Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Makati City鈥檚 virtual queuing management system for its healthcare service, Quezon City鈥檚 integrated real-time calamity monitoring systems, and Pasig City鈥檚 pre-hospital care and emergency medical program were among the winners in the 2023 Galing Pook Awards ceremonies on Thursday.
The three cities in Metro Manila joined seven other local government units (LGUs) nationwide that were honored by the and the (DILG) for their transformational projects.
The event, led by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, recognized the efforts of the 10 LGUs in implementing projects that exemplified 鈥渢rue devolution, excellence, innovation and resourcefulness.鈥�
鈥淭his October marks the anniversary of the Local Government Code of the Philippines. It speaks of autonomy; it speaks of devolution. And these winners, who exhibited beautiful projects, these are the epitome of true devolution, excellence, innovation and resourcefulness,鈥� Abalos said.
In his message as read by Abalos, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised the winners for their innovative programs which effectively addressed local challenges and improved the lives of their constituents.
搁贰础顿:听DILG awards Seals of Good Local Governance to 350 LGUs
搁贰础顿:听Makati bags 3 awards from DOF for high revenue collections
搁贰础顿:听Manila ranked no. 1 among highly urbanized cities; bests 32 LGUs in gov鈥檛 efficiency, infrastructure
Other winners
Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte, was honored for its Seal of Health Governance program promoting community health and fostering accountability and empowerment at the grassroots level.
Davao Oriental province was cited for its Happy Home initiative for former rebels.
General Santos City was commended for the Shari鈥檃 Atas Bitiara project facilitating peaceful resolutions to various disputes.
Iloilo province was hailed for its groundbreaking 鈥淢obilizing Communities through People-Centered Zero Open Defecation Movement Towards Sustainable Sanitation.鈥�
Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, won praise for its 鈥淔ish From The Mountains鈥� initiative, promoting sustainable aquaculture.
Bataan province was acclaimed for its 鈥�1Bataan Seal of Healthy Barangay,鈥� which incentivizes health initiatives by recognizing barangays that achieve zero cases in key health concerns.
Citizenship awards
Barangay Taloot, Argao, Cebu, was honored for its 鈥淏arangay Taloot Community-Based Integrated Approach,鈥� which highlights the importance of community collaboration, particularly among residents.
Also honored with the 2023 Galing Pook Citizenship Awards were the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.; Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation; Health Futures Foundation, Inc.; and Espoir School of Life for its work in behalf of community development.
The winners were selected from 166 applications submitted by various local governments across the country.
Since its inception on Oct. 21, 1993, the Galing Pook Awards seeks to celebrate community-driven progress.