New requirements for DILG seal of good housekeeping

Monday, February 6, 2012

THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will introduce the bronze, silver and gold standards in its good housekeeping seal program this year to ensure that local government units really address local issues and become more business-friendly and competitive.

The stepping up of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) program means new requirements that LGUs should be able to comply with to receive the seal and qualify as recipients of the agency's performance challenge fund.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

Aside from compliance to DILG's full disclosure policy and having no adverse reports from the Commission on Audit, the new requirements include compliance with the Anti-Red Tape Act, a comprehensive development plan, and an above benchmark performance in the local governance performance management system.

The days of mediocrity are over, both in the technical realms of governance as well as in the aspects of transparency, honesty and accountability. We need LGUs that are excellent as well as honest and upright, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo was quoted as saying. We are raising the bar for measuring the performance of LGUs because those that wave the banners of excellence are magnets for business and progress.

The raising of the standards would eventually translate to more investments, innovation and growth, he added in a statement, noting that aside from the improved SGH, the DILG is also expanding its business permits and licensing system program to support LGUs that rely on tourism for local growth and development.

Last year, 69 provinces, 111 cities and 1,145 municipalities were conferred the SGH, 11 of them coming from Negros Occidental, including the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, Bago, Sagay and Kabankalan as well as the municipalities of E.B. Magalona, Hinigaran, Ilog, Murcia and Pulupandan.

The SGH program recognizes LGUs that accord primacy to the principles of accountability and transparency since such are essential in building the long-term foundation of a responsible local government system. (CGC)