GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/27 May) — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Region 12 has directed local government units (LGUs) in the region to fast track the creation of their transition teams to ensure the smooth turnover and assumption to office of newly-elected and reelected local government officials in the area.
Josephine Leysa, DILG South Cotabato provincial director, said the regional office issued such directive in compliance with the provisions of DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-33 of Secretary Mar Roxas dated April 18.
“All LGUs, especially those that have new elected officials or new faces assuming various elective posts, were mandated to create their transition teams,” she said in an interview over radio station dxKR.
In his memorandum circular, Roxas noted that the transition teams are needed to ensure “continuity in local governance” and prepare for the effective turnover of all LGU concerns to the incoming officials as set by noon of June 30.
Aside from ensuring smooth local governance transaction, the teams are tasked to conduct an inventory of all real, immovable and movable properties of LGUs; assemble all documents or records; turn over all accountabilities; and, organize the turnover ceremonies.
The transition teams will be headed by the local chief executive and composed of all department heads as well as representatives from the DILG, Commission on Audit (COA) and non-government and peoples organizations.
Leysa explained that LGUs with their mayors and governors reelected but have new faces in other posts are mandated to create and activate transition teams.
Those with all its incumbent officials reelected and will be returning to their posts will still be required to establish such team, she said.
She said the transition teams are tasked to orient the new elected officials, brief them regarding their tasks and give updates about the status of the LGU’s operations and continuing initiatives.
The briefings will comprise reports about the LGUs’ overall performance, status of development programs, financial performance, contracts and loan agreements, comprehensive development plan and COA audit.
“(The team) will basically re-orient the new and returning officials about all developments at the LGU in the last three years,” Leysa said.
She said the briefings will also serve as benchmarking for the operation of the LGU and their results may be used as basis for the upcoming work programs of the incoming officials.
The official said they are presently monitoring the compliance of the LGUs regarding the creation of the transition teams.
“They will have until the end of (June) to comply with this directive,” she said.
Based on the memorandum circular, the DILG regional offices were required to submit status reports regarding compliance on the matter by July 16. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)