Guidelines for ‘reasonable’ LGU fees due Aug.

GUIDELINES that will harmonize fees collected by local government units (LGUs) are expected to be completed by August, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.

A meeting is scheduled for Aug. 15 where the draft guidelines could be finalized, according to Jose Arnold M. Tan, acting deputy executive director of the Finance department’s Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF).

Mr. Tan said the draft “toolkit” will contain the “framework for computing fair and reasonable fees and charges” which LGUs can use to revise their schedule of fees.

In a joint memorandum circular (JMC) released in May, local governments were ordered to impose “just and reasonable” fees and charges for all services rendered to the public.

The circular was authorized by Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

The JMC provides that fees and charges should be revised to allow for “the recovery of cost of services,” including components such as staff salaries; cost of supplies and materials, transport and travel expenses, and fixed costs such utilities and depreciation. — Beatrice M. Laforga with Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio