95.6% of LGUs pass ‘good financial housekeeping’ rule as of Sept – DILG

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 100% of local government units (LGUs) nationwide have passed the good financial housekeeping (GFH) standards as of September, a document from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has shown.

The document shared Wednesday by DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya states that 1,640 or 95.6% of the 1,715 LGUs across the country have sufficiently adhered to the GFH, which recognizes the accounting and auditing measures of an LGU.

Specifically, DILG said GFH standards assess and LGUs level of compliance to the agency’s Full Disclosure Policy on budget, revenues, and procurement.

The latest number is 118 more than the 1,522 LGUs that passed the DILG’s GFH assessment in January.

However, DILG said that 75 LGUs – three cities and 72 municipalities – failed to pass the GFH standards.

DILG said the number of LGUs per region that presented satisfactory GFH were as follows:

• 129 in Ilocos Region
• 96 in Cagayan Valley
• 137 in Central Luzon
• 144 in Calabarzon
• 118 in Bicol Region
• 137 in Western Visayas
• 128 in Central Visayas
• 143 in Eastern Visayas
• 71 in the Zamboanga Peninsula
• 97 in Northern Mindanao
• 54 in Davao Region
• 53 in Soccsksargen
• 17 in the National Capital Region
• 78 in Cordillera Administrative Region
• 88 in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
• 78 in Caraga Region
• 72 in Mimaropa or Southwestern Tagalog Region

All 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila complied with the GFH standards, DILG noted, adding that the City of Manila entered the list of GFH passers after 10 years.

DILG also said that all LGUs in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Soccsksargen, and Caraga were able to pass DILG’s assessment.

GFH was launched in 2010. It has been included as among the requirements for an LGU to receive the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG). Aside from the GFH, an LGU must also complete assessment areas in Social Protection and Disaster Preparedness.

The SGLG aims to push LGUs to ramp up investment and employment, protect their residents from threats, and safeguard the integrity of the environment.

KGA