Abstract
This study examined the status of adherence of the organizational structure of the Municipal Government of Boac, Marinduque to national government mandates and analyzed how such adherence affects service delivery. Grounded in Structural Contingency Theory and Resource Dependence Theory, the research employed a mixed-methods case study approach, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative key-informant interviews. In particular, the study assessed compliance with selected national laws, including Republic Act Nos. 10121, 10915, 11535, 10070, 9593, 10691, and 10742, alongside the administrative, legal, and financial factors influencing adherence. Overall, the findings revealed that the Municipality of Boac demonstrated a generally low level of adherence to national mandates, with a grand mean interpreted as “adherent to a lesser extent.” Notably, however, Republic Act No. 10121 (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management) showed high compliance due to strong institutional support, adequate funding, and prioritization. In contrast, other mandated offices such as those for tourism, employment, youth development, cooperatives, and persons with disabilities were largely unestablished or only operationalized through personnel designation without sufficient funding. Furthermore, resource insufficiency emerged as the primary barrier to full compliance, and this was further compounded by limited political prioritization and a shortage of qualified personnel. In addition, the study established that organizational adherence has a moderate but significant impact on service delivery, particularly in terms of administrative efficiency, program implementation, and resource allocation. Likewise, offices with dedicated structures and sustained funding consistently demonstrated stronger service delivery outcomes compared to those operating under ad hoc arrangements. Based on these findings, it is therefore recommended that a phased and strategic approach to organizational reform be adopted. Specifically, this includes the enactment of a local ordinance to establish mandated positions, the strengthening of local revenue generation mechanisms, investment in human resource development, and the institutionalization of monitoring and evaluation systems. Moreover, it is further recommended that a service delivery–centered organizational design be implemented to ensure that compliance with national mandates is effectively translated into measurable improvements in public service delivery.
