LT’s Awards year

DESPITE the usual challenges of local gov ernance and community development, the local government of La Trinidad will be ending this year with humbling awards and recognitions – definitely inspiring the program implementers, the whole officialdom of the town, and the supportive workers and community members of the Municipality.

This year, La Trinidad won the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council’s “Kalasag” Championship among close to a thousand Municipalities in the country. Just recently, La Trinidad also won as the grand winner during the Gawad Parangal for the best Cooperative Development Services Office in the National level, Red Orchid Awardee for implementing anti-smoking programs, a special Citation as one of the Best Tourism event in the country, and the top Municipal Police Station recognition by the DILG. Of course, the town also won a number of Regional and Provincial awards which may potentially reach the national level in the upcoming months or years – Solid waste and Environmental Management award, Tourism-oriented LGU recognition, and many more. Despite the accolades, the humble town surely exhibits the typical Benguet identity of being lowkey and humble, but wealthy in deeds and performances.

Sure, just like many towns, the awards and recognitions are not merely prizes and decorations, but are evaluation tools for performances, and as positive reinforcements for better public services. Despite the dazzling trophies and plaques, the local government workers assured that they will not be resting in their laurels. After all, the same commitment and sacrifices are what brought the town to these greater heights.

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My eyes widened when a potential employer offered me a huge-paying work away from my