The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bohol (SP) led by Vice Governor Rene Lopez Relampagos has officially
approved the Devolution Transition Plan (DTP) of the Province of Bohol for 2022-2024 on Tuesday, November 23, 2021.
The said DTP outlines the various functions, services, and facilities that were devolved and delegated to the Local Government
Units (LGU) from the National Government as a result of the Supreme Court ruling on the Mandanas case.
Under the said DTP, functions coming from the National Government are to be devolved to the following offices of the Provincial
Government, namely: a.) Economic Development Cluster which includes the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA); Office of
the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV); Bohol Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (BEDIPO); Bohol Tourism
Office (BTO); b.) Social Development Cluster which comprises of the Provincial Health Office (PHO); Office of the Provincial
Social Welfare and Development (OPSWD); c.) Infrastructure Development Cluster which includes the Provincial Engineering
Office (PEO); Bohol Information and Communication Technology Unit (BICTU); d.) Environmental Management Cluster which
lists the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) as a member.
The DTP spanning 2022 to 2024 of the Province of Bohol was prepared in connection to Executive Order No. 138, series of 2021
of President Rodrigo R. Duterte and is guided by the provision of Section 25, Article II of the Philippine Constitution which provides
that the State shall ensure the autonomy of local governments, as well as Section 2 (a) of the Local Government Code (LGC)
of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7160) which provides that the State shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government
structures instituted through a system of decentralization whereby Local Government Units (LGUs) shall be given more powers,
authority, responsibilities, and resources.
The same executive order mandates the full devolution of functions, services, and facilities by the National Government (to LGUs
not later than the end of 2024. It has required all LGUs to prepare the DTPs to ensure a strategic perspective, as well as systematic
and coherent actions towards their full assumption of devolved functions and services starting in 2022.
As clarified by the Supreme Court (SC) decision, the basis for the computation of local government share of revenues include all
collected national taxes.
Accordingly, the fully devolved responsibilities of the National Government shall be funded from the shares of the LGUs in the proceeds
of the national taxes and other local revenues.
Per information from the DTP team represented by Provincial Planning and Development Officer (PPDO) John Titus Vistal, the province
is the first in the region to have completed its DTP.
Relampagos said he is pleased that Bohol has always been ahead compared to other provinces in terms of governance.
“Based on information nga gihatag sa Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), the province is the first in Region VII nga
nakahimo ug DTP. Kita pod ang una sa Region VII that was able to support and approve the DTP nga gihimo sa DTP team,”
Vice Gov. Relampagos concluded.
