‘IMPLEMENT BIGGER IRA SHARE FOR LGUS’

League of the Municipalities of the Philippines says giving the local government units its “just share” of the IRA will help fund and implement more programs and projects.

The League of Municipalities in the Philippines (LMP) asked the Supreme Court (SC) to decide with finality the 50-50 percent sharing scheme of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) between the National Government and local government units .

Tuburan, Cebu Mayor Democrito Diamante, president of LMP Cebu Chapter and LMP Visayas Cluster, said they passed a resolution covering the matter.

Former Batangas governor Hermilando Mandanas, also a former member of the House of Representatives, previously filed a petition with the High Court to rule on the “just share” of the LGUs on the National Government’s revenue. The SC sided with Mandanas.

“However, the solicitor general has filed a motion for reconsideration, which is still pending, because the National Government will share with the LGUs trillions of pesos that can deplete its coffer,” Diamante said.

The Local Government Code of 1991 provides a 60-40 sharing scheme for the IRA in favor of the National Government.

The mayor said the LMP wants the Department of Budget and Management and the Office of the President to heed the SC ruling.

Diamante said that if the SC decision will be implemented, the IRA share of Tuburan will increase from P170 million to P297 million, which can help fund more projects.

In the past, he said that the town’s IRA share was used to construct 30 covered courts in the different villages and a public market, among others.