Local Legislators' Toolkit - The Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng ...

FOREWORD<strong>The</strong> Department of the Interior and <strong>Local</strong> Government (DILG) is pleased to acknowledge thelatest knowledge product of the Philippines-Canada <strong>Local</strong> Government Support Program(LGSP), <strong>The</strong> <strong>Local</strong> Legislators’ <strong>Toolkit</strong>. It is indeed a timely contribution to the Department’scontinuing efforts in enhancing the quality of local governance in the country.Effective local legislation is a result of the interaction of the legislature with the executiveand civil society to address the development objectives of the community. A needs-basedand participatory process in formulating a Legislative Agenda is crucial in supporting thelocal development priorities defined in the Executive Agenda. As a companion piece to theManual and Facilitator’s Guide on How to Formulate an Executive and Legislative Agendafor <strong>Local</strong> Governance and Development, this practical and user-friendly reference providesthe necessary tools for strategic and effective legislation that converges with and supportsexecutive priorities.Legislators must have a clear understanding of their roles as a policymaker, lawmaker,representative, and constituency builder. This understanding is key to effective performanceof their functions in the various stages or processes of legislation: legislative agendaformulation, drafting of ordinances and resolutions, enacting ordinances and codes ofordinances, and evaluation of ordinance implementation.To be effective, legislation also requires efficient systems and procedures to manage andtranslate information into legislative measures: legislative tracking system, managementinformation systems, and documentation of the legislative process. It also requires strongstaff support equipped with technical skills in policy analysis, research and participatoryprocesses and legislative drafting.Thus, this toolkit provides very useful information for local legislators and legislative bodies.It features templates, checklists and process guides that would help local legislatorsunderstand their role better and perform their tasks more efficiently and effectivelyWe hope that this toolkit will serve as an inspiration to local legislators to chart a commonvision for their LGUs and to work more closely with <strong>Local</strong> Chief Executives and civil societyin leading the people to arrive at that shared vision.Mabuhay!HON. JOSE D. LINASECRETARYDepartment of the Interior and <strong>Local</strong> Government