BACOLOD CITY — The Province of Negros Occidental is eyeing another Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) this 2018 after undergoing a national validation on Friday.
Provincial Planning and Development Office head Ma. Lina Sanogal, who was among those who attended the session with the validators, said on Saturday that the province is hopeful about clinching the seal this year.
“Yes, we hope we can make it,” she said.
Negros Occidental has been a recipient of the coveted seal since the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) started awarding the distinction in 2012.
Sanogal said this year, the DILG included more parameters, of which the critical requirement is that at least 10 percent of all local government units (LGUs) under the provincial government’s jurisdiction should also get the seal so that the province can obtain its own.
Since Negros Occidental has 31 LGUs, including 12 component cities and 19 municipalities, about four of these LGUs should pass the SGLG validation as well, she added.
The provincial government underwent the national validation after passing the assessment criteria and qualifying requirements.
Department heads and division chiefs along with focal persons of the provincial government projects and programs attended the validation session held at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol here.
SGLG evaluators Levy Fiestada and Henry William Firmalan of the DILG-Region 4B (MIMAROPA) led the validation process.
The SGLG symbolizes integrity and good performance of the local governments through continuing governance reform and sustained local development.
Adopting a progressive assessment system, it gives distinction to remarkable local government performance across several areas such as Financial Administration, Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection, Peace and Order, Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness, Environmental Management, and Tourism, Culture and Arts.
The SGLG recognizes local governments by primarily looking at existing structures, systems and processes that promote transparency, integrity and quality service delivery.
The DILG will announce the results of the validation this coming October. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
