A DECADE ago, a disappointed Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., author of the Local Government Code, proposed the conversion of barangays from political units into properly organized and therefore viable economic units. This was because barangays, the most basic administrative units in the country, mostly failed to achieve their potential because they have been extremely politicized. Election candidates and supporters brazenly displayed this, thru, among others, vote buying.
Barangays are created to administer the basic services of local government units to its people. Sadly, it has become a norm that most barangay leaders have become minions of ruling politicians – mayors, congressmen and governors.
Indeed, it is difficult to shield barangays from politics because they are financially dependent on local government units. They get their logistics and budget from their city or municipal governments. Like local government units, the continuing dependence of barangays on their internal revenue allotments (IRA) is keeping them tied to the power that disburses the IRA.
Actually, the Local Government Code has given the barangays the power to become true economic units by raising local taxes. However, most of them fail to exercise this power. The reason is that either they have become too independent on the IRA or the barangay officials are unaware that the Code has wielded them with such power.
As long as barangays continue to depend on the IRA for their operation, they would remain as subjects to the dictates of higher local government units. This counteracts the autonomy envisioned for them under the Local Government Code.
Barangay leaders must be aware of their true functions to transform their villages into viable economic units.
