| Gov.
Aumentado to relinquish LPP presidency
The
League of Provinces of the Philippines will be seeing a new
set of leaders after Bohol Gov. Erico B. Aumentado expressed
his intent to relinquish his presidency.
In his congratulatory letter to the new set of governors elected
last May 14, Aumentado said, “I intend to give way to
a new leader of the League of Provinces of the Philippines
who can aggressively pursue with more dynamism and vigor the
LPP advocacies.”
Notwithstanding
this, Aumentado urged his colleagues to be more active in
the affairs of the LPP, which is considered as the premiere
local government league.
He
also expressed hopes that the next set of leaders of the LPP
would be able to carry on “with dynamism and vigor”
the advocacies pursued under his watch.
These
advocacies include the recognition of the vital role played
by the local governments, led by the provinces, in stabilizing
the Arroyo administration and in the task of nation building.
He pointed out that because of the pursuit of this advocacy,
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has shifted the corridors of
power from the national government to the LGUs.
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LPP
present and past presidents pose with President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo. (L-R), former DILG Sec. Joey Lina
of Laguna, Pres. Arroyo, New Government Centers Sec.
Rodolfo P. Del Rosario of Davao del Norte and Bohol
Gov. Erico B. Aumentado. |
At
the same time, Aumentado cited the increasing share of the
LGUs in the national internal revenue allotments, which now
includes the value added tax, as one of the gains of the league
in its advocacies.
He added that the league’s next target should be the
inclusion of the collections of the Bureau of Customs in the
computation of the LGUs’ share in the IRA.
Aumentado also pointed out that the league succeeded in pushing
for the automatic appropriation of the IRA without any need
of an appropriation act beginning 2007, which strengthened
the LGUs’ financial decentralization.
The last three years, he said, also saw the strengthening
of local autonomy, including the membership of the LPP and
ULAP national president in the Cabinet-NEDA Board and the
Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.
He pointed out, however, that there is still more to be done
toward strengthening the LPP and a greater Philippines.
Aside from the national president, the governors will also
be electing from among themselves the next set of key officers
which include the chairman of the National Executive Board,
the Executive Vice President and the Secretary-General, among
others.
Under the Constitution and By-Laws of the league, its key
officers are elected.
Aumentado
said that while the date of the league elections is still
being finalized, this has been tentatively set within the
3rd week of July or the 1st week of August this year. (AJSanchez)
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