Public urged to monitor LGU spending

Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II urged all citizens to monitor government spending and the implementation of government projects, as he noted that each local government unit (LGU) has a budget of P15 million to P20 million.

“Each municipality and city is accorded P15 to P20 million and citizens should be the ones to tell us what their needs are and where their money should go. They should also monitor if projects are being fulfilled,” Roxas said.

Roxas was with the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and civil society organizations (CSO) in Pangasinan to stir community awareness on government efforts against corruption and illegal practices under the close watch of the Ugandan ng Barangay at Simbahan (UBAS) program.

“We can see that the implementation of UBAS is ongoing. We are glad that our program for the safety of taxpayer’s money is continuous,” he said.

UBAS is a partnership between barangays and parishes to pool resources and synchronize efforts to promote good governance and pursue projects and services for community development.

According to Roxas, UBAS is also part of the deliberate, pragmatic and sustained approach of the government to ensure that national and local governance is anchored on transparency and grassroots participation.

Roxas and the UBAS technical working group, headed by Sister Ampy Hilot, discussed Barangay Action Team formation, bottom-up budgeting project monitoring, full disclosure policy feedback and peace and order issues.

The secretary also met with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas to discuss means to strengthen the campaign of the religious sector and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) against corruption.

The event was attended by Pangasinan clergymen, DILG and LGU officials, CSO representatives, police officers, city fire marshals and city wardens.