Top performers among the municipal councils in the 13 towns of Zambales received recognition last September 24 for their crucial role in community development and good governance.
They received notable acclaim as the provincial government launched its local legislative awards, the Zambales’ Exemplary Achievements as Legislators (ZEAL), with some P2 million in total cash prizes.
In a ceremony held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC), Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. handed out the awards and praised local legislators for demonstrating good practices, enhancing service delivery, shaping communities through economic development, and creating an enabling environment for business and job creation.
“All these contribute to achieving our long-term vision for our province and the nation,” he added.
A total of 16 awards were given to outstanding town councils after an assessment of their performance from 2019 to 2022. The review was conducted from August 7 to 24 by Zambales provincial office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) personnel.
The best performers among the 13 town councils in the province include Subic, Iba, Castillejos, and Masinloc as the top four Best Performing Local Sanggunian, respectively, in the 1st-3rd Class Municipalities Category. Each received a plaque of recognition and a cash prize. Meanwhile, San Felipe won the Most Outstanding Local Sanggunian for the 4th-6th Class Municipalities Category.
The awards committee, headed by DILG provincial director Martin Porres Moral, also gave special awards to town councils with specific exemplary performances.
The town councils of Castillejos, San Marcelino, Subic, Iba, Palauig, and Masinloc received awards for their outstanding work in gender and development, legislative processes, records management, legislative office set-up, responsive legislative agenda, timely submission of ordinances and resolutions, efficiency, and empowerment of legislative staff.
These awards are a testament to the dedication and commitment of the town councils in Zambales to serving their constituents and promoting good governance.
With the awards, Ebdane said his administration hopes to achieve his vision for a first-class province driven by inclusive growth, sustainable development, and practical good governance, resulting in community empowerment and self-reliance among Zambaleños.
“We need to see more forward-thinking, responsive, and competent local legislators as our staunch partners in effecting developmental and transformational change in our province,” the governor also reminded the Sanggunian members.
Among those who helped Ebdane hand out the awards were DILG Provincial Director Martin Porres Moral; Iba Vice Mayor Joan D. Ballesteros, president of the Zambales Vice Mayors’ League; San Narciso Councilor Peter Lim, president of the Zambales Councilors’ League; Vice Governor Jacqueline Khonghun; Mayor Jeffrey Khonghun, president of the Zambales Mayors’ League; and members of the Zambales provincial board.