INTRODUCTION

The Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA), as defined by the Local Government

Academy through the Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program, is a
planning document that is mutually developed and agreed upon by both the executive
and legislative departments of an LGU. It is an integrated plan that contains the major
development thrusts and priorities of both the executive and legislative branches toward
a common vision for the locality. The ELA, as a tool, has many purposes, such as:

As a planning and budgeting tool, an ELA

 Provides a development roadmap for the LGU
 Helps identify results that will contribute to the LGU’s long-term vision
 Identifies priority programs and projects that will help accomplish these results
 Organizes and allocates local resources in a rational and results-oriented manner

As a transparency and accountability tool, an ELA

 Informs the constituents of the LGU’s medium-term development priorities for which
the LCE, and the other elected local officials, make themselves accountable
 Facilitates consultation process between the LCE and various stakeholders

As a social mobilization tool, an ELA

 Promotes active and quality participation of the community in local development
planning
 Helps rally support from stakeholders
 Helps unite the broader LGU community

As a performance management tool, an ELA

 Provides a basis for ensuring that LGU plans are implemented and are producing
the desired impact
 Helps set performance targets to the various departments of the LGU, thus
encouraging greater accountability for results

As a communication tool, an ELA

 Allows elected officials to present and articulate their political agenda and seek
its integration into the ELA
 Creates opportunities for the community to give feedback and voice out their
issues and concerns to the LGU, and the LCE in particular
 Encourages closer interface between the executive and the legislative officials
 Allows for elected officials to report back their accomplishments and
achievements

As a convergence tool, an ELA

 Encourages collaboration between the executive and legislative departments
 Provides avenues for consensus among diverse stakeholders in pursuing a set of
unified actions designed to bring about the desired changes in the local
community

The ELA is an enhancement to the existing local planning processes and structures as
mandated by Republic Act (RA) 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code.
The ELA provides strategies, as well as tools and techniques, that are intended for
LCEs, Sanggunian members, the Local Development Council, LGU personnel, and
local planning professionals in charting a common future for their localities. The process
utilizes participatory and consultative approaches, and offers mechanisms that facilitate
convergent planning and decision-making processes between the executive and
legislative departments of the LGU. The Local Government Code mandates Local Chief
Executives (LCEs) of a province, city or municipality to:
• “present the program of government and propose policies for the consideration of
the Sanggunian … at the opening of a regular session of the Sanggunian”
concerned, and
• "initiate and propose legislative measures to the Sanggunian ……. and as often
as may be deemed necessary, provide such information and data needed or
requested by said Sanggunian in the performance of its functions” (Sections 444,
455 and 465).

The ELA is a term-based unifying plan or document that is developed and mutually
agreed upon by both the executive and legislative departments of a local government
unit (LGU), in consultation with the various stakeholders. It contains the major
development thrusts and priorities of both the executive and the legislative branches for
the three-year term of office. The ELA supports existing LGU planning systems and
adds greater value to the LGU mandated plans (i.e., Provincial Development and
Physical Framework Plan [PDPFP], Comprehensive Land Use Plan [CLUP], and
Comprehensive Development Plan [CDP]) by moving them forward to getting
implemented and monitored.

ln line with the implementation of the Newly Elected Officials (NEO) Program this year,
formulation of the ELA for the period FY 2022 to 2024 to include the prescribed content,
format, and process shall still be guided by DILG Memorandum Circular (MC)No. 201 9-
114: Clarificatory Guidelines on the Formulation of the Executive-Legislative Agenda
(ELA), issued on 18 July 2019. As such, the ELA is still to be considered a tool to
implement the priority agenda of both the executive and legislative departments based
on the CDP process and aligned with national priorities and thrusts.

Moreover, and in light of the full devolution effort as triggered by the Supreme Court
(SC) Ruling on the Mandanas and Garcia petitions, LGUs shall commit to operationalize
their Devolution Transition Plans (DTPs)l through the ELA. As such, DTPs of the
respective LGUs shall be considered and prioritized in the ELA formulation utilizing the
following LGU DTP components:

1. State and phasing of assumption of devolved functions, services, and facilities

2. Capacity development requirements
3. Changes in the Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern (OSSP) and
manpower complement including the Proposed Modification to the LGU
Organizational Structure and Proposed Additional Positions to the Plantilla of LGU
Personnel|
4. Local resource mobilization program (Attachment 6: Local revenue Forecast and
Resource Mobilization Strategy)

The list of “programs, policies, and projects” being required of the LCE to be presented
to the Sanggunian concerned is embodied in what is known as the “Executive Agenda”
(EA). It is also known as the Platform of Governance/Priority Thrusts of the Incumbent.
This should contain the priorities of the incumbent that may be broadly stated. This
should also highlight those that would support: (i) the identified development goals,
objectives, and strategies derived from the CDP process, (ii) those supporting National
Government priorities, and (iii) those devolved functions, services, and facilities (FSFs)
and NGA programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) when applicable, that will be
assumed by the concerned LGU as indicated in the LGU Devolution Transition Plan
(DTP).

A Legislative Agenda (LA) is a package of priority policies and legislative measures

designed to support development priorities, particularly those contained in the EA. It
serves as a roadmap to guide the Sanggunian or the local legislative council in
identifying, analyzing, and formulating solutions to problems and issues requiring public
policy action. As a list of prioritized ordinances and resolutions for enactment during a
specified period, the LA can be used to focus the work of the legislature during its term
of office, and to synchronize and converge legislative actions with the EA priorities. This
should contain the agreed legislative agenda, that may be broadly stated that would
support the (i) priorities of the incumbent; (ii) identified development goals, objectives,
and priorities; and (iii) those devolved functions, services, and facilities (FSFs) and NGA
programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) when applicable, that will be assumed by the
concerned
LGU as indicated in the LGU Devolution Transition Plan (DTP).

Prior to the ELA formulation process, concerned LGU functionaries are expected to
undertake preparatory workshops/sessions/activities to come-up with the proposed
priorities based on Steps 1 to 4. The aim of the preparatory work is to harmonize the
priorities of the incumbent vis-a-vis the priorities as embodied in the LGU’s CDP and
DTP.

Preparatory Work prior to ELA Finalization Workshop

Office/
Activity Person Participants Remarks
Responsible
Local Vision-Reality Gaps,
1. Revisit/Update LGU
P/C/MPDC Development revisit VMGO and
Vision
Council, success indicators
Sanggunian,
and Planning
Team
Local Chief
2. Determine list of Executive, Include capacity
FSFs in the LGU Sanggunian, development and
P/C/MPDC
DTP that are partially and Planning additional personnel
or not yet assumed Team/LGU requirements
DTC
3. Determine priority
Local Chief Can be based on the
PPAs of new P/C/MPDC
Executive CDP in effect
administration
 Weed out duplicating
or conflicting PPAs
4. Consolidate outputs  Combine
of Activities 2 and 3 complementary PPAs
P/C/MPDC
to establish the to create more
executive agenda comprehensive
programs. May use
the CCC matrix
5. Determine priority Secretary to
Can be based on the
legislative measures the Sanggunian
CDP in effect
of the Sanggunian Sanggunian
 Check for conflicts. If
there are conflicts,
the LCE and the
Sanggunian should
reach a consensus or
P/C/MPDC,
6. Match the executive Local Chief compromise which
Secretary to
agenda with priority Executive, priorities will push
the
legislative action Sanggunian through
Sanggunian
 Ensure that PPAs in
the executive agenda
have corresponding
legislative action if
necessary
7. If there are no more
conflicts and all
priority PPAs have
Secretary to
corresponding
the Sanggunian
legislative
Sanggunian
requirements, finalize
the legislative
agenda
8. Proceed to the ELA
finalization workshop

ELA Formulation Process

The process in formulating the ELA should initially emanate from the CDP Process,
using the Guidelines on CDP Preparation and the CDP Illustrative Guide. From the
Vision Reality Gap Analysis (based on the CDP Process), the goals, objectives, and
strategies that will address the identified gaps are derived. These shall provide the basis
for ELA formulation. The ELA can thus be derived following the steps as shown in the
matrix below.

Office/
Steps Person Participants Remarks
Responsible
The Local Chief
Executive and
Sanggunian should be
Present the Vision, Local Chief
informed of the LGU
VisionReality Gaps, Executive,
P/C/MPDC situation and the
Goals, Objectives, and Sanggunian, nd
formulated vision, goals,
Strategies in plenary Planning Team
and objectives in which
they should anchor their
priorities
To highlight the
devolved functions and
services that are partially
and not yet assumed;
phasing of
and strategy for the
Local Chief
assumption of devolved
Executive,
functions and services;
Present the LGU DTP P/C/MPDC Sanggunian,
capacity development
and Planning
requirements and
Team
modifications in the
LGU’s Organizational
Structure and Staffing
Pattern (OSSP); and
strategies to increase
LGU resources
Present in plenary the
Sanggunian
priority thrusts/platform
Mayor and
of governance of the
Planning Team
incumbent
Local Chief
Present in plenary the
Executive,
priority legislative
Vice Mayor Sanggunian,
agenda of the
and
Sanggunian
Planning Team
To better facilitate the
process, C/MPDC and
the Sanggunian
Secretary, prior to the
session proper should
already have captured
Present the synthesis of
Local Chief priorities of the LCE and
the executive and P/C/MPDC,
Executive, the Sanggunian, and
legislative priorities vis- Secretary to
Sanggunian, situated priority
à-vis the goals, objective the
and thrusts/platform of
and strategies (identified Sanggunian
Planning Team governance and
during the CDP process)
legislative priorities with
the goals, objectives,
and strategies identified
within the CDP process
and National
Government’s priorities.
Provincial
Director or Local Chief
For the Local Chief
City Executive,
Agree and finalize the Executive and
Director or Sanggunian,
ELA Sanggunian to sign
C/MLGOO and
the ELA
(to Planning Team
facilitate)
Prepare and approve the
Resolution adopting the
ELA