BAGUIO CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government – Cordillera reminds all CSO representatives in the various Local Special Bodies (LSBs) and Local People’s Councils (LPC) in the region to refrain from engaging in any partisan political activities as the country gears up for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections this October 2023.
“We are reminding our CSOs that engaging or using your respective organizations for any partisan political-related activities is a ground for revocation of your accreditation,” DILG-CAR Regional Director Araceli A. San Jose said.
It can be recalled that Section 4.9.1.4 of DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2022-083, which provides the guidelines for the accreditation of CSOs and selection of representatives to the LSBs, explicitly prohibits CSOs “from engaging primarily in, or utilizing their organization primarily for, partisan political activities.”
Meanwhile, LPCs are likewise warned of the same as Section 6.4 of DILG MC No. 2021-054 states that the Sanggunian may revoke the recognition of the LPC if the Council or its members partake in such partisan political activities.
Activities of these nature are, but not limited to, the explicit promotion of election or defeat of any candidate or political party, soliciting votes for a certain candidate, or mobilizing the organization for the sole purpose of electioneering.
RD San Jose reiterated that pursuant to DILG MC No. 2022-083, all LGUs, in coordination with their respective DILG Field Offices, may establish their own mechanisms in addressing non-compliance of CSOs to the said provisions. She also enjoined LGUs to coordinate with their respective CSO Desk Officers in monitoring the activity of their CSO partners.
“We recognize that in our pursuit of participatory good governance, we must ensure that our CSO partners maintain their autonomy and non-partisan nature. Our CSOs must not side with any other entity apart from the people and sector they represent,” RD San Jose said. **RJMV/DILG-CAR
