REPRESENTATIVES of various government agencies visited the People's House on Tuesday to validate the entry of the Bacolod City Council for the 2015 Regional Local Legislative award.
Both Bacolod and Iloilo cities are vying for the award.
Representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Budget and Management, and Department of Social Welfare and Development conducted the validation at the SP Session Hall.
Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya and Councilors Em Ang, Caesar Distrito, Ana Marie Palermo, El Cid Familiaran, Jocelle Sigue and Sonya Verdeflor with SP Secretary Vicente Petierre and the legislative staff were present during the validation.
Ildefonso Orquejo Jr. of the DILG-6, said that one of the low points of the Bacolod Sanggunian was on the attendance of the councilors during sessions. Based on record, there were 105 regular sessions held but only 57 sessions registered a perfect attendance.
But Sigue said the absences can be justified as most travels of councilors have valid reasons, citing their attendance mostly in important public gatherings and engagements.
As of July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015, there were 3, 657 resolutions passed, 72 appropriation ordinances and 127 city ordinances.
Orquejo further said the Sanggunian also failed to pass an ordinance related to Wildlife and Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
But they have complied with the environmental sustainability, climate change, disaster risk management and other requirements.
The Regional Local Legislative Award is a program of the Philippine Councilors League. Bacolod had won this award in 2010.(CNC)