The Cebu provincial government is considering adding new criteria for awards given to barangays, towns and cities under the expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (eGwen) Our Cebu program.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said screening local government units for activity in fighting human trafficking and cybersex as well as keeping locales graffiti-free would “constantly make every LGU conscious that this will have a bearing in the eGwen competition.”
“They are constantly reminded on the scores,” the governor told reporters.
Garcia said the new criteria would be discussed with eGwen partner organizations. When incorporated it would take effect in the search for next year’s eGwen awardees.
Current criteria include cleanliness, health and sanitation, greening and nurturing the environment, creativity and artistic impact, nurturing and enhancement of culture and heritage and governance structure.
Garcia said she will suggest that the anti-trafficking and cybersex criteria will be placed under governance structure. The graffiti-free criterion will be placed under cleanliness, health and sanitation and creativity and artistic impact.
The governor’s move came after a spate of raids in the province done by authorities who netted persons suspected of trafficking women and girls and exposing their children to cybersex in their own homes.
Garcia spoke at the eGwen Our Cebu Partners Conference at the Cebu International Convention Center.
The event theme was “Strengthening public-private partnership in governance.”
Participants, including town mayors, were given updates on developments and trends in public-private partnership by fellow mayors and nongovernment experts.
They explored how to strengthen public-private partnerships to deliver the needs of constituents with the help of Valentino Bagatsing, senior country officer of the International Finance Corp., a member of the World Bank Group.
An awarding of exemplary barangays, cities and towns (see table) was held yesterday afternoon.
The top 10 exemplary barangays each received a plaque and cash prize of P100,000 while the top 10 exemplary towns and cities each received a plaque and cash prize of P200,000.
The four emerging models of governance were each given a plaque and a cash prize of P100,000.
Rafi president Roberto Aboitiz said they are taking steps to continue the eGwen program after the governor’s and mayors’ terms end.
The eGwen Our Cebu Program is a five-year joint development program of the Cebu province and Rafi that aims to make Cebu an ideal place to live, work, play, invest and do business in. /Carmel Loise Matus Correspondent