BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing the conduct of legislative monitoring and evaluation of ordinances and resolutions in the city.
The ordinance authored by Vice Mayor Edison R. Bilog stated that it shall be a policy of the local government to determine the effectiveness and implementation or non-implementation of its ordinances and resolutions through the conduct of legislative monitoring and evaluation.
The ordinance added that the Legislative Monitoring and Evaluation Section under the Research division of the Sanggunang Panlungsod ng Baguio shall be tasked to perform the functions as provided in the measure.
The ordinance stipulated that the processes to be undertaken by the assigned office include the identification of ordinances and resolutions to be monitored and evaluated, preparation of communications, gathering of data by the concerned office, preparation and dissemination of the status report, determination of legislative action by the Vice Mayor and re-monitoring and re-evaluation of implemented effective legislations.
The ordinance added that the status report shall be furnished the City Public Information Office under the City Mayor’s Office and the Sangguniang Panlungsod information officer for information and dissemination to the general public.
The ordinance explained that legislative oversight refers to the review and monitoring of executive agencies, programs, activities and policy implementation and is known to be an integral part of the constitutional system of checks and balances; it is known as an implied power derived from the legislature’s power of the purse among others.
Further, the local legislature’s toolkit provides that te conduct of oversight activities is a must because the Sanggunian is not only tasked to enact ordinances to create new programs and authorize funds for programs, but it also has a duty to ensure that existing programs are implemented and administered efficiently, effectively and in a manner consistent with the legislative intent.
The ordinance revealed that the Sanggunang Panlugnsod ng Baguio has been performing legislative oversight foundations such as the conduct of committee meetings and hearings; fiscal oversight during budget deliberations and legislative monitoring and evaluation.
According to the proposal, legislative monitoring and evaluation is being done to determine the effectiveness or non-effectiveness and implementation or non-implementation of local laws and to ensure that the necessary amendments, if any, or new legislations may be introduced to address concerns or issues raised during the monitoring and evaluation of an ordinance or a resolution.
The ordinance stipulated the need for the Sanggunang Panlungsod ng Baguio, after having established the processes to be performed in the conduct of legislative monitoring and evaluation, should institutionalize the said functions to guide future officials and employees of the local legislative bodies and other local government units that intend to determine whether their approved ordinances or resolutions effectively address the needs and aspirations of their constituents.
By Dexter A. See
