The Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), in line with the newly signed Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2019-01 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Finance (DOF), conducted the first batch of Orientation-Workshop on 28-30 August 2019 at the Chateau Royale, Nasugbu, Batangas City. Local governments from Metro Manila including Pasig City, Quezon City, Valenzuela City, Makati City, Taguig City, and Manila City participated in the two and a half (2 ½) day workshop. The JMC guides local government units (LGUs) in setting reasonable fees and charges as provided for by the provisions of the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991, setting a balance in the cost of services rendered to the public.

The orientation-workshop aims to apply and utilize the Local Fees and Charges Toolkit developed by the DILG, BLGF and USAID in 2014 through a study based on a cost-accounting framework. The workshop concluded with the participants’ presentation of output on the rationalized regulatory rates and their respective LGU Action Plans which contains a timeline for the revision of the rates of local fees and charges.

Deputy Executive Director Atty. Flosie F. Fanlo-Tayag emphasized on her message “the Local Fees and Charges Toolkit contains a thorough and detailed procedure; we want to emphasize the level of complexity required in inspection or regulation, thus, it would require more of your patience and understanding in the process of accomplishing this toolkit.”

With the updated Local Fees and Charges Toolkit, there is now a framework to assist the LGUs in designing and revising their fees and charges.