NAVAL, Biliran (PIA) – The provincial government of Biliran has bagged its third award for the 2023 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), along with three of its towns, based on the official list of awardees released by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Biliran is one of the four provinces in Eastern Visayas included in this year’s SGLG awardees, and one of the 28 provinces nationwide. The three other provinces in Eastern Visayas are Leyte, Samar, and Northern Samar,
Biliran was an SGLG awardee for two consecutive years, 2015 and 2016, and the latest, this year, 2023.
The towns of Almeria, Kawayan and Cabucgayan were included in the official list of 27 town-awardees in Eastern Visayas for this year’s SGLG.
According to Hossana E. Gomez, SGLG focal person and provincial planning and development officer, the province of Biliran has not only meet and complied the minimum requirements based on the 10 SGLG governance areas, but it also surpassed with several innovations as add-on.
She cited the establishment of Balay Biliranon and Provincial Satellite Offices which are significant innovations, a big plus factor on the governance area of Social Protection and Sensitivity.
“We have just determined the SGLG criteria and assess the programs that are of help including the modes of verifications (MOVs),” said Governor Gerard Roger M. Espina.
He mentioned the establishment of the seven provincial satellite offices, an innovation implemented under his term, which provided the required support in almost all the 10 governance areas that made a big impact and impression on the SGLG national assessor.
He cited that in the satellite offices, if one needs financial assistance, provision of disaster equipment, distribution of health benefits, educational fund assistance, and other government services, all are done and provided at the satellite offices.
In his social media post, Espina considered the SGLG Award as a once-in-a-lifetime citation for LGUs adding that he is happy for the provincial government for bagging the third SGLG award.
“Thank you and good job sa lahat ng mga departments, capitol staff and employees, to program coordinators. We did it. Kitakits sa Malacanang,” Espina said.
He also congratulated the LGUs of Cabucgayan, Almeria and Kawayan, the highest number of SGLG passers on record in the province of Biliran.
Section 3 of RA 11292 stipulates that the SGLG is an award, incentive, honor and recognition-based programs for all LGUs, a continuing commitment for LGUs to continually progress and improve their performance on upholding the practice of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds, among others. (MMP/RSV/PIA Biliran)
