Fifteen NCR LGUs have passed the 2017 Good Financial Housekeeping, which aims to promote transparency and accountability in financial administration.

The cities of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela and the Municipality of Pateros are among the 1,559 LGUs across the country that passed the GFH.

By passing the GFH, LGUs can have easier access to loans for development projects, as it has become a requirement set by lending institutions.

To be included in the GFH passers list, LGUs are required to meet the following: a qualified or unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit (CoA), and adherence to the Full Disclosure Policy Program (FDP) of the DILG.

FDP, which was implemented in 2010, aims to inculcate transparency and accountability among LGUs by making financial documents accessible to the public through the posting of 14 financial documents in three conspicuous places in the LGU, and uploading of same in the FDP Portal maintained by the Department.

With the FDP, stakeholders can scrutinize the allocation and disbursement of funds for the provision of services, as well as the development of their locality.

For 2017, the NCR has posted an 88% passing rate for the GFH, posting a 12-point increase from 76% in 2016.

“We laud the NCR GFH passers for championing accountability in managing their resources. It is our hope that they will continue to carry out their efforts in promoting transparency in local fiscal management, and serve as example to other LGUs,” she noted.