The DILG National Capital Region successfully conducted the fourth and final program under its Newly Elected Officials Performing Leadership for Uplifting Service or NEO PLUS Program last September 19, 2025 at Citadines Bay City Manila, Pasay City with the attendance of more than thirtyone (31) Councilors and Sanggunian Members.
Titled, âFrom Draft to Craft: Addressing Needs through Progressive Codificationâ, the training program aims not only to orient the newly elected and re-elected Councilors and Sanggunian Members and Staff with the key powers and responsibilities of the Sanggunian under the Local Government Code of 1991, but also introduce them to progressive lawmaking, law reform, and codification as vital tools in effectively addressing the needs of their respective communities.
In her Opening Remarks, DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III said that the duties and responsibilities of a councilor is the bedrock to support a better local governance for their community by addressing their needs. âAs councilors, it is your primary responsibility to pass ordinances and resolutions with respect to local government units. In essence, you are the primary person responsible for establishing the foundation of rights and obligations that support better local governance for your community. As public officers, you have the breadth of powers and functions to enact change. Let us share our experiences and suggestions in building a better community.â
In laying down the Training Overview and Objectives, Acting Division Chief of the Local Government Capability Development Division Luigi D.C. Pilarta emphasized the importance of codification especially in addressing the needs of the people. âAs you will learn from our distinguished speakers, codification should not just be a compilation. It is a continuous and forward-looking process of harmonizing and updating local laws not only for the purpose of collecting or restating a law but also to address the current challenges and complexities of our own communities.â
Atty. Alberto C. Agra, Professor of Laws and Political Law Bar Reviewer, Ateneo Law School laid down the essential principles of local autonomy and progressive codification. He highlights that ordinances and resolutions should not be static documents but should be dynamic and future-proof, which effectively addresses the evolving challenges of the community or the local government. He also highlighted the legal foundations of local legislation as found in the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the Local Government Code, underscoring the delegation of legislative power to the Sanggunian.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ronald R. Barcena provided a comprehensive and practical overview of the local legislative and codification processes, detailing the step-by-step procedure from the filing of a proposed ordinance to its final approval and publication. He gave a thorough review of the key procedural requisites, including the mandatory three-reading rule, the role of committee hearings and public consultations, and the executive action of the Local Chief Executive (LCE), which includes the power to veto. The presentation also provided a clear guide on how to establish a technical team and create a solid action plan for codification, ensuring a systematic and organized approach.
In closing, Section Chief and Local Government Operations Officer Dennis R. De Paz delivered the closing remarks. He hopes that the valuable lessons learned during the training program can be shared to their fellow Councilors and applied to their communities.
From Draft to Craft: Addressing Needs through Progressive Codification is part of the Phase 2 implementation of the Project Governance for Resilient and Adaptive Social Protection (Project GRASP). It follows the first initiative started this year, through the DILG-NCR Field Offices, where the Department has recommended certain initiatives and priorities be included in the Executive-Legislative Agenda of the local government unit (LGU) for the next three (3) years based from the Seal of Good Local Governance results and other data. The training program is a way to act on these recommendations through substantive and progressive law reform, starting with the Sanggunian.
Meanwhile, following the requests from its Councilors, the DILG-NCR hopes to continue this initiative by enhancing collaborations with its stakeholders through the Metro Manila Resilience Network and develop a codification toolkit that can help the process more efficiently for LGUs. The Region also seeks to continuously promote progressive law and policy reform to help LGUs become more future-proof.