DILG: 44% More LGUs Get Seal of Good Local Governance This Year Despite Tougher Assessment Criteria

Despite a tougher assessment criteria, 380 local government units (LGUs) earned this year’s upscaled Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), one of the most coveted LGU awards, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Binabati ko ang mas maraming bilang ng mga LGU na nakapasa sa 2019 SGLG. This year’s SGLG is extra challenging and to see these 380 LGUs rise to the occasion proves that there is good work executed at the local level for the benefit of the Filipino people,” DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año says.

“The SGLG awardees list is the kind of list that you want to be a part of.All LGUs in the entire country were assessed but not everyone made it,” he adds.

According to the DILG Secretary, the number of LGU passers this year is 44 percent more than last year’s 263, which is a testament of the LGUs’ improved performance considering that “this year’s standard was beefed up to challenge them to up their game.”

The 380 SGLG awardees this year, composed of 17 provinces, 57 cities, and 306 municipalities, passed the polished and redefined ‘All-in’ assessment criteria with specific modifications in most of the governance areas namely: Financial Administration; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection; Peace and Order; Business Friendliness and Competitiveness; Environmental Protection; and Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

“As much as we can, we make certain that we update the SGLG criteria and 2019 is no different, yet, it is noteworthy that despite a harder set of criteria, we gained a 44 percent increase of awardees. Ito ay nangangahulugan lamang ng mas masigasig na paglilingkod mula sa mga pamahalaang lokal,” the DILG Chief explains.

Leading the 2019 SGLG passers are Region I with a total of 65 LGUs composed of 57 municipalities, 6 cities and 2 provinces closely followed by Region III with 63, consisting of 51 passers from the municipal level, 9 cities and 3 provinces. Regions II, CALABARZON and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) round up the top LGUs with most passers with 40, 33 and 28 apiece.

“These are the usual regions on the top of the list and we thank them for their commitment, especially BARMM that made sure its programs are in place for the people,” he says.

Northern Mindanao raked in 23 passers while Region VIII tallied 21 followed by Region XIII with 19, Region VI with 18, Region V with 14, CAR with 12, Regions IX and XI with 9 passers apiece, National Capital Region with 8, MIMAROPA with 7, Region VI with 6, and Region XII with 5.

Año says that the 2019 SGLG awardees have 99 more municipalities and 18 added cities that have stepped up to the plate compared to 2018 while maintaining the same number of provincial passers.

“Nakakatuwa na mas maraming munisipalidad at lungsod ang nakapasa ngayon. The validation and assessment are strenuous, yet we have 99 more municipalities and 18 more cities passing the stringent SGLG criteria.”

The DILG Secretary says that with the turnout this year and the enactment of Republic Act 11292 or the SGLG Act, “expect continued progress and improvement in LGUs’ capacity to deliver quality service to the people.”

He also says that as an incentive, this year’s recipients will receive the 2019 SGLG marker; eligibility to the DILG Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) to finance their local development projects; and priority access to other programs and capacity development assistance from the DILG.

The conferment of The Seal will be held at The Manila Hotel on November 4 for Regions I, II, CAR, MIMAROPA and NCR; November 5 for the remaining regions. (DILG)