10 outstanding LGUs recognized at 25th Galing Pook Awards

Four trend-setting municipalities and six outstanding cities from around the country received the Galing Pook Awards from Vice President Leni Robredo in fitting ceremonies recently.

The municipality of Del Carmen in Siargao Islands, Surigao del Norte, as well as Navotas City, were first-time winners of the prestigious awards for exemplary local governance. Del Carmen, home of the second largest mangrove forest in Mindanao, was recognized for its social tourism program transforming mangrove cutters into fisherfolk, and illegal fisherfolk into boat guides.

Navotas, meantime, implemented various early childhood education and health initiatives, including Kindergarten on Wheels, a micronutrient supplementation program, and supplemental feeding program. This resulted in an increased number of enrolled students and decreased rate of under-nutrition among young children in the city.

Repeat winners this year included the municipalities of Bindoy, Negros Oriental; Loboc,

Bohol; and San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. Cagayan de Oro City, Iloilo City, Naga City,

Tagum City and Valenzuela City round up the top 10 local government units (LGUs). The winners were involved in a wide variety of innovative programs covering land tenure, environmental conservation, cultural heritage preservation, literacy and education, healthcare, and community safety and security.

As keynote speaker, Robredo also conferred the 4th Jesse Robredo Leadership Award for effective, empowering, and ethical leadership of a local government executive to Legazpi City Mayor Noel E. Rosal. The mayor began his public service as a barangay captain before serving Legazpi City in various capacities. He is now on his fifth term as mayor, with a slew of public service awards including the Department of the Interior and Local Government Seal of Good Local Governance for three consecutive years.

Now on its 25th year, the Galing Pook Awards annually selects the best local governance practices and shares information on these beneficial programs for replication. The awards have cited some 319 programs from at least 200 LGUs over the years, including this year’s winners, judging them on their positive results and impact, their empowerment of the people, transferability, and sustainability, innovation, and efficiency of their program service delivery.

The 10 awardees are (in alphabetical order):

1. Bindoy, Negros Oriental – Ridge to Reef (R2R) Program

2. Cagayan de Oro City – “No Vote, Ibot” No More: Ending the Political Bondage in

Resettlement Areas by Providing Security of Tenure

3. Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte –Siargao It Up! Mangrove Management and Social Tourism Program 4. Iloilo City – Iloilo-Batiano River Development Project

5. Loboc, Bohol – Reviving the Musical Tradition and Heritage by Empowering People through the Loboc Music Program

6. Naga City – Barangay eSkwela and Barangay Literacy Worker Program

7. Navotas City – ACHIEVE: Accessible, Holistic and Inclusive Education

8. San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte – Preserving Local Cultural Heritage

9. Tagum City, Davao del Norte –Tagumpay Works Program

10. Valenzuela City –Tayo Na Mapayapang Valenzuela: Tuloy-tuloy ang Asenso! The Valenzuela City Comprehensive Safety and Security Program