83 more LGUs to receive Seal of Good Housekeeping

EIGHTY-THREE local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas were added in the first semester of this year’s list to receive the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) award from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

This makes a total of 118 LGUs in the region complying with the government’s standards of good bureaucracy since the SGH program was implemented under the helm of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo.

DILG Regional Director Pedro Noval Jr. said, however, that 31 LGUs are still far-off with the campaign and have yet to comply with the good governance performance in internal housekeeping set by their agency.

“But, considering the number of those who already complied with the policy, we can say that majority of LGUs in Eastern Visayas are now heading toward the goals of the present administration for transparency and accountability,” he told Leyte Samar Express in an interview.

Under the said program, LGUs qualified to receive the Performance Challenge Fund from the government are required to adhere to the two components of SGH, such as the Full Disclosure Policy (FDP) and no adverse findings from the Commission on Audit (COA).

FDP requires all LGUs to post their budget and finances, bids and public offering in government websites, newspapers of general circulation, or in any conspicuous and appropriate places as a way to promote transparency and accountability.

Provinces who will comply with the conditions receives P7 million, while cities and municipalities receive at least P3 million and P1 million, respectively.

In Leyte, Noval said 27 towns have passed the standards in the first semester of this year; 15 in Southern Leyte and 14 in Eastern Samar.

Noval also said that 12 LGUs also qualified in the SGH program in Samar, five in Northern Samar, and two municipalities in Biliran.

“Those local government units are yet to be revalidated by our agency before they can be finally considered as recipients of the incentives,” the DILG regional director said.

He said the incentives of those LGUs will be given next year as the funds have still to be appropriated under the agency’s 2013 budget.

During Robredo’s visit in the region last week, seven municipalities received the P1-million grant during the “Tapatan” road show.

The municipalities include Alang-alang, Burauen, and Jaro, in Leyte; Naval, Biliran; Hinunangan, Southern Leyte; Guiuan, Eastern Samar; and Laoang, Northern Samar. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)