Most CAR LGUs get DILG incentives

ALMOST 91 percent of local governments in the region are recipients of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero said the Seal of Good Housekeeping is given to local governments with good performance based on annual Commission on Audit reports and the posting of government expenditures in bulletin boards, websites and newspapers.

He added adherence to the Anti-Red Tape Act, especially in the compliance with Citizen’s Charter and Report Card Surveys conducted by the Civil Service Commission will also be one of the criteria next year in choosing the awardees.

Local governments that receive the SGH are entitled to financial aid through the Performance Challenge Fund.

To be awarded the SGH, a local government must score high in planning, budgeting, revenue mobilization, financial management and budget execution, procurement and resource mobilization.

At the planning stage the DILG undersecretary emphasized local governments should come up with Comprehensive Land Use Development Plan and Annual Investment Plan are updated and duly approved.

“Each local government should also have sound fiscal management which reflects how the town, city, or province prepares its annual budget and in the growth of local revenues over three years. It must practice transparency in the procurement process and full disclosure in its finances, and comply with the Anti-Red Tape Law. Full disclosure promotes the honest orderly management of public funds and helps minimize corruption and fund misuse,” he said.

The awarded funds will go to projects in line with the Millennium Development Goals, local economic development program and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management Act of 2010.

Local governments will receive P1 million for municipalities, P 3 million for cities, and P7 million for provinces.

Since 2010, some 46 local governments have already received their SGH.

An additional 32 local governments in the region received their SGH just this year including Bauko, Natonin, Paracelis and Sadanga and the Provincial Government of Mt. Province.

Also awarded were the towns of Bangued, Bucoloc, Danglas, La Paz, Lacub, Langiden, Licuan-Baay, Luba, Malibcong, Manabo, Peñarrubia, Pidigan, Sallapadan and San Quintinand the Provincial Government of Abra.

This year, the town of Pudtol in Apayao also received its SGH as several other towns in the province already received their awards last year.

The towns of Atok, Kabayan, Kapangan, La Trinidad and Mankayan received their SGH this year while Aguinaldo, Alfonso, Lista and Hungduan complete the list of local governments in Ifugao which received their SGH.

In Kalinga, the towns of Balbalan, Pasil and Tinglayan also received their SGH with the Provincial Government.

It is only this year that Baguio City received its recognition.