The Local Government Code of 1991, RA 7160 celebrated its 30th year of enactment on 12 October 2021. This landmark law paved the way for a decentralization alongside the process of democratization that started in the late 1980s. Over a period of three decades both the national government and LGUs have painstakingly employed measures, programs and various initiatives to ensure the realization of genuine devolution and decentralization of our local government units.
In 2018, the landmark Supreme Court Ruling on the Mandanas Garcia Petitions, ushered in a new wave of processes to ensure a more substantial devolution of powers and functions to LGUs. The more interesting part of this landmark is the increase of resources for LGUs since the Supreme Court ruled that the LGUs should have a just share not just from the Internal Revenue Allotment but all the National Tax Allocation. Against this backdrop, seen as an opportunity by the National Nutrition Council, who have been working closely with LGUs for the last 47 years recognizing the important and crucial role of LGUs in implementing nutrition programs. For the longest time, one key limitation even before the decentralization that started with LGC of 1991, nutrition programs is almost invisible in many LGUs in the country. Also, around the same time, NNC embarked on an intensified campaign to mobilize local government units with the objective of integrating nutrition programs in the local budgeting and planning processes such as the comprehensive development plan, and annual investment programs.
NNC employed the LGU Mobilizaton strategy of the PPAN with the objective of increasing the number of LGUs implementing quality nutrition programs to contribute to its outcome target. The LGU mobilization strategy recognizes the crucial role of LGUs in the areas of planning and budgeting for nutrition, mobilizing nutrition champions from among local chief executives, continuing provision of technical assistance to LGUs on nutrition program management, and training and development of LCEs on nutrition leadership and governance. These components of the LGU mobilization strategy have proven to be effective in mainstreaming nutrition at the LGU level and it can be further scaled up with the opportunities posed by the Mandanas Ruling. Thus, NNC’s proposal focused on the strengthening of human resource complement for nutrition as well as increased investments for nutrition programs, projects, and activities.
With the impending implementation of Supreme Court Ruling on the Mandanas-Garcia petitions, which further strengthen devolution and an opportunity for increase in the LGU allocation form the national taxes starting next year. It is hoped that it will give more opportunities in closing the gap in terms of funding for devolved functions of the local government units, particularly nutrition.
The National Nutrition Council having been working with LGUs sees the opportunity as provided for by EO 138 to call on LGUs to further strengthen nutrition programs through its proposal that seeks to be integrated in the Devolution Transition Plan (DTPs) of LGUs. The proposal entitled, “Options for Strengthening of the LGU Nutrition Program through Establishment of Nutrition Office and Hiring of LGU personnel”. It focuses on the strengthening of nutrition programs in the LGU, particularly the setting up of a nutrition office and the strengthening of the human resource compliment. With the increasing role of LGUs in implementing development programs brought about by greater decentralization, it is indeed imperative that nutrition be addressed as a key development challenge that will ensure a more substantial development of our communities./PN
