TACLOBAN CITY– As it marks its 54th founding anniversary, the Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) in the region is strengthing its partnerships with local government units (LGU) in the region to advance its goals and objectives of the Philippine Population and Development Program (PPDP).
PPDP remains a key and important strategy in facilitating sustainable and inclusive development at all levels.
The critical role and importance of the PPDP is likewise underscored within the context of strengthening the devolution policy resulting from the increased share of the local government from the national tax revenue in light of the Supreme Court’s Mandanas ruling which provides, among others, further devolution of services and increases the share of the local government units of tax from the national government.
Meantime, the mayors, in particular, recognizes the importance of population development interventions at the local level as they vowed to create a population office to ensure the integration of population development principles in the delivery of basic services to their respective constituents.
In the region,19 LGUs were provided with financial grants by Popcom to jumpstart and sustain population and development programs in their areas.
While more than 50 technical assistance were provided by the office to facilitate and capacitate the LGUs in the transition of the POPDEV programs from the national government to the LGUs.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
