BONTOC, Mountain Province – Bontoc is the only municipality in Mountain Province, and one among the only seven Local Government Units (LGUs) in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that received the 2018 National Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) during the Awarding Ceremony held at Manila Hotel, Tent City, Manila last November 6, 2018.
The other awardees in CAR are the municipalities of Bucay, Dolores, Peñarrubia, La Paz, San Juan and Tubo, all from the Province of Abra.
For the second time in a row, the municipality of Bontoc has passed the test of good governance, earning again the SGLG which is one of the highest awards given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to LGUs which recorded exemplary performance in government service.
For this year, the DILG has raised the criteria for LGUs hoping to get the seal. Instead of using the previous assessment method called “4+1” where LGUs need to pass four core areas and one essential area, the department has required LGUs to pass in seven areas in the latest assessment.
The municipality of Bontoc passed with flying colors the seven areas to include financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, peace and order; business-friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management, and tourism, culture and the arts.
As an awardee, Bontoc received the 2018 National SGLG Awardee marker and is entitled to the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) in the amount of P3.2 Million. The PCF is an incentive fund from the national government to the LGU- SGLG recipients for funding to high-impact projects.
Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey who personally received the award expressed his gratitude to everyone and attributed the award to the collective and collaborative effort of the workforce of the Bontoc LGU and the partner agencies .This, he said, with the support and cooperation of the people of Bontoc.
“All our efforts have paid off. This award is for all of us. The municipal government cannot claim full credit for passing the SGLG national assessment. This success is due the concerted efforts of all stakeholders,” Odsey remarked.
Representatives from Bontoc who accompanied the mayor in receiving the award are Sangguniang Bayan member Viola Okko, Administrative Officer V Zenith Rose Dalog and Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO) Jill Fa-ed.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año commended the 2018 awardees for besting the “all-in” assessment criteria of SGLG. He likewise expressed his appreciation to the Local Chief Executives (LCEs) for steering their respective LGUs into greater heights while adding that the awardees are reaping the fruit of their dedication and sacrifices.
“This is a testimony that LGUs in our country are continuously striving to improve the quality of service to the people,” Año added.
Senator Loren Legarda who was one of the Keynote Speakers congratulated the awardees for their all-out performance in giving the quality services.
“All of you are what makes the nation great. At the end of the day, whatever we legislate. It is the LGUs that matters most. It is because, it is the LGUs that implement these,” Legarda said.
Other dignitaries present are Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, DILG Regional and Provincial Directors.
By Alpine L. Killa
