DavOr makes history as region’s sole awardee for good governance

CITY OF MATI, DAVAO ORIENTAL — Of the five provinces in the Davao Region that had vied for the award, only the province of Davao Oriental passed the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), along with the City of Mati and 6 LGU’s in the province, namely, the municipalities of Baganga, Banaybanay, Cateel, Governor Generoso, Lupon, and Tarragona. The SGLG, as described by the Dept. of Interior and Local Gov’t (DILG), “symbolizes integrity and good performance through continuing governance reform and sustained local development. It is a progressive assessment system adopted by the department to give distinction to remarkable local government performance across several areas.”

As an awardee, the province of Davao Oriental is eligible to access the Performance Challenge fund of the national government to finance local development initiatives in furtherance of national goals and strategic thrusts. In light of national government thrusts and emerging good governance frameworks, the SGLG aligns its parameters to realize target outcomes relative to local governance. Most notably accounted for is the Philippine Development Plan to help bring about the Duterte administration’s vision of inclusive growth, high trust society, and a globally-competitive knowledge economy, following the principles of “Malasakit, Pagbabago at Patuloy na Pag-unlad.”

The SGLG awarding is set for 28 November 2017. According to DILG Provincial Director Yvette Tolentino-Sunga, the provincial government will be conferred with the 2017 SGLG awardee’s marker in a ceremony to be organized into four clusters — North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Sunga says that a special distinction shall be given to Davao Oriental for consistently passing all assessment areas for three periods: 2015, 2016 and 2017, as a “unique symbol or mark of outstanding achievement.” She added that the DavOr has even more reason to celebrate as it has the most number of municipalities and component city who passed the Seal.

In an interview over Catholic Station DXHM, the Apostolic Administrator of Mati diocese, Msgr. Edito S. Baño shared in the jubilation of the province by airing his and the diocese’s congratulations to the governor and related officials for “ably performing their roles in leading the people to respond to the challenges of good local governance, especially in the attainment of development and peace.” In the same vein and with enthusiastic gratitude, Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang commended all those who were part of the pursuit. “This is a concerted effort. We could not have gone this far if not also because of the support and cooperation of the people. As elected leaders, we only take the lead, the constitutents support and follow, and together we strive to achieve more towards greater developments for effective governance,” he said. When he took over the reins of the provincial government in 2016, Dayanghirang led the crafting of the province’s vision, mission and goals as well as the province’s strategy roadmap, involving people in the drafting. This included developmental programs, most notably the flagship Nagkakaisang Lingkod-Bayan ng Davao Oriental-Barangay Outreach Caravan for the people that he addresses as “the real wealth of our community.”