Lacson tells LGUs how they can get sure funding for development projects

Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson has advised local government units (LGUs) to participate early in the national budget process to ensure funding for their local development projects.Lacson said this means LGUs will need to submit their development plans to the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) before January, as the DBCC will start its deliberations early in the year."By January--or even November or December the year before--the local development projects must be submitted to Malacanang or the Department of Budget and Management, so they can be included in the discussion of the budget for the next year," he said in a statement Tuesday, May 6."It will then be up to the DBCC to prioritize. My stand is, who else would know the needs and priorities of LGUs than the local officials themselves," noted the former senator.Lacson, who is on the comeback trail in the Senate, has long championed the cause of LGUs. He has sought to ensure that they get their share of the national budget for their local development programs.He said it was good that President Marcos had issued Executive Order (EO) 82, which strengthened the regional development councils that can take up local development projects.Lacson, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, has also advocated the Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment (BRAVE), where LGUs get more autonomy and resources, as well as the accompanying accountability, in implementing key development projects, programs and activities.He is also studying legislation that would give LGUs one percent of their contribution to the national tax collection, to be used for infrastructure and development programs.