FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S.No. 2 l a  
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Local Government Academy is tasked to train and improve the managerial skills and 
technical capability of local government officials and personnel to make local government units 
more responsive to the demands of decentralization. To advance this objective, the LGA must be 
clothed with ample and standardized powers, functions and privileges. It must take a proactive 
response to the development needs of local governments and human resource development 
programs of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). 
Presently, however, the LGA is attached to the DILG with limited powers, functions and 
privileges, as provided for under Executive Order NO. 262, otherwise known as “The 
Reorganization Act of the Department of Local Government and for other Purposes,” and as 
reiterated under Republic Act NO. 6975, otherwise known as “The Department of the Interior 
and Local Government Act of 1990.” As such, it cannot effectively function in accordance with 
its mandate. 
This bill seeks to strengthen the LOA and transforms it to a more autonomous corporate 
body, to with the end in view of making its programs and related activities more responsive to 
the needs of its clients. 
This is a Senate counterpart bill to one filed in the House of Representatives by Rep. 
Edgar M. Chatto. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
CREATING THE CHARTER OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACADEMY (LGA), 
AMENDING FORTHE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6975, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
“THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1990”, 
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Local Government Academy 
Act of2008.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
develop and enhance the institutional capabilities of local government units (LGUs), including 
the administrative and technical capabilities of local government officials and employees, the 
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) personnel and other government and 
non-govenunent personnel concerned with local government by enhancing the powers, duties 
and functions of the Local Government Academy. 
SECTION 3. Name. - This entity shall be called the Local Government Academy, 
hereinafter referred to as the Academy or LGA. 
SECTION 4. Powers. - The Academy shall have the following powers: 
(A)Adopt and alter a corporate seal; 
(B) Take and hold by bequest, devise, gift, purchase or lease, either absolutely or in trust 
for any of its purpose, any property, real or personal, without limitation as to amount or values; 
to convey such property and to invest and reinvest any principal in such manner as will promote 
its objectives; 
(C) Promote its aims, enhance its operations or rehabilitate any of its physical structure, 
facilitieshtilities and purposes herein set out; 
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(D)Contract any obligation, or enter into any agreement necessary or incidental to the 
proper management of its corporate powers; arid 
(E) Carry out capability-building programs with greater efficiency and effectiveness and 
perform any activity with all the powers conferred by a law or laws upon private or government- 
owned or controlled corporations; and to do any and all of the acts herein set forth, to the same 
extent as judicial persons should do, and in any part of the world, as a principal factor, agent or 
otherwise alone or in syndicate or otherwise in conjunction with any person, entity, partnership, 
association or corporations, domestic or foreign. 
SECTION 5. Powers. -The Academy shall have the following functions: 
(A)Design and implement training and human resource development programs for local 
government units, executives and functionaries and the DILG personnel that will ultimately 
effect institutional development sod organizational effectiveness; 
(B)Assist the DILG in promulgating policies, rules and regulations and other issues 
relative to human resource development and training for LGUs that are responsive to their needs. 
Training activities shall be preceded by training needs assessments to ensure customized and 
relevant programs and shall also ensure the conduct of progress and impact in its evaluation of 
LGU training programs; 
(C) Establish and maintain a mechanism to enable the LGUs to access technical as well as 
financial assistance in building institutional capabilities to respond to the needs of local 
governance within the framework of local autonomy; 
(D)Establish and maintain a continuing linkage and network with different institutions 
and civil society groups for synergy in local government capability-building and to cope with the 
technological and institutional needs of LGUs in the context of globalization; 
(E) Develop a corps of efficient, effective and competent LGA staff provided with all the 
remuneration and benefits needed for their enhancement and satisfaction; and 
(F) Undertake rehabilitation, upgrading and expaision of its training Center as a venue 
for conducting efficient and effective capability-building programs. 
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SECTION 6. Locations and Ofices. -The Academy shall maintain a central office in the 
Metro Manila area and three training and technical assistance centers: one (1) in Luzon, one (1) 
in Visayas and one (1) in Mindanao. 
SECTION 7. Board of Trustees. - The Board of Trustees shall be the policymaking body 
of the Academy which shall be composed of the Secretary of the DILG as ex-officio Chairman 
and the following members: 
(A) President of the League of Provinces; 
(B) President of the League of Cities; 
(C) President of the League of Municipalities; 
(D) President of the Liga ng mga Barangay; 
(E) President of the League of Vice Governors; 
(F) President of the League of Vice Mayors; 
(G) Executive Director of the Academy; 
(H) A representative from the academe; 
(I) A representative from the private sector, who shall be appointed by the President of 
the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the DILG. 
The appointive members shall serve for a term of three (3) years without reappointment. 
Appointment to any vacancy shall only be for the unexpired term of the predecessor. 
In no case shall any trustee be appointed or designated in a temporary or acting capacity. 
The Chairman and members of the Board of Trustees shall be entitled to reasonable 
honorarium for the performance of their duties and reimbursement and regulations of expenses 
incurred while discharging their functions as such, subject to auditing and rules. 
SECTION 8. Powers and Duties of the Board. - The powers of the Academy shall be 
vested in the Board of Trustees. It shall have the following powers and duties: 
(A)Prepare and or adopt policies, guidelines, rules and regulations necessary for a 
smooth and orderly operations and for the enhancement and development of its personnel; 
(B) Prepare and/or approve the organizational structure and staffing pattern for its officers 
and employees; 
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All positions shall be governed by compensation and position qualification system and 
qualification standards approved by the board based on a comprehensive job analysis and audit 
of actual duties and responsibilities. The compensation plan shall be comparable to the prevailing 
compensation plans in the private sector and shall be periodically review by the Board no more 
than every three (3) years without prejudice to a yearly merit review or increases based on 
productivity and profitability. 
(C) Approve courses of trainingstudy for LGUs and training fees required for training 
programs as well as for the rental of LGA facilities; 
(D)Approve work plans and budget proposals of the Academy for consideration of 
appropriate agencies and other funding institutions, both local and foreign; 
(E) Review periodically the 
administration and programs, performance and 
accomplishments of the LGA; and 
(F) Perform such other duties as may be required by law. 
SECTION 9. Oficevs ofthe Academy. - The Academy shall be headed by an Executive 
Director as Chief Executive and assisted by three (3) Deputy Directors for Luzon, Visayas, and 
Mindanao who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation of 
the Board of Trustees. The Executive Director and Deputy Directors shall have passed the Career 
Executive Service Officers Exam or its equivalent and/or shall satisfy the qualification standards 
required by the Civil Service Commission. 
The Executive Director shall have the following duties and responsibilities: 
(A) Recommend to the Board of Trustees, the measures and policies which he/she 
believes are necessary to carry out the purposes of the Academy and all matters pertinent to its 
operations including the enhancement and development of its personnel; 
(B) Recommend to the Board of Trustees the programs and projects of the Academy and 
coordinate and administer the same; 
(C) Direct and supervise the operations and internal administration of the Academy, and 
delegate administrative responsibilities to the appropriate officer or employee in accordance 
with its rules and regulations; 
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The LGA shall be exempt from the existing Salary Standardization Law and its 
implementing rules and regulations. 
(D)Submit an annual report to the Board of Trustees setting forth the accomplishments of 
the Academy during the year, its financial operations and status; 
(E) Appoint, subject to civil service laws, rules and regulations, all subordinate officers 
and employees, who shall enjoy security of tenure and may be removed only for cause in 
accordance with the law; 
(F) Engage the services of expertsiconsultants either on full-time or part-time basis, as 
may be required in the performance of his functions and duties as determined by him; and 
(G)Exercise such other powers and discharge such other functions as may be vested by 
the Board. The executive secretary who shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees shall be the 
ex-officio recorder/secretary of the Board of Trustees and shall head the secretariat of the 
Board. He shall also perform such other functions as may be lawfully delegated or assigned by 
the Board. 
SECTION 10. Financial Resources of the Academy. - The financial resources of the 
Academy shall comprise of: 
(A)Funds from the government appropriation fur the LGA fur its initial operations and 
funds from international and national organization, foundations as well as from the private 
sectors; 
(B) Voluntary contributions; 
(C)Income from training and the use of training facilities, sale of publications, materials 
and other services; and 
(D)The Academy may also receive non-financial contributions, services or equipment 
and vehicles needed for its operations. 
SECTION 11. Exemption from Taxes. - Any provision of existing laws to the contrary 
not withstanding, any donation, contribution, bequest, subsidy or financial and which may be 
made to the Academy shall he exempt from taxes of any kind, and shall constitute allowable 
deductions in full from the income of the donors or givers for income tax purposes. 
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The LGA, its assets, acquisitions including grants and donations, income from its operations 
and transactions shall be exempt from any and all taxes, fees, charges and imports, licenses and 
assessment, direct or indirect, imposed by the Republic of the Philippines or any of its political 
subdivision or taxing authority thereof, except import taxes, duties and fees. 
SECTION 12. Appropriation Clause. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions 
of this Act, shall be included in the appropriations of the year following its enactment into law. 
SECTION 13. Transitory Provisions. - All functions, powers, duties and responsibilities 
of the existing LGA presently attached to the DILG as well as all assets, properties, funds, 
indebtedness or liabilities, including its budgetary appropriations, shall be transferred to the 
Acadeiny created under this Act, subject to the conditions that may be established by the 
Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Commission on Audit (COA) and the 
Office of the President (OP). 
Pending full implementation of the LGA organizational structure and staffing pattern 
under this Act, all officials and employees of the present LGA shall continue to exercise their 
powers, discharge their duties, hnctions and responsibilities and receive their salaries and 
allowances until they shall be given notice of separation or position in accordance with Civil 
Service Laws, Rules and Regulations but shall not exceed one (1) year from the approval hereof. 
SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - If any part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and 
subsisting. 
SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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