DAVAO CITY—From zero local government unit (LGU) getting a seal of good government award in 2015, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) now has 19 local government chief executives smiling for their LGUs being listed as good government managers.
This, in a region once commonly painted with the image of corruption. The ARMM Bureau of Public Information described the awarded local executives as delighted with the awards from the national government.
“This came after they were informed the ARMM leadership’s drive to promote good governance among its 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],” the ARMM said.
Back in 2015 the region went into a hiatus with no LGU awarded with the seal, after some areas actually began receiving the award as early as 2011.
And in last year’s awarding, six of ARMM’s more than 100 LGUs were given recognition.
“This is the result of our hard work and commitment in order to provide better services to our constituents,” Mayor Hanie Bud of Maluso in Basilan said. The town received its first good-governance award this year.
“Actually, this is also a challenge for us in Maluso,” he said. “We still need to work hard for us to sustain the award in the following years.”
Bud added all LGUs must be conscious in observing transparency. “LGUs must be transparent to their constituents and give them the services they deserve.”
The ARMM also citied the municipality of Parang in Maguindanao, an awardee this year, as being “consistent in receiving awards.” It has received good-governance recognition from 2011 through 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.”
Ibay added that his municipality has strictly observed the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG’s) core areas.
“We will put up a sanitary landfill. That is where our incentive award will go this year,” he said.
All LGUs conferred with the SGLG this year will also receive a cash reward.
The award is handed out by the DILG, which its late secretary, Jessie M. Robredo, conceptualized in 2010 to persuade local chief executives to observe transparency and efficient delivery of government social services.
This year was also a feat for the southwestern island province of Basilan, “the first time two of its municipalities, Maluso and Sumisip, received recognition,” the ARMM said. In addition, the province’s Lamitan City also received an SGLG.
The ARMM admitted “in the past, these places were only mentioned in national media reports as locations of violent incidents.”