THE Provincial Government of Negros Occidental is hoping to get the top award for this year's Excell Awards of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Western Visayas, an official said.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II said Capitol department heads are ready for their documentations and other presentations to be made before the DILG evaluators who are coming today, November 18.

Excell, or the the Search for Excellence in Local Governance, recognizes the best managed local governments in the region that demonstrate best practices, achievements and innovations in governance, administration, social services, economic development, environmental management and local legislation.

Diaz said Negros Occidental is already top three in the region, and is the only province without a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) that made it to the top three.

“The DILG representatives will be here for validation and final screening so our presenters and other employees involved in the innovation are ready, Diaz added. "Hopefully Negros Occidental will have another award,” he said, adding that “we will use this award to justify and support the Performance-Based Bonus for our employees.”

For the city category, Bago is the only local government unit in Negros Occidental shortlisted for this year’s Excell Awards.

Mayor Nicholas Yulo, in a statement earlier, said he is hoping for the best.

“The best practices submitted for evaluation were all implemented in the name of public service and were able to touch the lives of the people of Bago,” he added.

The DILG announced that the two other regional finalists in the cities category are Iloilo and Passi.