Roxas distributes P3M checks to 8 towns with ‘seal of good governance’

Mar Roxas. INQUIRER.net fle photo/Julliane Love de Jesus

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu, Philippines — Eight towns in Cebu received the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) from Interior Secretary Mar Roxas at the Norkis Park in Mandaue City on Tuesday afternoon.

Roxas arrived at the venue at 4:38 p.m. or at least 30 minutes late from the scheduled event at 4 p.m.

Ethel Natera, information officer of the Cebu Provincial Government, said Roxas had to board another plane due to mechanical problems.

Roxas arrived at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) at 4:38 p.m. on board a Learjet plane (RP-C7513).

Roxas awarded the SGLG to the local government units of Argao, Bantayan, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Malabuyoc, Medellin, Oslob, and San Remegio.

Aside from the award, each town received P3 million in check to be utilized to fund for their other programs and projects.

Aside from the eight towns, Roxas also awarded the SGLG to the Cebu Province under the provincial category.

Roxas also turned over P7 million in check to the Cebu government.

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Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said they would utilize the fund for the upgrading of district hospitals in the province.

The towns, on the other hand, will utilize the amount for the construction of evacuation centers, public market, classrooms and waterworks projects.

The SGLG was introduced by Roxas in January 2014 in a Good Governance Summit in Manila as an ‘improved version’ of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH).

SGH was introduced by the late and former Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo in 2011, where it monitors and awards LGUs with good performance in internal housekeeping, specifically in the areas of local legislation, development planning, resource generation, and resource allocation.

SGLG has six criteria to include good financial keeping, disaster preparedness, social protection, business friendliness and competitiveness, environment management, and peace and order.

In order to become an SGLG recipient, a local government unit (LGU) needs to comply to all three core elements of the SGLG — good financial keeping, disaster preparedness, and social protection — and at least one from the other areas.

In an interview, Roxas said the awarding had no political color, saying that the Department of Interior and Local Governments had criteria set for the awarding.

“Kung sino lang ang karapatdapat, yun lang din naman ang naaaward (Those who are deserving are those that received the awards),” he added.

Meanwhile, Governor Davide, in his opening speech, indirectly endorsed Roxas as the person who should continue the Daang Matuwid (Straight Path reform program) of President Benigno Aquino III.

“Angayan nga mosunod unya pohon aron ang tul-id nga dalan ni Presidente Aquino magpadayon (He is fit to continue the Matuwid na Daan thrust of President Aquino),” he said.

“We have great confidence in Secretary Roxas,” he added.

Roxas denied Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s claim that P424-billion in discretionary, lump-sum and pork barrel-like funds have been tucked in the 2015 national budget to be used as the campaign fund of the Liberal Party (LP)

In an interview in Cebu, Roxas said the budget went to the different national government agencies specifically to the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the housing projects of those who were identified to be living in danger zones especially after super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

“Kabahagi ng pag-init ng kampanya pero hindi po totoo yan (It [the allegation] is part of the heating up of the campaign period but it’s not true),” he told reporters.

“Inililikas natin mula sa kapahamakan. Inililikas natin mula sa danger zones itong mga informal settlers na ito sa mas ligtas at tiyak na pamumuhay (We have to relocate them to keep them from harm. We have to relocate those informal settlers from danger zones to ensure their safety),” he added.

Meanwhile, Roxas, when asked if the Liberal Party was still intact, he said in response: “Do I feel worried?”

Roxas declined to give further comment and said “Thank you.”