More LGUs urged to earn good governance seal

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 13 --  The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is calling on local government units in Eastern Visayas to work harder to earn "Seal of Good Local Governance" (SGLG) after only three cities and 23 towns made it to the list of awardees.

However, DILG assistant regional director Artemio Caneja said on Monday that more local government units received the award compared to only 12 qualified local government awardees last year.

“More SGLG awardees means local governments practice good and improved local governance,” Caneja said.

Under the city government category, only Tacloban, Baybay, and Maasin made it to the list out of seven cities in the region.

Among the region’s 143 towns, only 23 qualified for the award.

These are the towns of Guiuan, Oras, Salcedo and Sulat in Eastern Samar; Alangalang, Barugo, 

Leyte, San Isidro, and Tabango in Leyte; Lapinig and Lavezares in Northern Samar; Basey, Calbiga, Daram, Gandara, Motiong, and Villareal in Samar; Liloan, Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Saint Bernard, San Ricardo, and Sogod in Southern Leyte.

Caneja attributed the minimal number of awardees from its conception in 2014 up to the present to the delayed, outdated and unaccomplished documents of most towns and cities.

The absence of updated Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) has been identified as a major setback that many local governments failed to obtain the SGLG.

As a reward, each SGLG awardee is given the Performance Challenge Fund intended for infrastructure projects that will cater to the needs and improve the lives of poor families.

“The program is not about the funds or incentives the local government would get, but to promote the basic mandate of the department as a catalyst for excellence in local governance,” Caneja added.

Aside from practicing accountability and transparency under SGLG, the department also aims to prepare local governments for the challenges posed by disasters and sensitivity to the needs of vulnerable and marginalized sectors of the society.

The seal also drives LGUs to encourage investment and employment, protect the constituents from threats to life and security, and safeguard the integrity of the environment.

For an LGU to become an SGLG recipient, it has to pass all the three core assessment areas – good financial housekeeping, social protection and disaster preparedness, and at least one from the essential assessment areas – business-friendliness and competitiveness, peace and order or environmental management. (SQM/LAAA/PNA)