Last year was a defining time for Local Government Units (LGUs) — their roles got magnified as they filled in the gaps of the national government’s reach and implemented a localized pandemic response. In a way, LGUs being placed at the frontline of responding and mitigating the effects of COVID-19 is a manifestation of health devolution. Devolution is the specific form of decentralization that denotes a relinquishing of certain functions to new government units: the LGUs. Combined with health, devolution pertains to LGUs supposedly having the capacity to manage local health services while the Department of Health (DOH) is mandated to provide assistance. The local governments found themselves with a greater latitude to interpret and implement the measures that were handed down from the national government. Their responsibilities became much more urgent and necessary in the face of a public health crisis.
Decentralization facilitates democratization, economic growth, and satisfies local demands. Tasks are funneled down to smaller units so that the government can better execute its plans. Where the national government paints the bigger picture and outlines what they need to do to respond to the people’s demands, the local government units are the puzzle pieces that follow the presupposed course to carry out programs and projects.
Following the health standards, contact tracing and surveillance, triage system, increased testing, and case management are the bare minimum expectations in managing a pandemic and the mitigation of its effects. LGUs are expected to speedily and resolutely address these public health concerns and the economic repercussions that the lockdowns have caused — in general, it has become an issue of ensuring that their constituents are not left behind. The economy and the households that it sustains shouldn’t be forced into the corner and at a standstill but continue functioning while promptly managing the cases in their area.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) released the “We Recover as One” report in May 2020, emphasizing the greater role that LGUs will have to fulfill in delivering public services to ascertain pandemic management and eventual recovery. A significant feature was its emphasis on data-driven governance, which means that the steps forward and possible innovations must be based on reliable quantitative statistics and empirical qualitative data. More than complementing the Department of Health’s (DOH) National Strategy for CoVid-19, some LGUs also excelled in contextualizing the solutions to their local situations. They collected data, utilized it, and trusted science in making innovations to their pandemic response. They’re exemplars of good and urgent leadership whose strategies were even benchmarked by other LGUs.
The following are the most noteworthy LGUs that innovated and implemented strategies using data-driven governance.
1. Makati
Makati was praised for launching the "Defeat COVID-19 Monitoring Information System", an online contact tracing application to monitor Makati citizens showing symptoms of COVID-19. The LGU, under the leadership of Mayor Abigail Binay, harnessed the minds of the students in their city by collaborating with IT majors from the University of Makati. The data garnered here enables the Makati City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit to keep a better track of suspected cases. At the same time, citizens are also provided with information on health services. Moreover, social amelioration was implemented relatively more systemically with the Makatizen app launch where they channeled a minimum of PHP 5,000 economic relief to the Makatizen cards and even through GCash, a popular and accessible mobile wallet application.
2. Bataan
Similarly, the provincial government of Bataan launched the "Bataan Household TXT Registration", which was a simple yet efficient means to send one’s information and apply for relief goods while also fast-tracking its distribution and being informed in real-time on the schedule of distribution. Texting is also more accessible since downloading an application would require having a smartphone. The provincial government aimed to have a more collective gathering of data in determining the vulnerable sectors and the beneficiaries they need to supply. This initiative also facilitated transparency and accountability since the citizens were being informed of their relief goods’ status.
3. Carmona, Cavite
The LGU of Carmona, Cavite, headed by municipal mayor Roy Loyola, also collaborated with UP Diliman-based volunteer group SaniTents PH in producing a do-it-yourself and improvised sanitation sents. The project helped disinfect the people coming and going to hospitals and the municipal hall in a much more efficient and medically assuring way. Disinfection sessions were also regularly conducted across checkpoints in Carmona and the barangays. Makati, Bataan, and Carmona showed initiatives under the umbrella of technology, a much-needed response from the LGUs mandated to serve their constituents.
4. Pasig
More than harnessing technology, other LGUs also exemplified good practices by listening to healthcare professionals and supporting them in the frontline. Pasig, led by Mayor Vico Sotto, launched a comprehensive set of support services for local frontliners. The services included free meals, transportation, accommodation, and psychosocial interventions. Mobile kitchens were set up to feed the population of 50 health centers, hospitals, and checkpoints in Pasig. To cope with the absence of public transportation, the local government partnered with the private sector and other government offices to launch free bus and shuttle services with nine strategic routes for frontline workers. Hotels also provided their accommodation to the healthcare workers from Rizal, which was prompted after reports of harassment and discrimination against frontliners surfaced. The Philippine Red Cross facilitated psychosocial support to frontliners using games, open forums, and focus group discussions.
5. Marikina
Mayor Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina also foregrounded healthcare when their LGU established the Marikina Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory. The move is a laudable show of foresight from the LGU because soon enough, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) did get overwhelmed with the soaring numbers they needed to test. Marikina even encountered an institutional bump along the road when the Department of Health (DOH) took too long in releasing their permit to operate. Ultimately, Mayor Teodoro acted urgently and invoked their local autonomy as he gave a deadline for DOH to come and accredit their Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory.
6. Iloilo
Lastly, Iloilo gained popularity and was called the “Wakanda” of the Philippines. While the rest of the country was grappling with the rising number of cases, Iloilo had fewer cases. Mayor Geronimo Treñas attributes this to the whole city’s collective effort to urgently cooperate with the LGU and their local healthcare sector. The city went into lockdown relatively early, only five days after the entirety of Luzon was placed under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Mayor Treñas was already keeping an eye on the virus’s progression in the country even before the first case was announced. Prevention was critical to their collective ability to cope well. The LGU was staunch in calling for mass testing, a healthcare logic that the national government neglected. Like Marikina, they also set up their local testing center in Western Visayas Medical Center to conduct quick tests. With the simple formula of accountable governance and mass testing, Iloilo was able to get on the road to recovery and resolve economic worries earlier. Their success shows that trusting science is crucial in the planning of LGUs to curb the spread of the virus.
The common denominator for managing a pandemic and healthcare devolved at the local level was a general trust in science, innovations using technology, and the use of data in governance. These LGUs were proactive — they foresaw possible problems that might come up and sought to resolve them in expectation. It was not reactionary where the solutions were either inadequate or too late to fill the gaps in leadership. In crises like this, LGUs have a greater role to fulfill in the frontline, where they are mandated to serve their constituents directly. Health devolution enabled them to have greater latitude and autonomy to cope with lapses and losses while being resourceful. Some, but certainly not all, showed good leadership by being anchored in science, data, and service.
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