DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 Nov) — Seven of Mindanao’s 27 provinces, 12 of its 33 cities and 96 of its 427 towns have earned the Seal of Good Local Governance (SLGL) for 2017 from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Nationwide, a total of 28 provinces, 61 cities and 359 towns were conferred the SGLG, according to the list of awardees released by the DILG.
In Mindanao, the provinces of Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Zamboanga Sibugay; the cities of Cotabato, Davao, El Salvador, Gingoog, Kidapawan, Lamitan, Mati, Ozamiz, Tacurong, Tandag Valencia, and Zamboanga; and 96 towns spread across six regions, were awarded the SGLG.
Graphics from DILG website
Launched in 2014, the SGLG is a scaled up version of the Seal of Good Housekeeping which the late Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo introduced in 2010 to promote transparency and accountability in local government operations. Robredo was killed in a plane crash in August 2012.
Early this year, then DILG Secretary Ismael Sueno announced that the Department had scaled up the assessment criteria for SGLG with the inclusion of peace and order as one of the core areas.
The other core areas are financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace and order.
The SGH was scaled up into the SLGL “to provide a greater challenge for our local government units to continue their good governance practices while providing better services, and at the same time, expanding the coverage of the assessment.
In SGLG 2017′s ’4+1′ assessment criteria, LGUs must pass the four core areas and at least one essential area — either Business Friendliness and Competitiveness, Tourism, Culture and the Arts, and Environmental Protection.
Awarded local government units receive an SLGL marker, access to other programs and capacity development assistance from DILG, and can be eligible to access the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) to finance their local development initiatives.
Of the 96 municipal awardees, 16 are in Region 9 (Western Mindanao), 23 in Region 10 (Northern Mindanao); 11 in Region 11 (Davao); nine in Region 12; 18 in Region 13; and 19 in the ARMM.
The towns awarded the SGLG:
Region 9: 16 of its 67 towns: Labason, Manukan, Pinan and Siocon in Zamboanga del Norte; Bayog, Dumalinao, Mahayag, Molave, Ramon Magsaysay, San Pablo, Tambulig, Tukuran and Vincenzo Sagun in Zamboanga del Sur; Imelda, Siay and Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay.
Region 10: 23 of its 84 towns: Kibawe, Pangantucan and San Fernando in Bukidnon; Mahinog, Mambajao and Sagay in Camiguin; Bacolod, Baloi, Baroy, Kapatagan, Kauswagan, Kolambugan, Lala, Linamon, Sapad and Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte; Aloran, Bonifactio, Don Victoriano, Plaridel and Tudela in Misamis Occidental; and Alubijid and Salay in Misamis Oriental.
Region 11: 11 of its 48 towns: Montevista and New Bataan in Compostela Valley; Braulio E. Dujali and Kapalogn in Davao del Norte; Sulop in Davao del Sur; Baganga, Banaybanay, Cateel, Governor Generoso, Lupon and Tarragona in Davao Oriental.
Region 12: nine of its 45 towns: Kabacan, M’lang and Pigcawayan in North Cotabato; Kiamba and Malungon in Sarangani; Surallah and Tupi in SOuth Cotabato and Bagumbayan and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat.
Region 13: 18 of its 67 towns: Carmen, Las Nieves and Santiago in Agusan del Norte; Esperanza, San Francisco and Trento in Agusan del Sur; Cagdianao, Dinagat, Loreto and Tubajon in Dinagat Islands; Claver, Del Carmen, Mainit, Malimono, Sison, Sta. Monica and Tubod in Surigao del Norte; and Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur.
Autonomous Region in Muslim Midnanao (ARMM): 19 of its 116 towns: Maluso and Sumisip in Basilan; 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. (MindaNews)
