6 ARMM LGUs recipient of 2016 Seal of Good Local Governance

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=932456
• Thursday, October 20, 2016

(PNA), JMC/NYP

COTABATO CITY (PNA) -- Six local government units (LGUs) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were recipients of the 2016 Seal of Good Local Governance.

Noor Hafizullah Abdullah, ARMM interior secretary, said the awardees include the province of Maguindanao, the city of Lamitan in Basilan, and the towns of North Upi and Parang in Maguindanao, Wao in Lanao del Sur, and Jolo in Sulu.

Abdullah said LGUs citations were in recognition of their good performance.

"Last year, we have zero passers; this year we have six," Abdullah said of the achievement.

The sterling accomplishment came after Abdullah made a bold statement last month to other regions in Mindanao that ARMM will compete hard for the award in the years to come.

Abdullah said the ARMM’s Department Interior and Local Government has been consistent in assisting LGUs that seek to pass good governance tests, such as the Seal of Good Local Governance and the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping.

“Passing these tests mean better services to ARMM constituents and compliant with government requirements,” he said.

To become a recipient of Seal of Good Local Governance, an LGU needs to pass certain requirements namely improvements on performance, accountability, transparency, and participation.

The requirements encompass three core assessment areas: Good Financial Housekeeping, Social Protection and Disaster Preparedness, and at least one from the essential assessment areas namely Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness, Peace and Order, or Environmental Management.

The LGUs that meet the minimum criteria will not only be conferred with the Seal of Good Local Governance but will also be entitled to a package of incentives, such as the Performance Challenge Fund and access to other national performance-based programs.

In 2014, seven ARMM towns, namely Datu Odin Sinsuat, Parang, Sultan Mastura and Upi in Maguindanao; Ganassi and Wao in Lanao del Sur; and Siasi in Sulu, received the Seal of Good Local Governance award for their exemplary performance.

Also this year, 46 towns in the region passed the 2016 Good Financial Housekeeping compared to only 17 ARMM towns in 2015 that received such recognition.

The DILG central office launched the Seal of Good Housekeeping in 2012 to boost the government’s reform initiatives in the regions.