MAASIN City Mayor Nacional Mercado has expressed his excitement and gratitude to his constituents after the city successfully passed in the prestigious 2019 Good Financial Housekeeping from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Because of their hard work and dedication, we are able to attain another achievement that clearly depicts how transparent we are in all our transactions,” said Mercado.

“This will surely bring more projects and benefits not just to the City of Maasin, but to the employees of the Local Government as well,” he told SunStar Philippines.

The annual DILG recognition served as an “ultimate badge” to local government units (LGUs) for good performance in internal housekeeping focusing in four areas like good planning, with comprehensive development plan and executive legislative agenda; sound fiscal management, with Commission on Audit (COA) findings or observations, status of implementation of audit findings, LGU annual budget and updated local revenue code, and quarterly and annual statement of receipts and expenditures.

Also, transparency and accountability, with compliance to the anti-red tape law and full disclosure of local budget and finances, bids and public offerings; and valuing of performance information, with utilization of performance monitoring tool or scorecard system and award recognition received.

“As the City Mayor, I would like to extend my gratitude and congratulations to all the LGU-Maasin City employees for their valuable contributions in order for us to be held as one of the passers of the 2019 Good Financial Housekeeping,” said the 38-year-old local chief executive.

In November 2019, Maasin also received the DILG’s Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) award for the third time.

The city, under the leadership of Mercado, passed the tougher assessment criteria set by DILG which covered financial administration; disaster preparedness; social protection; peace and order; business friendliness and competitiveness; environmental protection; and tourism, culture and the arts. (SunStar Philippines)