10 LGU winners named at 2015 Gawad Galing Pook

Galing Pook Foundation cited ten local government units (LGUs) for their outstanding local governance programs during the Galing Pook Awards last September 1, 2015 at the SMX Convention Center.

The annual nationwide search for the most outstanding and innovative local governance programs promotes positive results and impact, people’s participation and empowerment, innovation, transferability and sustainability and efficiency of program service delivery in the Philippines.

 

Dr. Eddie Dorotan, executive director of Galing Pook said, “we recognize the outstanding local governments and citizens who demonstrate program reforms and innovation, deliver public services with efficiency and respect for their constituents, and proclaim honesty and integrity through practice instead of words.”

 

The foundation acknowledged the outstanding contributions of  Siayan, Zamboanga Del Norte; Taytay, Rizal; Barangay Amabao, Hinundayan, Southern Leyte; Albay; Barangay Graceville, San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan; Ilocos Norte; Narra, Palawan; South Cotabato; and Valenzuela City.

 

The municipality of  Siayan, Zamboanga Del Norte provides livelihood opportunities through a chain of merchandise stores, called Pangkabuhayan Centers, which are owned and managed by the community in the 22 barangays in the municipality. By empowering its people and providing the support they needed, the Siayan LGU has successfully implemented its social entrepreneurship program and is now well on its way to eradicating poverty in the locality.

 

The Local Garments Industry Institutionalization program of Taytay, Rizal encourages small retailers and garment makers to formalize and register their businesses. This has given them access to small business incentives such as tax and minimum wage requirements, and priority status in obtaining business loans from banks. The local government of Taytay is continuously enhancing an already business friendly environment.

 

Barangay Ambao set up a coastal management program called Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve Area is offering livelihood alternatives to fisherfolk and their families. This initiative contributed to the decrease in cyanide and dynamite fishing in Barangay Amabao, Hinundayan, Southern Leyte.

 

Team Albay Humanitarian Assistance Program, a community-driven quick response disaster-preparedness team has served in 18 humanitarian missions and has helped promote a culture of preparedness within the community.

 

Mapanagutang Pamamahala: A Model of Barangay Good Governance of the Barangay Graceville, San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan established a six-point program to address livelihood, education, training, services, good governance and opportunities in the community. Because of the program, there was a notable rise in volunteerism and residents' participation in Barangay Graceville since its inception.

 

Ilocos Norte’s Sirib Express: Involving the Youth in Community Development seeks to harness the power of the youth in local development. The program provides assistance to students, out-of-school youth and those who have just joined the workforce.

 

The Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program, a conservation program of Narra, Palawan transformed bird poachers into wildlife protection wardens. This strategy removed the immediate threat to the iconic but endangered cockatoo bird species. At present, the conservation program has been replicated in other sites and it protects not only cockatoos but other flora and fauna in the site's ecosystem.

 

The project of Valenzuela City – Education 360º Investment Program – involves the provision of adequate education facilities and elicited the active participation of parents in educating their children. It also included trainings for teachers and a nutrition or feeding program for 16,667 underweight elementary pupils. To ensure that learning and development starts and continues at home, the teaching skills of parents were built through parenting camps and school workshops.

 

Minahang Bayanihan: Small Scale Mining Program of South Cotabato is being recognized as the most innovative and one of the best practices in small scale mining regulation by various NGOs and LGUs all over the Philippines.  A host of issues have been addressed by Minahang Bayanihan, including environmental management, legalization of mining contracts, the employment of minors, and conflict resolution among tribal communities.

 

Likewise, the Provincial Government of South Cotabato entered into a formal agreement with the Mahintana Foundation, Inc. (MFI) to implement the Friendly Drugs: A PPP on Health Plus Project.  Part of the program included a pharmacy in the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital to help ensure a steady supply of safe, quality and affordable medicines for the indigent patients. So far it has served 132,345 patients since 2009. 

 

According to Galing Pook Foundation, there were 153 applications for the 2015 awards. Municipalities are the most represented at 41%, followed by entries from cities at 30%, provinces at 25%, and barangays at 4%. The applications were judged based on the following criteria: positive results and impact (30%), promotion of people’s participation and empowerment (30%), innovation (15%), transferability and sustainability (15%), and efficiency of program service delivery (10%).  The applications were screened by a 17-member National Selection Committee from different fields of expertise and experience, currently chaired by former Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Dominguez. The former governor is also Galing Pook’s first Jesse Robredo Leadership Awardee.

 

This year also marks the launching of the first Galing Pook Citizenship Award. The program recognizes the initiatives of individuals and civil society organizations who continuously seek to provide a wealth of insights and innovative solutions to produce value for community development and to promote citizen engagement in governance.

 

“The Galing Pook Awards for Ten Outstanding Local Governance Programs and the Citizenship Award signify Galing Pook Foundation's efforts to promote good governance and encourage citizen participation,” said Dr. Dorotan. 

 

The 2015 Galing Pook Good Governance Fair is supported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Local Government Academy (LGA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). This activity is also held in partnership with The World Bank, Government of Australia-Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Land Bank of the Philippines, Philippine Postal Corporation, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), LGSP-LED/Canada, UNICEF, SEAOIL Foundation, Microsoft, CODE-NGO, and Synergeia Foundation, among others.

Press release from Galing Pook Foundation