Prof. Leonor Briones, former treasurer of the Philippine government, launched the Institute of Local Governance for Master of Public Administration, Thursday, at Silliman University in Dumaguete City.

Briones shared her expertise and research on the cycle of borrowings by local government units, as well as fiscal administration.

She presented the current fiscal issues, one of which is global competition that led local government units to compete against each other.

One of the common scenarios is for the LGUs to spend more on sportsfests with visitors, especially during the election season, resulting in increase in their fiscal requirement, she said. She lamented that national officials grant exemptions to tourist resorts when they come to the provinces.

Briones also discussed the collection of national taxes including locally sourced revenues, adding that the Revenue Codes of many LGUs have outdated rates.

Some lawmakers and legislators in Congress were able to make last minute insertions in the budget for their re-election campaign and charged them to the previous budget, she revealed.

None of these solons, come from Oriental Negros, though, she said.

Aside from the Priority Development Assistance Fund, of representatives and senators, also known as "pork barrel," Briones said, the Motor Vehicle Road Users Tax is another major source of corruption, though she admitted she has no documents to prove this.*JG

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