MILG gears for a robust local governance, crafts 2023-26 strat plan

DAVAO CITY – The Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) ended Thursday the 3-day ministry-wide Post-Implementation Review and Strategic Planning Workshop at the Acacia Hotel in Davao City.

Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the event was aimed to review and realign the ministry's planning, implementation, and monitoring mechanisms to prepare for a more strategic and leveled-off implementation of the MILG’S programs and projects for the fiscal year 2023-2026.

A critical step for the office is to regularly strategize and develop a strategy for timely achievement of targets, which will result in accurate output and formula, assisting in the enhancement and improvement of service delivery to the LGUs, the MILG minister said.

He said given that most programs and activities are carried out at the regional and provincial levels, a centralized and well-calibrated planning, implementation, and monitoring mechanism will make it easier for the agency's technical and administrative staff to comply with regulations and track their progress.

Through these the accomplishment reports are submitted on time and regularly to the Ministry of Finance and Budget and Management (MFBM), the Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA), and the Chief Minister's Office (OCM).

Atty. Sinarimbo emphasized the ministry's priority, local governments, in his opening remarks. There are programs to empower people, but some of them are in complete disarray.

“What is important at this stage, particularly during this transition period, is to strike a balance between assistance to LGUs and the reality that those LGUs have evolved into conduits of control over the people.

People's empowerment is ultimately required,” he said.

“We transform governance while also empowering citizens. We need to set a standard that LGUs will follow, as well as develop programs that encourage people to demand appropriate government services because otherwise, governance will remain stagnant in the region. Hold local governments accountable. We should set a standard for this and create programs that empower our constituents because good governance cannot be achieved in the long run if there is no demand for those people,” Sinarimbo stated.

"We work to increase and sustain people's participation in government to improve the quality of government in the region," he said.

Sinarimbo said the ministry is pushing for the implementation of its 41 programs, which include capacity building, infrastructure projects, awards and incentives, peace and security, disaster preparedness and response, and internal capacity development, all of which are funded by the Bangsamoro Government Appropriation Act (GAAB).

This PIR and Strategic Planning, which brought together MILG Regional, Provincial, City, Special Geographic Area, Bangsamoro READi, and Special Development Fund officials, is a precursor to the 2-day Pre-Workshop, organized by the Planning Division and attended by representatives from the Ministry's Service Divisions.

That event took place on December 4-5 in Davao City, and all activities were overseen by Governance, Peace, and Development Worker Maria Victoria "Mags" Maglana.