Negative Effect of Devolution

Negative effects: The implementation of the local government in 1992 provided the impetus for local government units to assume greater roles and responsibilities in bringing about socio-economic development for their respective constituents. This is in view of the devolution in the provision of basic services such as health, social welfare, socialized housing, agricultural extension, tourism development, among others, from the national to local governments. The devolution of health services of the Department of Health (DOH) to the local government units was consonance with the national goals. The national vision signals the initial step for local communities as well as an opportunity for local government units to manage their respective health services in the most effective and efficient manner. Considering these meritorious objectives to attain the national vision, the devolution process also posed problems for the DOH and the local government units, particularly on the inadequate financial resources to undertake vigorous health service delivery programs. In Cotabato City, the constraint of insufficient budgetary resources was only one of the problems faced by the local government in the provision of effective and efficient ranged from the geographic location of its barangays, economic status of its population, inadequate health manpower and facilities, and pre-LGC (Local Government Code) situation. The location of the barangays and economic status of the population. People of various ethnic origins (T’boili, B’laan, Tagabili, Ubo and Tasaday) coming from as far as Aparri to Tawi-tawi populate the city of Cotabato. Majority of its population is composed of the Maguindanaoan tribe and people from the Visayan regions. Cotabato, as a participant in the Integrated Community Health Services Project (ICHSP) was included in the Local Health Accounts pilot phase as one of six provinces where local financial data was collected. About 60 percent of the population