ANGELES CITY -- The City Government here underwent on-site assessment from the validating team of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Central Luzon as part of the Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS). LGPMS is a self-assessment tool crafted by DILG which aims to measure the performance and state of development of a particular local government unit (LGU) through a set of criteria and indicators. It aims to ensure that the goals and objectives of the LGUs (a province, a city, or a municipality) are met based on national and local laws and policies. “The City Government is devoted in attaining excellence when it comes to the delivery of public service to its constituents. As proof of our commitment, we have been consistently conferred with the DILG award from 2010 to present,” said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.1

NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson discussed with the Capitol department heads about some shortcomings which led to the province’s not getting the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) this year.According to Lacson, the reason why the province did not get the SGLG award was because it did not reach the minimum 10 percent criteria of towns and cities getting the award.Lacson pointed out, a province can only qualify for the award if there are not less than four local government units who also get the SGLG award.The governor identified the cities of San Carlos, Silay, and Victorias as the only local government units in the province who got the award, aside Bacolod City.The seal is an incentive program by the DILG that recognizes and rewards local government units for “excellent service and high standards of governance.”Within the Western Visayas, Aklan was the only province awarded.Recognition for the seal is divided into nine core areas, including disaster preparedness, social protection, peace and order, business-friendliness and competitiveness, environmental protection, tourism, culture and the arts, health, and education; and provinces, municipalities and cities, and barangays are eligible to receive the distinction

REUEL JOHN F. LUMAWAG DAVAO CITY ranked as the fourth most competitive city in the Philippines based on the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) 2014 of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC). Davao is behind Makati City (1), Cagayan de Oro City (2) and Naga City (3) in the overall ranking, but ahead of Marikina City (5), Iloilo City (6), Cebu City (7), Manila City (8), Valenzuela City (9), and Paranaque City (10). The NCC ranked the cities' competitiveness based on overall competitiveness score, which is the sum of scores on three main pillars -- economic dynamism, government efficiency and infrastructure-- which pool data from several sub-indicators.

Realizing the vision of a matatag, maginhawa at panatag na buhay para sa lahat ng Pilipino has never been more challenging for local governments in the face of the new normal. Yet, there has also never been a more appropriate time to recalibrate the whole-of-government efforts in bringing about lasting reform towards building a stronger, more resilient Philippines.   We are pleased to announce the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11292, or The SGLG Act!   The SGLG Act aims to strengthen existing performance assessment mechanisms currently in place for local government units (LGUs). Correspondingly, its IRR is designed to guide LGUs in improving service delivery and actualizing development goals around the country.   The IRR of the SGLG Act is a product of collaboration among the Council of Good Local Governance (CGLG) composed of representatives from ten national government agencies: the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Office of Civil Defense (OCD); and one representative from the basic sectors nominated by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).   The creation of the CGLG paves the way to more comprehensive integration and streamlining of national efforts in achieving sustainable development. CGLG has been and will continue to be a platform for interest groups to represent and propose various initiatives concerning local governance.   The IRR of the SGLG Act also highlights the expansion of performance areas from seven (7) to 10. These are the original seven areas of (1) Financial Administration; (2) Disaster Preparedness; (3) Social Protection; (4) Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness; (5) Peace and Order; (6) Environmental Management; and (7) Tourism, Culture and the Arts, plus the additional governance areas of (8) Health Compliance and Responsiveness; (9) Sustainable Education; and (10) Youth Development.   As the performance criteria is scaled up, intervention packages will also be designed by the different members of the CGLG in their respective agencies to progressively incentivize and meet the capacity-building needs of the LGUs.   Since its inception in 2014, the SGLG has become a symbol that inspired local governments to be relentless in scaling-up their capacities for improved performance; a rallying cry that beckoned each and all towards the path of building prosperous, happy communities. The road may be long, but we at the DILG will continue to join LGUs in this path, as partners and allies, in achieving our shared ideals.   Mabuhay kayo, mga tapat at mahuhusay na pamahalaang lokal!