Province failed to receive recognition last year
TACLOBAN CITY – A coordination meeting was called by the provincial government of Eastern Samar last week as part of their goal to receive the 2024 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) award.
The meeting, held last Jan.10, served as a crucial preparatory step for the province to comply with the indicators and areas that were not met during the previous assessment and to lay the groundwork for the upcoming 2024 assessment.
Of the six provinces in the region, Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte failed to receive the SGLG award from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
During the meeting, Gov. Ben Evardone provided each department head a deadline to ensure the timely fulfillment of the requirements setting the stage for Eastern Samar to attain the recognition from the national government.
He also stressed the importance of timely planning, urging swift action to ensure success in passing the assessment.
Although the provincial government failed to receive the SGLG 2023 recognition, three of its towns, namely, Arteche, Quinapundan, and Sulat were given the seal.
The SGLG, implemented under Republic Act No. 11292 or the SGLG Act, is an institutionalized award, incentive, honor, and recognition-based program that aims to boost LGUs’ commitment to continuously progress and improve their performance along various governance areas.
To win the SGLG, a local government must pass the assessment criteria in 10 governance areas: financial administration; 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 the arts; and youth development.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
