ADDITIONAL FUND. Village chairperson Niel Candelario of Barangay Poblacion in Kalibo, Aklan on Wednesday (Nov. 3, 2021) said one of the priorities they identified in their Devolution Transition Plan is to construct a Covid-19 quarantine facility to expand their response to the health pandemic. In his presentation during the first episode of the Dagyaw 2021: Virtual Town Hall meeting, he said the Mandanas Ruling paves the way for additional funding.(PNA photo screenshot from the virtual program) ILOILO CITY - The increased fund of local government units (LGUs) due to the implementation of the Mandanas Ruling as ordered by the Supreme Court has enabled barangays to pursue targeted projects amid the health pandemic. "We are happy with the program because it means additional funding for the implementation of our PPAs (programs, projects and activities), but also a challenge for all of us," said Chairperson Niel I. Candelario of Barangay Poblacion in Kalibo, Aklan during the first episode of the Dagyaw 2021: Virtual Town Hall meeting on Wednesday. In his presentation, Candelario shared how they were able to come up with their Barangay Devolution Transition Committee and craft the Devolution Transition Plan (DTP) that serves as their roadmap for strategic, systematic, and coherent action toward the implementation of the full devolution. On Oct. 4, 2021, they approved and adopted the Barangay Devolution Transition Plan through Resolution number 29, which was submitted to the DILG Municipal Local Government Operations Office on October 8. "The barangay council agreed to prioritize the solid waste management program, especially the establishment of the material recovery facility for our barangay. We also wish to construct and operate our barangay health center and Covid-19 quarantine facility to expand our Covid pandemic response," he said. The barangay also intended to build more infrastructure projects, establish barangay economic enterprise and development office that will operate a satellite market and a Triple A slaughterhouse for additional funding source, and increase the scope of social services to reach more sector. Budget and Management regional director Mae L. Chua, during the virtual town hall meeting, said that under the Mandanas Ruling, the tax share of LGUs will increase. "The increase in share of LGUs means reduction in the fiscal resource of the national resources. For fiscal sustainability, the devolved function must be permanently taken out from the national agencies and to empower the LGUs to assume them," she said. She said that all basic services and facilities fully devolved shall be funded from the share of LGUs in the proceeds of national taxes and other local revenues. The country will start implementing the Mandanas Ruling in 2022 increasing the share of national government tax revenue transferred to local governments. (PNA) }