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CAMIGUIN (PIA) — For the third year straight, Camiguin has earned the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), and this year, the towns of Mambajao, Mahinog, Guinsiliban, and Sagay share the feat with the provincial government.
During the conduct of the fourth quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill on November 14, Yvette Tolentino-Sunga, officer-in-charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-10, announced the results, highlighting the province’s consistent excellence across ten governance areas, including disaster preparedness, one of the critical performance indicators.
“Sa aspeto ng SGLG, may sampung performance indicators or governance areas, and one of those is disaster preparedness. Ibig sabihin, pag napasa ng probinsya ‘yung sampung governance area, they are really doing great,” Tolentino-Sunga stated, emphasizing the province’s dedication to maintaining high standards.
(In terms of SGLG, there are ten performance indicators or governance areas, one of which is disaster preparedness. This means that if the province passes all ten governance areas, they are really doing great.)
She added that one of Camiguin’s standout initiatives includes its solid waste management program, which has established a coordinated system for the island’s waste management. This initiative contributed to its first SGLG recognition and remains a model for other local government units (LGUs). In addition, the province’s focus on improving Rural Health Unit (RHU) services and disaster preparedness strategies underscores its holistic approach to governance.
As an SGLG awardee, Camiguin and its municipalities will receive incentive funds to further support their programs. Tolentino-Sunga pointed out that the province could allocate these funds to improve disaster preparedness and other priority areas, thereby bolstering its resilience against climate and disaster risks.
The DILG has been instrumental in supporting LGUs like Camiguin by providing capacity development interventions. These include integrating climate disaster and risk assessment plans with local climate change action plans. Tolentino-Sunga emphasized that the DILG’s efforts extend beyond providing interventions; they also conduct regular assessments to ensure that LGUs effectively implement their plans.
In line with this, the DILG recently convened focal persons from national agencies and LGUs to discuss critical disaster management measures, including the handling of the dead and missing. As part of their efforts, Tolentino-Sunga suggested incorporating disaster simulation drills into the SGLG evaluation criteria to ensure that plans translate into actionable responses.
“Marami-rami ang naibigay sa kanila ng national government and assessment on how they are doing in terms of areas on disaster,” she added.
(The national government has given them a lot of information and assessment on how they are doing in terms of areas on disaster.)
For his part, Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo said it’s important for the province to put into action and to be able to drill the plans.
“We were able to do that here. We have all the plans, we have all the policies on paper pero kailangan din i-practice (but there is a need to practice) to be able to ensure na when it does happen, kaya nga (we are capable). This is a great opportunity for Camiguin to show na (that) if something happens, we saw na (that) our people can actually respond,” Romualdo said.
Sunga said Camiguin’s continued success as an SGLG awardee shows its commitment to good governance, sustainability, and community resilience. (RTP/PIA-10/Camiguin)
