Bago City was the champion in two categories of this year’s Search for Excellence in Local Governance (Excell Awards) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Western Visayas at rites held in Iloilo City Monday, December 5.
The city bagged the top award for Excellence in Administrative Governance for its Bago Rewards Plus Program and Excellence in Economic Governance for its Food Staple Sufficiency Program, a press release from Bago City said.
In four other categories, Bago City placed first runner-up in Excellence in Environmental Governance, and second runner-up in Excellence in Public Safety, Peace and Order, Excellence in Local Legislation and Excellence in Social Governance.
Overall, the city was adjudged first runner-up Best Performing City in the region.
It was the lone city in Negros Occidental to be shortlisted for the award.
Councilors Ma. Josefa Matti, Carlos Mondia, Ma. Femmy Alvarez-Martir and Joseph Colmenares together with City Local Government Operations Officer Mia Asuncion Gatilogo received the awards from DILG-Western Visayas officials led by Regional Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero during the Pagdayaw 2022 held at the Diversion 21 Hotel in Iloilo City.
Gatilogo said these new recognitions reaped by Bago City is a validation and product of the strong collaboration and team work of the local officials, employees and the entire Bagonhon community.
“Through this award, we are able to see where we excel. But more than that, this is also a manifestation that we still have to improve in other areas,” she said, adding that being included in the top three is already a big achievement.
The DILG-Bago official also stressed that having these awards shows that the city government is not just compliant to local and national laws. It excels because of the innovations and strategies it initiates to ensure effective and efficient implementation of programs and services, she said.
“Our assurance is to continue thinking out of the box in the bid to sustain our delivery of an excellent brand of public service,” Gatilogo said, adding that “this is not just about the award, this is not just about doing their function as officials and employees, but more on pouring their love and passion to serve the public.”
The Excell Awards is a continuing project of DILG-Western Visayas which recognizes the best managed local government units (LGUs) in the region that demonstrate best practices, achievements and innovations in governance, administration, social services, economic development, environmental management, local legislation, as well as public safety, peace and order.
Themed “Charting our Future with Inspired Excellence” this year, the award also aims to advocate for transparency and accountability in governance, positively reinforce good performers, popularize replicable best practices and identify possible interventions to improve the LGU performance.
As he thanked the DILG-Western Visayas for the awards, Mayor Nicholas Yulo said they are truly humbled and grateful that the city’s best practices have been recognized in the whole region.
Yulo earlier said that the best practices submitted by the city for evaluation were all implemented in the name of public service and these were able to touch the lives of the people of Bago.
“This is a manifestation of how hardworking and dedicated to public service the employees of Bago City Hall are. To them we dedicate these distinctions,” the mayor added.*
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Bago City represented by Councilors Ma. Josefa Matti (fifth from left), Carlos Mondia (second from right), Ma. Femmy Alvarez-Martir (right) and Joseph Colmenares (center) together with City Local Government Operations Officer Mia Asuncion Gatilogo (fifth from right) receives the Excellence in Local Governance awards from Department of the Interior and Local Government – Western Visayas officials led by Regional Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero (fourth from left) during the Pagdayaw 2022 held at Diversion 21 Hotel in Iloilo City on Monday, December 5.