GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Despite previous setbacks, the provincial government of South Cotabato has remained optimistic in getting another Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) award this year.
South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes said Wednesday the province's chances for the award have improved this year after facing problems in the past years over its remittances with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Such problem had affected the province’s compliance with the financial administration criteria of the SGLG, which it last received in 2014.
Last week, the provincial government hurdled the national evaluation for the SGLG, which is spearheaded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
"They are still looking into our GSIS remittances and the compliance of the provincial capitol as a PWD (persons with disability)-friendly institution," Fuentes said.
The governor said the local government has undertaken various reforms these past years in line with the SGLG’s 4+1 assessment criteria.
The guidelines require local governments pass its four core areas and at least one of the essential areas. The core areas are financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace and order.
The essential areas are business friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management and tourism, and culture and the arts.
Fuentes said the national validators have recognized the provincial government’s efforts to meet the added essential areas.
"The SGLG serves as our minimum standard in service delivery and I believe it should become our way of life," she said.
Local government units that will be conferred with the SGLG award will receive marker and cash incentives, through the Performance Challenge Fund, to finance local development initiatives.
The province failed to get the SGLG award due to the unmet requirement on the GSIS remittance.
The DILG provincial office said most of the province's 10 municipalities and cities also failed in such aspect.(AC/PNA)
