seal-of-good-local-governanceTACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 28 (PNA) –- Four provinces, one city and seven towns in Eastern Visayas earned the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) award this year from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Awardees are Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte and Samar provinces; General MacArthur and Salcedo in Eastern Samar; Barugo, Javier, and Tabango in Leyte; and Calbayog City in Samar.

During the awarding rites Thursday afternoon at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City, Barangay Hingatungan, Silago, Southern Leyte was also declared as the best Lupon among the 4th and 6th class municipalities.

DILG Eastern Visayas Regional Director Marivel C. Sacendoncillo lauded the SGLG awardees and challenged them to sustain their gains.

“We are happy that these LGUs accepted the challenge to perform better in observing the tenets of good governance,” she said.

The SGLG drives LGUs to encourage investment and employment (Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness); protect the constituents from threats to life and security (Peace and Order); and safeguard the integrity of the environment (Environmental Management).

For an area to become an SGLG recipient, an LGU needs to pass all the three core assessment areas—Good Financial Housekeeping, Social Protection and Disaster Preparedness, and at least one from the essential assessment areas—Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness, Peace & Order or Environmental Management.

LGUs meeting the minimum criteria will not only be conferred with the SGLG, but will also entitle them to a package of incentives, such as the Performance Challenge Fund and access to other national performance-based programs. (PNA)