National Supervision over Local Governments.
Section 14
SEC. 14. National Supervision over Local Governments. — (1) The President of the Philippines shall exercise general supervision over local governments to ensure that local affairs are administered according to law. General supervision includes the power to order an investigation of the conduct of local government officials whenever necessary. Such general supervision shall be exercised primarily through the Ministry of Local Government. (2) All ministries and national offices having to do with local government administration shall be confined to the setting of uniform standards and guidelines to obviate the need for requiring prior approval or pre-clearance on regular and recurring transactions and other activities normal to local governments. In this regard, the Ministry of Local Government shall establish and maintain appropriate coordinative and consultative arrangements with other ministries and national offices concerned with respect to the monitoring and securing of proper compliance with such standards and guidelines specially on matters which are highly technical in nature. Moreover, as a matter of general policy and whenever appropriate, the Ministry of Local Government shall exercise its supervisory authority over municipalities through the provinces, and barangays through municipalities and cities. (3) Where appropriate, ministries and national agencies with project implementation functions other than the Ministry of Local Government, shall coordinate with and secure the desired integration with allied national government functions. (4) Unless the contrary is provided, the regional offices or appropriate field units of the various ministries and national agencies in the region shall be the major points of contact and liaison between local governments and the national government. For this purpose, the national government shall, as a general policy and as much as practicable, effect the substantial delegation of authority and powers to the regional offices.