Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Wednesday urged Local Chief Executives (LCEs) to develop human capital, citing it as the greatest treasure of the country.

“Dapat ang mga Mayors, Governors, dinidevelop hindi lang legacy na maaalala kayo para sa grand structure o kalye. Kailangan madevelop natin ‘yung mga tao,” said Remulla during an interfacing activity with Cebu local chief executives at the provincial capitol.

He shared that he invested in developing human resources in Cavite when he was governor as evidenced by the province’s highly educated workforce produced by the Cavite State University.

He also said the country has the capacity to provide manpower to neighboring nations such as the United Arab Emirates, where 1.7 million Filipino nurses work.

“Their entire health care system revolves around Filipino nurses and what does that tell us? It is human capital above all and that is why we have to empower ourselves,” he said.

Meanwhile, he said his visit to Cebu is only one of the many interfacing activities that he plans to do as DILG Secretary. “Buong buhay ko Cavite centric ako eh. Ngayon, nasa national [government] ako, I also want to hear from our govs, mayors kung ano nangyayari dito at kung paano makakatulong ang national government.”

“I am your link, I am your champion to local governance and I will always be here to listen, to help, and again not to impose the powers of my office,” he added.

He stressed that LGUs should be given greater local autonomy to determine their own fate. “The National Government should, at the very least, not interfere and only guide LGUs. If you give them [LGUs] the autonomy, the freedom to decide then a lot of things can happen.”

Original Article At: https://www.dilg.gov.ph/news/Remulla-to-LGUs-Develop-human-capital/NC-2025-1013