Eleven local government units in Negros Occidental were among the 35 LGUs in Western Visayas which received the coveted stamp of approval of the Seal of Good Local Governance, making them eligible to receive the Seal of Good Local Governance Incentive Fund (SGLGIF).
During awarding rites held in Iloilo City recently, the 35 LGUs received their cheques, amounting to P4 million for provinces, P2.3 million for cities, and P1.8 million for towns, from the DILG regional office.
The awardees from Negros Occidental are the provincial government, cities of Bacolod, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, San Carlos, Sagay, Victorias, and Talisay, and the municipalities of Manapla and La Castellana.
They received a total of P26 million in incentive funds.
DILG provincial director Teodora Sumagaysay called on Negros Occidental LGUs who passed the SGLG to use the incentive fund they received for local development projects they need in their locality.
Sumagaysay said that SGLG awardees can choose from the menu of projects that cover livelihood, infrastructure, disaster preparedness, and peace and order.
“They should prioritize the funds they received,” Sumagaysay pointed out.
During the awarding rites in Iloilo, LGU awardees expressed their fortified steadfastness to transparency and accountability in project implementation, through the signing of the pledge of commitment, according to a statement issued by DILG regional office.
The SGLG, enacted through Republic Act 11292 in 2019, is an institutionalized award, incentive, honor, and recognition-based program that encourages the commitment of LGUs to continuously progress and improve their performance in various governance areas.
The SGLG maintains the “All-in” principle where a local government must pass all governance areas – Financial Administration and Sustainability, Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection and Sensitivity, Health Compliance and Responsiveness, Sustainable Education, Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness, Safety, Peace and Order, Environmental Management, Tourism, Heritage Development, Culture and Arts, and Youth Development.
(Chrysee Semillano via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy by TVDS)