PAGADIAN CITY – Two local government units (LGUs) in Zamboanga Peninsula region have
emerged as national winners of the 2012 Local Legislative Award (LGA), the
regional office of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)-IX
announced recently.
Bagging the national
awards are the city council of Zamboanga City and the municipal council of Piñan
town in Zamboanga del Norte.
DILG-IX Information Officer
Lemuel Mejares told the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that Zamaboanga
City had bested other highly urbanized cities while Piñan town had beaten other towns
in the fourth to sixth class category.
These LGUs underwent a
series of assessment and evaluation starting from the provincial level up to
the national level by a committee chaired by the DILG with Department of
Agriculture (DA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),
Department of Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Budget and Management
(DBM) and civil society organizations as members.
LGA is designed to give
recognition to Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) and/or Sangguniang Bayan
(municipal council) which exhibited exemplary performance in legislating
measures that help build the foundation of a meaningful local administration
geared toward the attainment of desirable socio-economic-environmental
outcomes.
The criteria for
judging include effectiveness of the legislative agenda, effectiveness of the
legislative tracking system, availability of the legislative documents, performance
efficiency of the Sanggunian, and quality of office setup and staff complement.
DILG-IX Regional
Director Paisal o. Abutazil said: “We are proud of the fact the region 9 LGUs
bagged two of the four awards in the national level which only showed that the
local legislation aspect of governance has been given prime importance, without
having to set aside other equally important concerns in local governance, all
for the good of the constituencies.”
“It is our hope that with this very
positive development, the LGUs of Zamboanga City and the municipality of Pinan
will be able to inspire other local legislatures in the Zamboanga Peninsula to
perform better and excel not only in the legislative process but likewise in
every aspect of local governance. This does not only apply to the Local Legislative
Award but with other awards and incentives programs being initiated and
implemented by DILG,” Abutazil further said.