The Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), the DILG’s foremost performance recognition program for local government units (LGUs), continues to inspire and encourage LGUs to cultivate a culture of good governance despite the myriad challenges inherent in public service.
In its inaugural implementation last year under the SGLG Act (RA 11292), the program upheld the “All-In” principle, requiring LGUs to excel in all ten (10) governance areas to obtain the Seal: Financial Administration, Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection and Sensitivity, Health Compliance and Responsiveness, Sustainable Education, Business-friendliness and Competitiveness, Safety, Peace and Order, Environmental Management, Tourism, Heritage Development, Culture and Arts, and Youth Development.
Building upon the success of the 2022 SGLG implementation, this year’s program has been enhanced with the inclusion of additional indicators across all governance areas, thereby further elevating the standards of governance.
As part of the assessment process at the regional level, sub-Regional Assessment Teams (sub-RATs) were organized for cross-posting as assessors among the NCR LGUs, the assessment ran from June 15 to 27, 2023.
This year’s sub-RATs were composed of the Cluster Head and LGOO documenter, bringing together a dedicated group of professionals to ensure a comprehensive evaluation process. The sub-RAT visits spanned two days and encompassed two major activities: the document review and the onsite inspection. During the document review, all LGUs were required to upload their Certifications and Means of Verification (MOVs) into a dedicated online drive.
The SubRATs meticulously interviewed the respective local functionaries of the host LGUs and verified all submitted documents, thus completing the summary of initial findings and assessor’s Data Capture Forms.
For the onsite validation, the SubRATs conducted inspections of the host LGUs’ various facilities to validate the submitted MOVs against the set assessment standards. Following their initial assessments and completion of assessor forms, all SubRATs coordinated with the respective host LGUs and Field Offices to schedule feedback sessions and processing.
The final entries of the necessary documents in the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS) are expected to be uploaded during the first week of July 2023. These documents will serve as the basis for shortlisting candidates at the level of the Regional Assessment Team (RAT), composed of DILG-NCR officials and representatives from the University of the Philippines – National College of Public Administration and Governance’s (UP-NCPAG) Center for Local and Regional Governance and the Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Shortlisted LGUs will be endorsed to the Council for Good Local Governance Secretariat for further assessment leading up to qualification for the Seal of Good Local Governance. #