DILG cites ARMM as most improved region in peace and order, financial administration

COTABATO CITY – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has been cited as the most improved region in terms of peace and order as well as financial administration.

The national government’s Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS), headed by Director Manny Gotis, bestowed awards to regional offices and Seal of Good and Local Governance, or SGLG, to focal persons in a ceremony held in Makati City. BLGS operates under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In the awarding ceremony, the ARMM was cited as the most improved region in the areas of peace and order and financial administration. From being a zero passer in SGLG in 2015, the region also scored six SGLG awardees this year, indicating significant improvement in local governance.

Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero personally conferred the awards to the recipients. Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Ismael Sueno delivered his message in the ceremony dubbed ‘Maaasahang Katuwang sa Pamamalakad.’

Noor Hafizullah Abdullah, DILG-ARMM secretary, noted the citations are in “recognition of the (region’s and local government unit awardees’) good performance.” Last year, not one local government unit (LGU) in the region passed the SGLG requirements. “This year, however, the region has six,” Sec. Abdullah said.

The 2016 SGLG awardees in the ARMM are the province of Maguindanao, the city of Lamitan in Basilan, and the towns of North Upi and Parang in Maguindanao, Wao in Lanao del Sur, and Jolo in Sulu.

ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman said good governance practices should be emulated by other LGUS in the region. He urged the region’s LGUS to focus on improving their performances and overall operations in order to the deliver services to their constituents.

The DILG describes the SGLG, also known as ‘Pagkilala sa Katapatan at Kahusayan ng Pamahalaang Lokal,’ as the conferment of a seal to LGUS that adhere to performance criteria, namely, improvements on performance, accountability, transparency, and participation.

These requirements encompass three core assessment areas: Good Financial Housekeeping, Social Protection and Disaster Preparedness, and at least one from the essential assessment areas, na m e l y, Businessfriendliness and Competitiveness, Peace and Order, or Environmental Management.

The most prestigious awards to LGUS echo DILG’S mantra ‘Matino, Mahusay at Maaasahan’. Sec. Abdullah expressed the region’s hope to have more awardees in the region as they continue their commitment as partners for change.

DILG-ARMM Assistant Secretary Sharifa Pearlsia Dans said the region looks forward to double, or even triple, the number of awardees next year. “We cannot thank enough the local chief executives and our provincial, city directors and (other local officials) for their unwavering commitment and participation in the success of this program,” she said.

“Let us continue to spread the seeds of good local governance so that the ARMM constituency would benefit from these efforts,” she added.