The Department of Agriculture (DA) has chosen Bohol for the trial local takeover of national functions and services using a national agriculture program in preparation of the implementation of the Mandanas ruling of the Supreme Court (SC).
The Mandanas ruling orders the increase in the just share of all local government units (LGUs) nationwide from the national taxes and revenues effective next year.
The DA will try to let Bohol takeover some of its functions and services involving the agency’s Province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES) program.
This move of the DA has been regarded as another national recognition of the competence and initiatives of the province under Gov. Arthur Yap and Vice Gov. Rene Relampagos.
DA Sec. William Dar said the initial devolution of services through PAFES is pursuant to the OneDA Reform Agenda.
Early this month, Dar named Bohol as the model in the implementation of PAFES, a major strategy of the national agriculture agenda.
This was after Dar was impressed by the presentation of the Bohol governor of the programs, projects, strategies and overall direction of the agri-fishery development in the province.
The capacity of a province is crucial since the national government is devolving some services in response to the Mandanas ruling as the goal is to allow the LGUs to absorb some of the functions of national government agencies following the Mandanas ruling.
National agencies are expected to “entrust” certain functions and services to the LGUs as the latter’s national revenue share increase on strength of the Mandanas ruling.
THE MANDANAS RULING
The Mandanas ruling clarified that the computation of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share of the LGUs should include other national taxes like the customs duties.
Before the ruling, only the collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was included in the computation of IRA, according to a PRIMER report.
This prompted then Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas to file a petition before the SC questioning the computation of the IRA given to LGUs.
The highest tribunal of the land favored Mandanas in its decision, which is why decision bares the name of the current Batangas provincial governor.
Once the ruling will take effect, the provinces and all other LGUs across the country will get bigger IRA shares.
Consequently, the LGUs, with more money from their respective IRAs, are expected to takeover services and functions erstwhile reserved to national government agencies.
The selection of Bohol for the trial of the local takeover of national functions and services using the DA program is in preparation of the Mandanas ruling implementation in 2022, the Business World reported.
MORE LGUs SHOULD INVEST BIG IN AGRI
Dar “would like to see more LGUs investing in agriculture and fishery projects that produce traditional as well as emerging products that enjoy comparative advantage.”
The entire IRA of the LGUs nationwide in 2022 will reach P1.8 trillion on account of the Mandanas ruling.
Dar confirmed that his department already submitted to the Malacañang a draft executive order to institutionalize the PAFES in all provinces next year.
“With the additional IRA, LGUs could implement the PAFES in partnership with the DA to significantly boost the delivery of devolved functions and better perform their role as the country’s food security czars,” Dar said.
He said Bohol has been chosen because the agri-fishery development priorities and strategies of Yap have aligned with the DA’s own plans.
Dar encouraged the provinces to learn from what Bohol is now doing and take a serious look at where it is possibly going.
“If all provinces are like Bohol, the improvement of the agriculture sector in every province would be quicker,” the secretaey said.
In its report, the Business World cited the Yap administration for allocating close to P590 million for rice, corn, rootcrop, coconut, bangus, tilapia, seaweed, dairy, native chicken, hog and farm-to-market programs.
MORE BIG SUPPORT
Dar said his department also supports the request of Yap for additional P976 million for agri-fishery projects and P1.4 billion for farm-to-market roads.
“Agriculture is too important to be left alone with the DA. The DA must only do the steering. LGUs must do the rowing so that the provinces will be food-secure. There must be a sense of partnership that must be nurtured between DA and the LGUs,” Dar said.
He cited several provinces which are also taking the initiative by investing much of their budgets in agriculture.
These provinces include Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Quirino, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Cebu, and Marinduque, among others, according to PRIMER.
ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN TO DATE
Early this month, the DA secretary turned over to Yap almost P400 million worth of farm machineries, fishery equipment, projects, financial aids and other interventions.
It was then also that the governor presented to the secretary the on-going programs, additional plan and package of proposals, and direction of the province.
On June 22, 2021, Dar again said: “Governor Yap’s presentation and package of proposed projects remain one of the best we have seen to date, as he matched Bohol’s priority agri-fishery programs and plans with the One DA Agenda.” (with reports from Ven rebo Arigo, PRIMER)