Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez announced Wednesday, Nov. 4, that he will personally provide ₱1 million in cash incentives to the winners of the various barangay governance and excellence awards conferred by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Bacolod City government for 2026.
The cash incentives, which will come entirely from Benitez’s personal funds and not from government resources, form part of his continuing advocacy to promote good governance, transparency, accountability, and excellence in public service, particularly at the barangay level, his spokesperson Councilor Caesar Distrito said.
The initiative aims to recognize and reward barangays and local officials who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to serving their constituents and implementing programs that directly benefit their communities, he added.
This marks Benitez’s third consecutive year of providing cash prizes to the awardees.
“Good governance begins in our barangays. They are the frontliners of public service and the government units closest to our people. Through these cash incentives, I want to recognize and reward the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our barangay officials who continue to raise the standards of public service in Bacolod City. This is my personal way of showing appreciation and encouraging them to do even better,” Benitez said.
The beneficiaries of the ₱1-million incentive program will include the awardees of the 2026 Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays (SGLGB), 2026 Best Performing Barangays, Barangay Secretaries’ Service Excellence Award, Barangay Treasurers’ Service Excellence Award, and barangays recognized for excellence in Financial Administration and Sustainability, Disaster Preparedness, Safety, Peace and Order, Social Protection and Sensitivity, Business-Friendliness and Competitiveness, Environmental Management, and Local Government Support Fund Implementation.
The incentives will also cover the winners of the 2026 Legislative Excellence in Governance and Empowerment for National Development Awards, including the Champion, First Runner-Up, and Second Runner-Up; the 2026 Most Outstanding Barangay Secretary and Most Outstanding Barangay Treasurer; and the individual recipients of the 2026 Simbolo ng Inisyatibo at Galing (SINAG) Awards.
Benitez said that the initiative is not merely about providing financial rewards but, more importantly, about creating a culture of excellence and healthy competition among Bacolod’s 61 barangays.
Benitez said he hopes that recognizing outstanding performance would inspire other barangays to strengthen their governance practices, improve service delivery, and introduce innovative programs that respond to the needs of their respective communities.
“We want every barangay in Bacolod to strive for excellence. When we recognize those who perform well, we also inspire others to improve. Our goal is to establish a culture where good governance is not simply expected but consistently practiced, measured, and rewarded. Ultimately, the biggest winners should always be the people of Bacolod,” Benitez said.
The initiative reinforces Benitez’s continuing commitment to empowering barangay institutions and supporting programs that promote responsive, accountable, and people-centered governance throughout Bacolod City, Distrito said.*
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