The idea of organizing a Philippine Councilors Federation was first conceived in 1989. It was on July 15, 1989 that the Metro Manila Councilors League (MMPCL) held its first National Capital Region Councilors Assembly at the Quezon City Sports Club with the theme “Local Autonomy: Key to National Progress and Stability.” Immediately thereafter, the MMPCL Officers encouraged all the Councilors outside of Metro Manila to organize Regional and Provincial Federations. The MMPCL Officers, together with the officers of the Regional and Provincial Federation already organized, held a meeting in the City of Manila primarily to elect the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Interim Officers and to plan for the holding of its first PCL National Congress. The first PCL Congress was then held on September 7-9, 1990 at the Ninoy Aquino Memorial Stadium in Malate, Manila. The said Congress established the PCL foundation by ratifying its Constitution and By-Laws and electing its first set of National Officers wherein Honorable Guillermo C. Altuna and Honorable Ponciano D. Subido, both distinguished Councilors of Quezon and City of Manila respectively were elected as National Chairman and National President in the same order.
The PCL obtained its official status as a local government association when it was accredited by the then Department of Local Government on September 3, 1990, and subsequently registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 17, 1990.
The PCL notched another milestone when Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, recognized the existence of the Federations of other Elective Local Officials. On January 16, 1992, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued a Memorandum Circular No. 92 -03 mandating that the existing PCL as organized in 1990, be reconstituted and its existing Constitution and By-Laws be modified in accordance with the pertinent provisions of the said Code.
In the light of these development, the PCL National Council was convened by National Chairman Guillermo C. Altuna on August 22, 1992, at the Asian Institute of Tourism, Diliman, Quezon City to amend the existing PCL Constitution and By-Laws which was accordingly adopted and ratified during the Second National Congress held on October 17-18, 1992 at the San Andres Sports Complex in Malate, City of Manila.
As a local government association with a large constituency, the PCL continues to evolve as a dynamic and vibrant organization of local legislators. The PCL is always at the forefront of contemporary and emerging trends in the local administration and development to help improve the quality of life of the Filipino people through effective local legislation.