Region XII barangays hit a record in the expedient submission of their development transition plans (DTPs) today as all of them were able to successfully upload the data before the deadline set by the Information Systems and Technology Management Services (ISTMS) of the DILG Central Office.

The submission is pursuant to Section 10 of EO No. 138, s. 2021 and Section 15, Rule V of its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), which requires all provinces, cities, municipalities, and barangays to prepare their respective ‘DTPs for LGU's roadmap to ensure strategic perspective, systematic and coherent actions towards their full assumption of devolved functions and services starting in FY 2022.’

The DTP will then serve as a handy reference in carrying out organizational strengthening efforts and upgrading of institutional capacities in the next three (3) years.

In her statement, RD Josephine Cabrido- Leysa, CESO III, lauded the efforts of the local government operations officer, Punong Barangays, Barangay Treasurers and Secretaries, Planning and Development Officers and other functionaries as they made the dash to submit the DTPs in a timely manner. “Our prompt compliance is vital for the preparations relative to the implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling in 2022,” Dir. Leysa added, “and will definitely strengthen harmonization, complementation, and vertical integration of LGU DTPs across the different levels of local governments.”

These submissions are necessary for both the cities/ municipalities and the provinces as they prepare the DTPs for the regional level. Dir. Leysa went on to explain, “’Yung mga nasa barangay natin ay required na magsumite ng approved LGU DTPs (scanned copy) to the city/municipal level within sixty (60) calendar days matapos mailabas yung Joint memorandum Circular (JMC).”

Rd Leysa announced this most recent update during the regular Monday convocation, while clarifying, however, that there are still corrections that should be made as to the number of the barangays in Socsksargen. There used to be 1195 barangays in Region XII but some of them including Cotabato City was already turned over to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) by vcirtue of a two-part plebiscite held in January and February 2019 which formed the Bangsamoro region.

All in all, these 1,095 barangays were able to comply with the submission requirements for the DTPs.