PERSONAL VALUES AND PUBLIC POLICYMAKING IN THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS IN EASTERN VISAYAS

The study generally aimed to determine the policymaking competence of legislators in the municipal councils in Eastern Visayas. A total of seventy-six (76) randomly sampled population served as respondents. The data were collected through survey questionnaire and treated it with the application of SPSS. The study found out that the legislators were middle-agedwith a mean of 44.55 and dominated by married males comprising 48 or 63.2 percent. Meanwhile, most legislators were Roman Catholics and Cebuano speaking with 70 or 92.1 and 48 % or 63.2 percent. Majority (37 or 48.7 %) were professionals with different disciplines. Their average annual family income was Php 319,033.92. In addition, their political orientations were toward the party in power with 55.2 percentand were new termers with 33 or 43.4 percent who were loyal to the party with a mean of 4.15. The major findings revealed that only some policy system manifestations and values system variables had significant relationship with policymaking competence. The relationship was influenced by some moderator and intervening variables. However, both legislators registered a high rating in policymaking competency with a mean of 3.99 and 3.97 respectively. It means they are highly competent. Therefore, the failure to address the poverty and unemployment problems inEastern Visayasas elucidated in the thesis of this study is not attributable to competency of municipal councils.