Republic of the Philippines

DILG to LGUs: Institutionalize Open Governance The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is calling on all local government units (LGUs) to institutionalize open governance practices, in support of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to strengthen transparency, accountability, and citizen participation under the Bagong Pilipinas governance agenda. Through Memorandum Circular No. 2025-065, the DILG enjoined LGUs to embed open government principles in their local policies and programs. These include adopting anti-corruption safeguards, ensuring budget transparency through accessible financial reporting, mainstreaming disaster resilience in development plans, and advancing digitalization to improve public service delivery. LGUs are likewise urged to foster inclusive partnerships and adopt participatory approaches in decision-making to create a more responsive and accountable local government system. The DILG plays a key role in the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), the national platform for promoting open governance, established under Executive Order No. 31, series of 2023. At the 2025 OGP Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting held in Taguig City, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to the OGP, encouraging LGUs to actively engage civil society, the academe, and the private sector in building stronger, more transparent institutions. To date, the DILG has trained over 24,000 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for formal participation in Local Special Bodies, designated 1,451 CSO Desk Officers in LGUs, and assisted in establishing 464 Local People’s Councils nationwide. These efforts form part of the Department’s strategy to institutionalize citizen engagement and make local governance more inclusive, transparent, and accountable.

Remulla to LGUs: Pass ordinances to punish 911 prank callers As the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) prepares to roll out the upgraded Emergency 911 system this August, Secretary Jonvic Remulla urged all local chief executives to enact ordinances penalizing prank callers to the national emergency hotline. “Dapat may ordinance ang lahat ng LGUs na may monetary fine, jail time basta prank call,” Remulla said, emphasizing that prank calling the emergency line must be met with real consequences. He noted that detailed guidelines will follow once the system is fully launched. Reports from the E911 National Office showed that in 2024, close to 12 million calls were handled by the system, of which about 60 percent were identified as fraudulent, hoax, or prank calls. Under Presidential Decree No. 1727, individuals who maliciously spread false information may face imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to P40,000, or both. Speaking during a simulation exercise at Camp Crame, Quezon City, Remulla warned the public that the new system will have tracking capabilities to quickly identify prank callers. “May geofence at geo data kasi ang lahat ng tatawag. So kung tumawag ka at prank call ka, within five minutes, mahuhuli ka nila,” he said. The enhanced system will also include language-sensitive capabilities and push-to-talk over cellular (PoC/PTToC) features that allow real-time coordination with over 1,000 police officers nationwide. Remulla said the upgraded system is part of the administration’s broader push for faster police response in compliance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive for improved police visibility and public safety. “Despite the technology we are using, we are doing very well. Pero sa bagong sistema natin, I think the PNP will have better response time, better quality of response,” he said. He added that all local government emergency systems will be integrated into a single, unified 911 network. “Ngayon, 34 ang LGU na may sariling 911. Tapos may sarili ang Crame. Ang gagawin natin, magkakaroon tayo ng unified system sa buong Pilipinas,” he explained.

262 BARANGAYS EARN SEAL OF GOOD LOCAL GOVERNANCE; MORE AWARDS SET UNTIL OCTOBER 2025 The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) awarded 262 barangays with the Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangay (SGLGB) during the opening cluster of the Liga ng mga Barangay National Congress held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. These barangays are the first batch of national awardees under the 2024 SGLGB assessment cycle. More recognition ceremonies are set for July 29, August 19, September 10, and October 21, where the rest of the 3,283 national passers will be conferred with the SGLGB. The award is a testament to the barangay’s crucial role in building a Bagong Pilipinas as envisioned by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. It reflects their excellence in local governance and their commitment to accountability, transparency, and responsive service delivery. A total of 3,283 barangays—nearly 8% of all 41,610 barangays nationwide—earned the 2024 SGLGB after undergoing stringent performance evaluations based on the DILG’s 3+1 principle: excellence in all three core governance areas (financial administration and sustainability, disaster preparedness, safety and peace and order), and at least one essential area (social protection and sensitivity, business-friendliness and competitiveness, and environmental management). Of these, 663 barangays were consistent awardees for two consecutive years, while 2,620 barangays received the recognition for the first time. DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla has directed the Department to restructure the SGLGB system beginning 2025 to align with a unified, strategic, and outcome-based performance evaluation across all levels of local government. This is in support of the Department’s thrust to make LGUs not just compliant, but truly transformative. The SGLGB program serves as a platform to push barangays to raise the bar of public service. By strengthening grassroots governance, the DILG is building resilient, ethical, and service-oriented communities – mula barangay hanggang buong bayan.###

180 LGUs Go Cashless with Paleng-QR Ph Program A total of 180 local government units (LGUs) across the country have officially adopted the Paleng-QR Ph Program, a joint initiative of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to push for cashless, safer, and more inclusive local transactions. Anchored on DILG-BSP Joint Memorandum Circular No. 01, series of 2022, the program is part of the government’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2022 to 2028 and supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to advance inclusive and sustainable development at the grassroots. Paleng-QR Ph empowers LGUs to lead the shift to digital payments in public markets and local transportation. From market vendors and sari-sari store owners to tricycle drivers and daily commuters, the program promotes the use of QR Ph as a fast, safe, and convenient payment option through mobile devices. Of the 180 participating LGUs, five are in the National Capital Region, 127 in Luzon, 33 in Visayas, and 15 in Mindanao. These LGUs have either launched or issued policies to support the full rollout of Paleng-QR Ph in their localities. To encourage more LGUs to follow suit, the DILG continues to deliver technical assistance on account onboarding, digital payment systems, and financial literacy in close coordination with the BSP. This initiative not only modernizes local transactions but also opens doors for microentrepreneurs to access better financing options and reduces health risks linked to handling cash. Paleng-QR Ph is financial inclusion in action. ###

Learning Behind Bars: Over 10k PDLs complete basic education, earn college degrees; 112k finish skills training Education does not stop at the jail gates. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), through the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), is ensuring that persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) continue to access education and skills training to prepare them for reintegration into society. To date, 10,739 PDLs have completed elementary and high school levels while in detention through the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System. As an attached agency of the DILG, BJMP has operational and administrative control over all city, district, and municipal jails in the country. PDLs enrolled under ALS also receive their Time Allowance for Studying, Teaching, and Mentoring, as provided under Republic Act 10592, recognizing their effort to improve themselves while serving time Beyond basic education, 107 PDLs have earned their college degrees under the Tertiary Education Behind Bars Program in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education. An additional 720 PDLs are currently enrolled in various degree programs, with BJMP actively working to expand this initiative by building new partnerships with colleges and universities nationwide. PDLs are also being equipped with livelihood and technical skills to boost their employment prospects post-release. In coordination with TESDA and civil society partners, 112,707 PDLs have completed training programs in carpentry, electronics, welding, arts and crafts, and small-scale entrepreneurship. These results reflect the government’s commitment to holistic and meaningful rehabilitation, aligned with President Marcos Jr.’s call to build “a world where justice and compassion prevail.” Through continued investment in education and livelihood training, the DILG and BJMP are enabling PDLs to return to society as reformed and productive citizens. ###

DILG BOOSTS DIGITAL GOVERNANCE WITH BIMS ROLLOUT IN BARANGAYS The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is accelerating grassroots digital transformation through the continued rollout of the Barangay Information Management System (BIMS), enabling faster, more efficient, and data-driven barangay governance across the country. This move supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for all government agencies and offices to fully embrace digitalization to deliver better, more responsive public service. Developed under the DILG’s Local Government Unit Support System (LGUSS) in 2024, BIMS serves as a centralized platform for encoding, storing, and retrieving vital barangay data such as household profiles, individual records, deceased persons, barangay officials, as well as complaints and inquiries, making local operations more organized and responsive to community needs. As of the latest DILG monitoring, 11,658 barangays or 27.7 percent of the country’s 42,011 barangays have been oriented on BIMS, while 7,083 barangays or 16.9 percent now have access to the system. The Department targets to increase these numbers significantly in 2025. The DILG also underscores that barangays must strictly uphold data privacy and security protocols. All collected household and individual-level data must be protected in line with existing confidentiality standards. The BIMS initiative is part of the Department’s broader efforts to strengthen local governance through digital innovation, empowering barangays with tools to improve service delivery, transparency, and operational efficiency.