The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 10 (Northern Mindanao) gathered local and provincial government units in this city on Monday for the first batch of the Review and Amendment Program (RevAmP) for the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991.

DILG-10 Director Bruce Colao said RevAmP is a consultation with local government stakeholders to provide insights for updating LGC provisions anchored in inclusivity, gender responsiveness, peace promotion and disaster resilience.

“They must be evidence-based strategic directions responsive to the changing needs of communities,” Colao said in a keynote address during the launch.

He also said the proposed amendments to the LGC must go beyond traditional governance frameworks.

Municipal and city mayors, councilors and administrators were among the participants at the first RevAmP launch in the region.

Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity was among the invited speakers. He said effective leadership calls for learning from the past to better understand and address present challenges to build a stronger and more progressive future for the next generation.

Sarmiento said the passage of Republic Act 7160, or the LGC, “operationalized” local autonomy and decentralization, which became the guiding principles of governance. (PNA)