LUCENA CITY—The provincial government of Quezon was awarded the 2017 Seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, joining the provinces of Laguna and Rizal in the Calabarzon or Region-4A.
Webster Letargo, provincial government chief of staff to Quezon Gov. David “Jayjay” Suarez, said the award was certified and signed by Director Manuel Gotis and Girlie Zara of Bureau of the Local Government Supervision and Melany Quiton of the Local Government Operation unit.
The SGLG, formerly the Seal of Good Housekeeping, is conferred by the DILG on local government units that advance the principles of accountability and transparency in local governance.
Nine cities and 23 municipal governments in Calabarzon also got the Seal this year. They are Antipolo in Rizal province; Batangas City, Batangas; Biñan, Calamba, San Pedro and Sta. Rosa cities in Laguna; and Bacoor, Dasmariñas and Imus in Cavite.
Seven municipal governments of Quezon were among the 23 SGLG awardees: Gumaca, Mauban, Mulanay, Pagbilao, Panukulan, San Antonio and Unisan.
Other awardees from Calabarzon are Bauan and Malvar in Batangas; Carmona, Kawit, Magallanes, Maragondon, Naic, Rosario and Silang in Cavite; Kalayaaan, Nagcarlan, Pagsanjan in Laguna; Angono, Binangonan, Tanay and Taytay in Rizal.
According to Letargo, Quezon also received the Seal in 2011, signed by the late Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, through Suarez.
The four major core areas of the SGLG are social protection, disaster preparedness, financial administration and peace and order. It also emphasizes three essential areas: local tourism, environmental management and business friendliness and competitiveness.
Last June, the Regional Assessment Team of the DILG in Calabarzon region started its annual search for qualified provinces to be awarded with SGLG.
The various department heads of the provincial government of Quezon, led by executive assistant Juanito Diaz of the Governor’s Office, along with Quezon police director Senior Supt. Roderick Armamento, and representatives of the Armed Forces’ Southern Luzon Command gathered at the Kalilayan Hall to be interviewed by the team led by DILG Region 4-A assistant regional director Ariel Iglesia.
