Tacloban City (October 31) -- The Regional Statistics Coordination Committee of Eastern Visayas cited the City of Calbayog in Samar province and the municipality of Cabugcayan in the province of Biliran, as the best local government units in the localization of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Awards of Recognition were presented during the Closing Program for the 18th National Statistics Month celebration held at the Department of Education Regional Teachers Training Center at the Government Center, hosted by the Department of Education Region 8 and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The City of Calbayog was represented by Mr. Virgilio Tumnob who is the focal person for the MDG localization while the municipality of Cabugcayan was represented by its Municipal Local Government Officer Mr. Jesus Naquila.

Spearheaded by the Department of Interior and Local Governments, National Statistical Coordination Board and the National Economic and Development Authority, and all members of the Regional Statistical Coordination Committee, the awards aim to give recognition to and promote best practices of local government units on Millennium Development Goals localization and to enhance local government units' appreciation on the role of statistics in local development, specifically on the attainment of the millennium development goals.

This activity also hopes to encourage and motivate the local government units to make a significant stride towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in their respective localities and thereby make a significant contribution to Regional development.

The Recognition Awards which was officially launched last September 28, 2007 during the Region's Opening Program for this year's National Statistics Month celebration, was open to all cities and municipalities in Region 8 implementing Millennium Development Goals. Nomination forms were submitted to the Department of Interior and Local Governments Regional Office 8 not later than October 15 and then a panel of judges chose the winners.

NEDA Director Buenaventura Go-Soco Jr., Chairperson of the Regional Statistical Coordination Committee, informed that this activity is in consonance with this year's theme "Statistics and Action: A Road to Better Life through the Millennium Development Goals."

Aside from the local government units, partner agencies were also recognized for their activities conducted in relation with the conduct of the National Statistics Month celebration.

Among these are the Regional Anti Poverty Committee headed by Presidential Assistant Victor Domingo and NEDA 8 for the conduct of the Regional Poverty Reduction Forum on October 17-18; the Department of Public Works and Highways for the conduct of the Government Construction Statistics on October 26; the Department of Interior and Local Government for the Recognition Awards for MDG Localization; the Department of Education for the most number of streamers hanged all over the region; and the Holy Infant College for the conduct of the Forum on MDG on October 10.