7 Eastern Visayas towns each get P1-M ‘good performance’ fund

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Seven “highly performing” municipalities in Eastern Visayas were granted P1 million each in financial incentive following their compliance to government’s full disclosure policy, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said Friday.

The money, which came from DILG’s Performance Challenge Fund, was given to the towns of Burauen, Jaro and Alang-Alang in the province of Leyte; Hinunangan, in Southern Leyte; Laoang, in Northern Samar; Guiuan, in Eastern Samar; and Naval, in Biliran, Robredo said.

The fund was distributed during the Tapatan Roadshow on Disaster Preparedness held at the DPWH Convention Center in Palo, Leyte, he said.

The PCF is a financial incentive granted to qualified local government units to bankroll their development initiatives in the areas of tourism, economic development, disaster risk reduction and management and solid waste management.

To likewise qualify for PFC grants, Robredo said a certain local government unit should first be conferred with the Seal of Good Housekeeping, which is given to municipalities that have complied with the government’s full disclosure policy, with no adverse report from the Commission on Audit.

“We hope that through the PCF the beneficiary LGUs will be able to further enhance their performance,  and improve their services to their constituents,” Robredo  said.

The PCF awarding ceremony was the highlight of Monday’s   forum on disaster preparedness attended by over 500 participants, including governors, mayors and other local officials of Eastern Visayas, national government officials, representatives from non-government organization and civil society organizations.

The Eastern Visayas Tapatan was the fifth regional summit on disaster preparedness being conducted by the DILG.