The stirrings for local autonomy, however, were strengthened with the passage of the Local Autonomy Bill of 1957. In the face of strong opposition in Congress, the League pushed for its immediate enactment. In time, another law seeking to empower the local community by recognizing the barrio as a unit of local government was proposed. This law, called the Barrio Charter, was eventually signed into law to ensure greater people's participation in local governance and management.

These reforms, however, did not completely ensure local autonomy. Real power and authority, and the material resources needed to govern and deliver services, remained in the hands of central government. For a time, the determination of internal revenue allotments (IRA) for local government units (LGUs) included consultations with the League. Further on, its participation in the determination of IRA was obscured by the individual lobbyings of local officials close to Malacanang. With the issuance of Presidential Decree 114 in 1978, LGUs' participation in IRA decisions ceased. The Ministry of the Budget was given the sole power to set the level of national support to LGUs.

This situation was further undermined by centralist policies issued between 1972 to 1986. As a consequence, the League's agenda for local autonomy was derailed. More than 500 decrees, letters of instruction, orders, executive directives and memoranda affecting LGUs were issued by President Ferdinand Marcos. One granted the President power to appoint local government officials and extend their terms of office indefinitely. Eventually, President Marcos reorganized the Leagues to support authoritarianism. Along with the Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Punong Bayan sa Pilipinas (1976), the League of Governors was formally organized. As a result, during the framing and eventual passage of the 1983 Local Government Code, the League was forced to support this new law.

Following the EDSA uprising, the League was revitalized through the issuance of Executive Order 262 by President Aquino. The directive provided for the creation of separate leagues - the League of Provinces, League of Municipalities and League of Cities. After the ratification of 1987 Philippine Constitution, the League was formally established with the adoption of its charter in 25 May 1988. The primary purpose of the newly constituted League is the ventilation, articulation and the crystallization of issues affecting the provincial and metropolitan government administration.

When the Congress was inaugurated, preparations became earnest in the codification of legislations on local government. The year saw the active participation of the League in drafting the new law. When the proposed bill encountered opposition early in 1990, the League took the lead in exposing those who were against the passage of the bill. On 10 October 1991, the new Local Government Code was signed into law. The prospects of greater autonomy, in turn, gained the support of newly elected local officials. Through all this time, the League provided institutional expression of the unity and support from the grassroots.

The new law ushered in a real test of the League's importance. The focus shifted to the expansion of powers and resources devolved to LGUs. Demonstrating its growing influence, the League has sternly lobbied against all proposed bills which undermine decentralization efforts. It's participation in the Oversight Committee tasked to draft the implementing rules and to supervise the implementation of the Code ensured the strengthening of local autonomy.

Early on, the League has already recognized the relevance of autonomy to the issues of national development: industrialization, agricultural development, moral renewal, environment, poverty alleviation and other key subjects. With its emerging character as an organization of local government units rather than an organization of of personalities, it pushed or genuine countryside development in all corners of archipelago.

The League's general assembly now serves as a forum for resolving critical problems arising from the devolution process. When the inequitable distribution of IRA became obvious with the implementation of the law, the League has taken the lead in supporting code amendments. Through diligent advocacy, the League has gained the support of LGUs, NGOs, people s' organizations (POs) and the national government agencies (NGAs) for these adjustments. Advocacy later led to sharing experiences and programs among LGU's. It also became the forum to implement programs such as employment generation, livelihood promotion, protecting the rights of children and women, meeting minimum basic needs of the community, environmental protection, promoting literacy among Filipinos, health for all, peace and order, poverty alleviation, housing and others social services, etc. The list goes on as the LGUs and the people become more and more involved in charting their future.

Five years after the enactment of the Code, the LGUs became instruments to spur countryside development. And true to the meaning of the Greek word "kyebernao", which means "to stir the ship," the governors of the Philippines have proven themselves equal to the mandate of local autonomy. They have successfully steered LGU's towards social and economic progress in their respective community. Through all these years. the League has served well to provide the institutional direction towards people empowerment and national development.