Davao del Norte passes good governance seal

DAVAO DEL NORTE – The Provincial Government of Davao del Norte made it to the 2015 Seal of Good Local governance (SGLG) for its sustained effort in promoting transparency and accountability while beefing up programs that directly benefit the people.

In a letter received by the Provincial Administrator’s Office on August 11, 2015, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas informed Governor Rodolfo del Rosario that the province earned the recognition.

“Congratulations for making it…” Roxas announced.

He said the province has met all the criteria of the core components of the award, particularly good financial housekeeping (GFH), social protection and disaster preparedness.

The province also met the requirements for all the other essential components of the Seal, to include business-friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management, and peace and order.

The secretary revealed the award entitled the PLGU to access the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) for this year in the amount of P7 million.

Other privileges due the province include the securing of GFH certification for loan purposes, as well as, availing of other national program windows like Bottom-Up Budgeting Program and the SALINTUBIG program.

Del Rosario welcomed the award, saying it is a manifestation of the success of his reform initiatives under his human-centered P.E.O.P.L.E. development agenda.

“More than the glowing recognition and awards heaped upon us, it is more valuable to touch lives and create a ripple effect by which those lives can touch more lives,” the governor said in his recent State of the Province Address.

The SLGL succeeded the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) award, of which the province was also a recipient in the past years.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas previously said the SGLG was introduced to provide greater challenge to local governments to continue good governance practices while providing better services.

Conferment of the SGLG marker and the PCF cheque is tentatively scheduled from the third to fourth week of August, according to the DILG memorandum signed by Usec. Austere Panadero. (Noel Baguio/PGO Info)