Interior Secretary Eduardo Año. (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Three days after the elections, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged on Thursday election candidates, both winners and losers, to let go of political grudges for the sake of the people they serve.
“The Filipino people have spoken and now is the time to move on. A greater agenda awaits and that is the task of nation-building. Kaya magkaisa na tayong lahat at magtulong-tulong para sa kapakanan ng ating mga lokalidad,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement.
The DILG chief likewise urged incumbent officials of local government units (LGUs) to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of responsibilities to newly-elected officials.
“Now is the time to rise above party politics and interests and prepare for a smooth turnover of powers in LGUs to ensure continuity in local governance,” Año said.
The DILG has earlier issued Memorandum Circular 2019-39 that requires the creation of local governance transition teams to be chaired by the local chief executive. Its vice chair will be one of its members elected through a majority vote.
Its members will be composed of department heads of the LGUs, a representative from the DILG, and a representative from a civil society organization.
Among the tasks of the transition team include the inventory of LGU properties, securing official documents and records of transactions, and briefing on key challenges for the incoming officials.
Año also said the DILG, through the Local Government Academy, is ready to train elected local officials to enable them to effectively fulfill their duties and define the roadmaps for development of their respective areas.
“Now that the elections are over, let us unite and support our local leaders as we all share the same vision of peace and progress for our localities,” he said. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)
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