Robredo to LCEs: Submit local roads inventory

By DILG Office of Public Affairs
April 25, 2011

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo urged all local executives – governors, city and municipal mayors – in the country to submit local roads inventory in their respective localities to enable the government to help improve and repair their local road networks.

The DILG chief said the inventory shall be included in the Local Road Database Project being maintained by the DILG’s Office of Project Development Services and will be used as one of the criteria in determining their eligibility to the Special Local Road Fund (SLRF).

The SLRF is intended to assist local government units in the rehabilitation and maintenance of provincial and city roads nationwide.

“The local roads database will be very useful to government policy and program planners as this will help them develop the necessary interventions and seek funds such as the SLRF to improve our local roads,” he said.

In a directive to local chief executives, Robredo enjoined them to facilitate the submission of the inventory of provincial and city roads annually and municipal and barangay roads every three years pursuant to the Local Government Code.

“Municipalities that have yet to comply should submit their road inventories not later than October 31, 2011,” he said.

Section 524 of the Code specifically states that “each local government unit shall conduct a periodic inventory of infrastructure and other community facilities and undertake the maintenance, repair, improvement or reconstruction of these facilities through a closer cooperation among the various agencies of the national government operating within the province, city or municipality concerned.”

Records from the OPDS showed that while all provinces and cities have already turned in their road inventories, only 425 or 28.1% of the 1,512 municipalities and 5,541 or 13.18% of the 42,021 barangays nationwide have turned in their local road inventory.

“We want to complete and update this road database so that it can be an effective tool in monitoring local road network conditions and developing assistance to LGUs,” said Robredo.

The DILG Secretary said the database, which contains the inventory of provincial, city, municipal and barangay roads all over the country to encompass the entire local roads network, is open for use by other government agencies, the private sector and researchers.