The 1987 Constitution and the 1991 Local Government Code (RA 7160) grant local governments the power to group themselves for purposes commonly beneficial to them. These laws provide the legal basis for some inter-governmental structure as in metropolitan arrangements.
The positive implications of metro arrangements include the resolution of common pressing problems as food security, water supply, wastewater and solid waste management, public health, social services, tourism, disaster risk reduction, infrastructure, peace and order, transport and traffic management. These issues lead local governments to band together in hopes of a better and effective solution.
As expected, Dumaguete City, being a dominant LGU, and having the greatest stake, took the initiative of reviving the metro arrangements which was started by the late City Mayor Agustin Perdices.
Thus, selected Dumaguete City officials led by Mayor Felipe Antonio B. Remollo were invited by Gov. Degamo to attend the Metro Dumaguete Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Change Adaptation and Urban Planning Seminar-Workshop last May 16-17 held at the ground floor of the Negros Oriental Convention Center. Together with Mayor Remollo were City Councilors Alan Gel Cordova and Manny Arbon, myself as City Agriculturist, City Engineer Edwin Quirit, ENRO Rossel Garcia, CPDO Engr. Leonides Caro, and DRRMO Engr. Jose Chu represented by Ronnie Calumpang. Organized by the Province of Negros Oriental in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology-Negros Oriental Provincial S & T Center headed by Atty. Gilbert Arbon, the 2-day activity was participated in by key executives and legislators of seven LGUs (Dumaguete City, Sibulan, Bacong, Valencia, Dauin, San Jose, and the province), heads of NEDA, DOST, DA, DTI, DENR, representatives from the private sector (e.g. NOCCI President Edward Du) and from the academe (e.g. Engr. Marlon Tanilon of Foundation University).
In that gathering, Mayor Remollo presented the Dumaguete City Master Plan, likewise, the other six Municipal Mayors presented their respective Visions and Development Strategies. Workshop sessions were focused on issues, concerns and recommendations in the following areas: Disaster Risk Reduction-Climate Change Adaptation, Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), Infrastructures (roads, bridges, and ports), Waste Management, Economic Zones/Business, Industrial, or S & T Parks, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Policy/Legal (Metro Dumaguete).
From my own perspective and personal opinion, notwithstanding the appeal of a metro arrangement, I foresee some challenges to confront. Among these are:
Organizational structure: Considering that LGUs have equal political legitimacy, it would be tough to determine what would be the best and the most appropriate to make Metro Dumaguete a fully-operational economic entity? This is actually a policy issue since the basic requirement of a workable structure must be acceptable to all LGUs involved in metro arrangements.
Leadership: Structure involves leadership. How to determine a mode of leadership that is agreeable to all will be an issue. Except probably the dominant city (Dumaguete), LGUs within the arrangement are constrained to make the first move, being structurally under the provincial government. The choice of who should lead the formal structure that will be adopted will be a major challenge.
Systems of problem solving: Problems confronting the LGUs in the metro arrangement will have to formalize certain systems to solve these problems.
Financial sustainability: Sustainability requires a steady stream of financing to bankroll the metro arrangement. Hence, sustainable financial resources will have to be decided upon and found.
Limited term of office versus big plans: Elections for Mayors and legislators are done every three years. How can the metro arrangement be sustained if certain mayors are not reelected or others are no longer qualified to run again? That is certainly a very big question.
Despite these challenges though, Metro Dumaguete is a very attractive proposition. It will not just benefit the LGUs involved but will likewise provide unlimited gains to the different city and town residents encompassed by the arrangement.
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Author’s email: wea_129@yahoo.com
