THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to award this year the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) to 28 local government units (LGUs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm).
Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, Bangsamoro government spokesperson and interior and local government minister, made the announcement Monday, October 28, even as he encouraged the other LGUs to strive hard to win the SGLG award.
"We congratulate the 28, but we will have to work on the remaining LGUs. So hopefully, they can be part of the awardees of the SGLG," Sinarimbo said.
"Ipagpapatuloy pa natin ang nasimulan (Let us continue what we have started)," Sinarimbo added.
He said the encouraging result of the SGLG award screening is a collective effort of his office with all the provincial governors, and the city and municipal mayors.
Last year, a total of 263 LGUs nationwide received SGLG award, including the 23 from Barmm.
Barmm currently sits at the top spot in Mindanao with the biggest number of LGUs compliant to the SGLG criteria.
"This is a very substantive increase. Overall in the country, we are number five in terms of compliance," Sinarimbo said.
Meanwhile, he said a total of 66 LGUs from the Barmm passed the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) this year, and two of which will be
awarded the Presidential Award on the Seal of Child-friendly Local Governance (SCFLG).
"This means they've [the two municipalities] reached a certain percentage which would then entitle them to the Presidential Award," he said.
The SCFLG, launched in October 2014, is a recognition system for LGUs nationwide being implemented by the Council for the Welfare of Children based on 12 criteria.
The criteria included the percentage reduction in the deaths among children below five years old or under-five mortality rate; percentage reduction in the number of children under-six with below normal weight; and completion rate for elementary schooling, among others.
Sinarimbo said the SGLG awarding ceremony will be held at the Malacanan Palace on November 5, while the SCFGA will be held at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Center on November 4. (SunStar Zamboanga)