ARMM mayors delighted with good governance awards

COTABATO CITY - Local government executives in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are delighted with good governance awards they received from the national government.

This came after they were informed that the ARMM leadership’s drive to promote good governance among its local government units (LGUs) has yielded significant results this year, with 19 municipalities and one city in the region conferred with the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG). In 2015, not one LGU in the ARMM passed the Seal’s criteria. Last year, only six of the region’s over a hundred LGUs were given recognition.

“This is the result of our hard work and commitment in order to provide better services to our constituents,” said Mayor Hanie Bud of Maluso in Basilan, which received its first good governance award this year. 

This achievement is the latest in a series of breakthroughs the regional government has achieved in recent years under the Hataman administration. These include passing the national Good Governance Conditions at the regional level in 2015 for the first time in the ARMM’s history.

“Actually, this is also a challenge for us in Maluso, we still need to work hard for us to sustain the award in the following years,” Mayor Bud added, noting that the key in receiving this award is transparency. “Dapat transparent ang LGU sa kanilang mga constituents, at ibigay ang nararapat para sa kanila.”

The municipality of Parang in Maguindanao has been consistent in receiving awards. It has received good governance recognition from in 2011 to 2014. “The people of Parang deserve this award, this is for them,” Mayor Ibrahim Ibay said. “At first, it was really challenging, but because we want the best in our municipality, we want to be recognized, we strive hard to earn this recognition.”

He reiterated that his municipality is strictly implementing the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG’s) core areas. “We will put up a sanitary landfill, dun mapupunta ang incentive award namin this year,” he added. All LGUs conferred with SGLG this year will also receive a cash reward.

This is a good year for the province of Basilan, the first time that two of its municipalities, Maluso and Sumisip received recognition. In addition, the province’s Lamitan City also received an SGLG. In the past, these places were only mentioned in national media reports as locations of violent incidents.

The SGLG awardees in the region this year are: Lamitan City, Maluso and Sumisip in Basilan province; Calanogas, Kapatagan and Piagapo in Lanao del Sur; Barira, Buldon, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Datu Paglas, Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Parang, Rajah Buayan, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura and Upi in Maguindanao; and Jolo and Talipao in Sulu.

Piloted as the Seal of Good Housekeeping in 2010, the award continues to raise the bar of accountability and transparency for local government executives. It is used by the DILG in assessing LGUs’ performance, especially in four core areas, namely financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace and order. Conferment of the SGLG is guided by the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991, the General Appropriations Act of 2017, and Administrative Order No. 267 of 1992. (Bureau of Public Information)

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