2 provinces, 5 towns in Region 8 earn DILG’s ‘Seal of Good Local Governance’

By MYLES JOSEPH E. COLASITO
August 20, 2015

TACLOBAN CITY – Two provinces and 5 towns in Eastern Visayas passed the 2014 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

DILG-8 Regional Director Pedro A. Noval Jr. revealed today that the SGLG awardees in Region 8 are the provinces of Biliran and Northern Samar, and the municipalities of Barugo, Carigara and Jaro in Leyte; Limasawa in Southern Leyte; and Gandara in Samar.

The seven winning LGUs passed all three (3) SGLG Core Indicators namely, Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection, and Good Financial Housekeeping; and at least one (1) other Essential Indicator (either Business Friendliness and Competitiveness, Peace and Order, and/or Environment) to earn the highly coveted award.

Dir. Noval expressed happiness that seven local government units (LGUs) here were able to pass the high standards of the SGLG in its first year of implementation. He is optimistic that more will be able to earn the SGLG nod in the coming years.

“Most LGUs in Eastern Visayas are actually passers of the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping (SGFH), and if they are able to maintain that and perform well on DRRM and other indicators, it would enable them to cop the SGLG award,“ Dir. Noval said. He said LGUs in the region could improve more on Social Protection, particularly on compliance to the Accessibility Law for persons with disabilities.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas launched SGLG in 2014 to build on the successful run of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) that was introduced by his predecessor the late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo. SGLG challenges LGUs to continue good governance practices and improve basic services, in addition to measuring their compliance to the Full Disclosure Policy and observance of COA guidelines.

To ensure objectivity, DILG cross-posted DILG field officers during the evaluations. The SGLG criteria is a product of a series of workshops and consultations with trained DILG personnel.

Dir. Noval said DILG shall hold appropriate awards rites this September in each winning LGU, where the SGLG Marker will be formally conferred and installed in a conspicuous area in the municipal hall.