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UGNAYAN Paper Series: Revisiting Policy Reform Areas for Effective Decentralization
Xavier Venn A. Asuncion and Lourdes V. Santos

Amidst initial advancements in decentralization such as the constitutionalization of local autonomy in 1973 and the landmark enactment of RA 7160, also known as the Local Government Code (LGC), several Local Government Units (LGU) continue to grapple with persistent institutional challenges that hinder the full realization of the country's decentralization objectives. It is within this context that the Center for Local and Regional Governance (CLRG) initiated the UGNAYAN Webinar Series which aims to gather insights and facilitate discussions on necessary policy reforms to address decentralization issues. The first webinar took place on June 30, 2023, and broadly explored the futures of local governance in the Philippines. This policy brief outlines some of the major policy reform areas discussed during the webinar.