PIA Press Release
Friday, January 06, 2012

Negros Oriental, 16 LGUs awarded ‘Seal of Good Housekeeping’

DUMAGUETE CITY, January 6 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Negros Oriental and 16 other local government units (LGUs) here were cited for the “Seal of Good Housekeeping”, a good governance performance award, by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The other LGU awardees in the province are the cities of Dumaguete and Bais and the municipalities of Ayungon, Basay, Bindoy, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Pamplona, Santa Catalina, Sibulan, Tayasan, Valencia, Vallehermoso and Zambonaguita.

Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo said the provincial government was recognized for satisfactorily complying with the “Full Disclosure Policy,” a requirement set by DILG for transparency and accountability.

“One example of this is our publication of the provincial government’s annual budget, annual investment plan and the province’s procurement procedures on our website,” said Sedillo.

The Seal of Good House Keeping is one of the flagship programs of the DILG which is also in line with the Aquino administration’s direction of transparency and accountability in all government transactions.

With the award, the provincial government is given access to a P7-million Performance Challenge Fund which, Sedillo said, can be utilized to further improve the delivery of basic services to the people.

LGU awardees have to identify projects within their Annual Investment Plan (AIP) for 2012 which needs additional funding for immediate implementation such as rural electrification, local roads connecting to national roads, farm to market roads and flood control and drainage.

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo said the award is something Negrenses must be proud of as it is “for all the people in the province, the different sectors and local government units who rallied behind my administration after I assumed office early this year.”

“This is welcome development for all the people of Negros Oriental because this only goes to show that we are not only doing our job but doing it well. This is a fruit of our labor; that even without us thinking of the awards or other similar recognitions, there are agencies that monitor and acknowledge those who do their jobs well,” said Degamo.

This is the second time the provincial government was awarded the Seal of Good Housekeeping.

Early this year, Negros Oriental ranked fourth in DILG’s top ten best performing provinces in the country. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)