Department of the Interior and Local Government

The Philippines' Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) (Filipino: Kagawaran ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokal) is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for promoting peace and order, ensuring public safety, and strengthening the capabilities of local government units. It is also responsible for the Philippine National Police.

History

On March 22, 1897, leaders of the Katipunan led by Andres Bonifacio met at Tejeros, Cavite in what is known in the Philippine history as the Acta de Tejeros of the Tejeros Convention. During this time that a revolutionary government was established and the new government elected Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo as President and Andres Bonifacio as Director of the Interior. Bonifacio, however, did not accept the position and so, President Aguinaldo then appointed Pascual Alvarez as Director.

As the years of struggle for independence and self-government continued, the interior department became the premier office of the government tasked with various functions raging from supervision over local units, forest conservation, public instruction, control and supervision over the police, counter-insurgency, rehabilitation, community development and cooperative development programs.

In 1950, the Department of the Interior was abolished and its functions were transferred to the Civil Affairs Office under the Office of the President. On January 6, 1956, the office of Presidential Assistant on Community Development (PACD)...
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