captain for the barangays.[2] The legislative branch is composed of the Regional Legislative Assembly for the autonomous region, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial assembly) for the provinces, Sangguniang Panlungsod (city assembly) for the cities, Sangguniang Bayan (town assembly) for the municipalities, Sangguniang Barangay (barangay council), and the Sangguniang Kabataan for the youth sector.[2]
Assemblies

The assemblies review the ordinances and resolutions enacted by the assemblies below its jurisdiction. Aside from regular and ex-officio members, the assemblies above the barangay level also have three sectoral representatives, one each from women, agricultural or industrial workers, and other sectors.[2]
LGU Assembly Composition[2] Head

Autonomous region Regional Legislative Assembly

24 members: o Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu: 6 each, 3 elected from each assembly district o Basilan (except Isabela City), Tawi-Tawi: 3 each, elected at- Assembly speaker large Sectoral representatives varies, as of 2007:[3] o Cebu, Negros Occidental, Pangasinan: 12 SP members, 2 elected from each district o All other first class and second class provinces: 10 SP members, with varying number of members per district o Third class and fourth class provinces: 8 SP members, with varying number of members per district o Fifth class and sixth class provinces: 6 SP members, with varying number of members per district President of the provincial chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay President of the provincial federation of the Sangguniang Kabataan Sectoral representatives varies, as of 2007:[4] o Manila: 36 councilors, 6 elected from each district o Davao City: 24 councilors, 8 elected from each district o Quezon City: 24 councilors, 6 elected from each district

Province

Sangguniang Panlalawigan

Vice governor

City Sangguniang Panlungsod

Vice mayor

Antipolo, Cagayan de Oro,[5] Cebu City, Makati, Muntinlupa, Paraaque, Zamboanga City, Taguig City: 16 councilors, 8 elected from each district o Rest of Metro Manila, Calbayog, San Jose del Monte: 12 councilors, 6 elected from each district o Samal, Sorsogon City: 12 councilors, 4 elected from each district o Baguio, General Santos, Iloilo City, San Fernando (La Union), Tuguegarao: 12 councilors, elected at-large o All other cities: 10 councilors, elected at-large President of the city chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay President of the city federation of the Sangguniang Kabataan Sectoral representatives varies: Pateros, Metro Manila: 12 councilors, 6 elected from each district o All other municipalities: 8 councilors, elected at-large President of the municipal chapter of the Liga ng mga Barangay President of the municipal federation of the Sangguniang Kabataan Sectoral representatives 7 members elected at-large Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson 7 members elected at-large

Municipality

Sangguniang Bayan

Vice mayor

Sangguniang Barangay Barangay Sangguniang Kabataan

Barangay captain

Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson

ARMM assembly districts are similar in territorial composition of congressional districts, except for the Basilan assembly district, which, unlike the congressional district of Basilan, does not include Isabela City, and the 1st Maguindanao assembly district, which, unlike the 1st congressional district of Maguindanao, does not include Cotabato City. Each ARMM assembly district elects 3 members to the regional assembly that convenes in Cotabato City.