President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on local government units (LGUs) to promote smart solutions to address modern-day challenges threatening the overall well-being of Filipinos.
“It is incumbent upon us to promote these smart solutions, such as innovative technologies and strategies, so we can maximize its advantages, especially in the face of challenges that threaten the overall well-being of our constituents,” President Marcos said.
The President made the remarks during the two-day Local Governance Summit 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Friday, attended by at least 2,500 national and local government officials, executives, and stakeholders.
The summit is organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), in partnership with international organizations and other concerned national government agencies.
This year’s theme, “Local Government Units (LGUs) sa Bagong Pilipinas: Smart. Resilient. Driven.” aims to achieve primary goals aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The roles of LGUs in implementing the SDGs include programs related to digitalization, solid waste management, health, and climate change.
President Marcos said the summit is an opportunity for all participants “to reflect on the huge responsibility” to transform their respective communities “under the banner of [a] Bagong Pilipinas.”
He said everyone’s presence demonstrates their solidarity with the administration’s strategies to improve the daily operations of the government, applicable to designing infrastructure, urban planning, and “even in the simple process of applying for a business permit.”
“To bolster this digitalization of local processes, our government is conducting caravans nationwide to promote the adoption by LGUs of the eLGU system as their electronic business one-stop shop, making government transactions convenient for the general public,” the President said.
“Truly, in a time when communities and societies have embraced digitalization, there is no excuse for governments, national or local, to allow themselves to be left behind,” he added.
Citing the recent surge in leptospirosis and dengue cases, President Marcos urged local chief executives to “work harder to utilize environmentally-sound methods and waste minimization measures to protect public health and the planet.”
“I urge you all to lead aggressive information dissemination campaign to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevent diseases, such as a campaign to remind our people, especially children, against swimming in flood waters and to practice [proper] personal hygiene to mitigate the spread of leptospirosis, Mpox, and any other illnesses,” he said.
The Department of Health (DOH) attributed the surge in leptospirosis and dengue cases to improper garbage disposal and poor waste management, which are major factors that caused severe flooding in Metro Manila during the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon.
President Marcos also called on the LGUs to continue their active participation in the KALINISAN Program of the DILG. PND
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