DILG raises criteria for awarding Seal of Local Governance

As a way of challenging local government units (LGUs), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) raised the criteria for the awarding of the Seal of Local Governance (SGLG) this year.

“Engaging and challenging LGUs to elevate their performance is one way of ensuring that we are fulfilling our mandate of serving the people. SGLG will continue to usher in new tools to ensure that we push LGUs for the benefit of the Filipino people,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano said in a statement on Monday.

Ano said that instead of using the previous assessment criteria or the “4+1 method”, where LGUs need to pass four core areas and at least one essential area, SGLG 2018’s minimum requirement is passing seven areas.

Aside from passing on seven areas, DILG also implemented stricter rules on each criteria.

According to DILG, the seven areas are Financial Administration, Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection, Peace and Order, Business Friendliness, Environmental Protection, and Tourism, Culture, and Arts.

Ano said this should serve as a challenge to local officials, especially town mayors.

“It may be daunting for some but this should not dampen their spirits,” Ano said.

“On the contrary, it should inspire our local chief executives to outperform themselves and keep improving,” he added.

DILG said that deserving recipients will be given the 2018 SGLG marker, the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) which they can use to finance their programs; and access to other programs and assistance from the department.

LGUs who would not qualify for the new criteria but will be able to achieve the “4+1” arrangement will be given a Certificate of Merit for their efforts.

According to DILG data, 448 LGUs (28 provinces, 61 cities and 359 municipalities) received the SGLG award, which is a 31% increase compared to 2016’s 306 passers.

DILG’s SGLG Assessment kicked off on April 2018 and will run for six months until the announcement of winners on October 2018. /vvp