DEPARTMENT of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez is the proverbial spoiler, or in millennial parlance, the killjoy.
Just when the local government units (LGUs) were anticipating a bonanza of revenues from the national government as a result of the Supreme Court's ruling released recently saying the LGUs should receive their just and fair share of the national revenues, comes now the technocrat, one of the economic managers of the Duterte administration, opposing the grant of the increased shares.
He warns that although the ruling will not leave the national government to starve for funds, the LGUs may just bite off more than they can chew. Why is this so, I may ask. The LGUs have their own economic managers, members of the Think Tank who can efficiently design ways to absorb the additional amounts for the local governments' use and these are aplenty.
Why would the good secretary tighten the flow of funds to the local governments? It is downright insulting to say the least. Why not allow them the full enjoyment of the additional amounts adjudicated by the highest tribunal? Why oppose progress and growth of the local governments?
Dominguez belittled the LGUs' competence when he said: We cannot just give them the money and say- O kayo na bahala diyan. Hindi naman siguro pwede iyon, di ba? This is a lot of money.
Such condescending attitude from a supposed high-ranking professional economic manager!
Why not let the LGUs decide for themselves the funds would be spent and provide adequate guidelines and safety mechanisms instead of belittling the LGUs' kakayahan at kahusayan?
He believes he has the monopoly of financial uprightness and views the LGUs as reckless in handling huge funds bequeathed by the national government. Shame!
Dominguez himself admitted that the Supreme Court ruling involves a lot of money that the LGUs need to spend to fund several social and hard project, including infrastructure.
It should be recalled that the Supreme Court ruled that LGUs should have their share from all national revenue sources, not just from the national internal revenue taxes.
Now comes the bigger problem for Dominguez: when the SC decision becomes final, would the ruling mandate that the implementation is on a prospective or retroactive basis? Aruy!!
Your move, Mr. Secretary, sir. The LGUs will be anxiously waiting.