DILG awards seal of good governance to 8 Cebu municipalities

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=1&rid=783542
• Thursday, July 16, 2015

By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan [(PNA), RMA/CLTC]

MANILA, July 16 (PNA) -- The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has awarded eight municipalities in Cebu with the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), a prestigious award that recognizes cities and municipalities for their transparency, honesty and diligence in their delivery of services to ordinary citizens.

Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas personally handed over the SGLG plaque and cash reward to the municipal mayors of Argao, Bantayan, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Oslob, and San Remigio in a ceremony held at the Norkis Park in Mandaue City, Cebu, on Tuesday.

The eight mayors were each given Php 3-million checks to fund local projects in their towns.

A Php 7-million check to be used for development projects was also given to the Cebu government after the province received the SGLG award for the provincial category.

“Kayo na nabigyan ng award ang nagpapatotoo sa salitang Daang Matuwid ng ating pamahalaan, hindi baluktot na pamamalakad kundi diretso sa pagbigay ng serbisyo sa tao,” Roxas told the local officials present at the ceremony.

“Ituloy natin ito sa kapakanan ng ating mga boss at huwag na tayong bumalik pa sa dating madilim at liko-likong nakaraan na puro kurakot at kurapsyon,” he added.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III praised the DILG for initiating the award, saying that it pays for local government units (LGUs) to be honest and transparent in giving services to the people. He reminded the public officials present that they were mandated to provide for their constituents and not to shortchange them of the services they deserved.

The awarding ceremony also coincided with the workshop-seminar initiated by the group Koalisyon ng Mamamayan Para sa Reporma (KOMPRe), which was attended by civil society organizations, Cebu women’s groups, vendors and transport groups, and other non-government organizations.

KOMPRe organizers gathered the peoples’ organizations in Cebu to know their needs and to address the problems hounding their sectors.

The SGLG award, also known as “Pagkilala sa Katapatan at Kahusayan ng Pamahalaang Lokal,” was launched in January 2014 to honor the LGUs that display good governance while providing better services to the people.

The award, which originated from the Seal of Good Housekeeping program introduced in 2010 by the late Secretary Jesse Robredo, aims to recognize the LGUs in their proper practice of transparency and diligence in compliance with the Anti-Red Tape Act.

This award also drives LGUs to encourage investment and employment through business-friendliness and competitiveness; protection of their constituents from threats to life and security; and safeguarding the integrity of the environment.

According to DILG Regional Director Rene Bordeos, an LGU first needs to pass all the three core assessment areas —Good Financial Housekeeping, Social Protection, and Disaster Preparedness—and at least one of the essential assessment areas—Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness, Peace and Order, or Environmental Management—in order to become an SGLG recipient.

With the introduction of the SGLG, DILG aims to create LGUs that not only sustain the practices of accountability and transparency (Good Financial Housekeeping), but are also able to prepare for the challenges posed by disasters (Disaster Preparedness), and are sensitive to the needs of vulnerable and marginalized sectors of the society (Social Protection).