Laoag City—The cities of Laoag and Batac in the province of Ilocos Norte both regained their Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) awards for CY 2017.
The SGLG recognition came from the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) program that began in 2010. The national government introduced this to provide greater challenge to all local governments to continue good governance practices while providing better services.
Due to a successful run of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) now awards the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) or Pagkilala sa Katapatan at Kahusayan ng Pamahalaang Lokal. The DILG launched this in 2014.
The SGLG symbolizes integrity and good performance through continuing governance reform and sustained local development. It is a progressive assessment system adopted by the DILG to give distinction to remarkable local government performance across several areas.
The SGLG further aligns its parameters to help meet expectations and contribute in realizing target outcomes relative to local governance most notably accounted for is the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) to help bring about the current Administration’s vision of inclusive growth, high trust society and a globally competitive knowledge economy following the principles of Malasakit, Pagbabapo at Patuloy na Pag-unlad.
Laoag City interior and local government director Roger Daquioag said that for 2017, the SGLG raised its over-all assessment criteria wherein they added peace and order in the core areas aside from financial administration, disaster preparedness and social protection.
He added that they also introduced tourism, culture and arts to measure the LGUs efforts along these concerns.
Relative to the PDP, they also aligned the areas of financial administration, social protection, disaster preparedness and cultural preservation were with the principle of “Malasakit” or enhancing the social fabric; the areas of business friendliness and tourism support economic growth consistent with the principle of “Pagbabago”or reducing inequality; While the peace and order and environmental management are bedrock strategies for “Patuloy na Pag-unlad” or increasing growth potential.
Mr. Daquioag announced that the Laoag government passed all the criteria set forth by the DILG with the help of the different department offices heads, the city council headed by vice mayor and presiding officer Michael V. Fariñas and mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas.
Mrs. Fariñas expressed her happiness considering that Laoag git the award for the fourth time as SGLG recipient. Two for the SGH and two for the SGLG.
In Region I, other SGLG recipients for the city category are the cities of Alaminos, Batac, Candon, Dagupan, Laoag, San Carlos, Urdaneta and Vigan.
For Ilocos Norte, the municipalities of Bacarra, Bangui, Banna Marcos, Nueva Era, Paoay and Vintar are also SGLG recipients.
Relative to this, the city government of Batac is now also on its 3rd year as a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) recipient. One for the SGH and 2 SGLG.
Batac mayor Albert D. Chua thanked all the people behind this award which simply means that the city of Batac has complied all the requirements need to become SGLG recipient.