By: Rey Anthony Chiu

Bohol is contending for the national prize of the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi for provincial category after lording it over among Central Visayan provinces for the prestigious Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) distinction. A P 5 million prize is at stake as national prize each for provincial, city and municipal categories, according to the DILG. Information from the local DILG bared this as an elated Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto also reported over a radio station he personally received the award from President Benigno S. Aquino Jr in rites last week. Chatto said the award included a trophy and P 3 Million in cash.

This is not for us [local government officials] but for all Boholanos who worked to get Bohol this award, Chatto said while hinting participative governance as an edge in the award. The Gawad Pamana ng Lahi award is in recognition of a local government unit’s exemplary performance in administrative, social, economic and environmental governance, according to DILG memorandum Circular 2011-113. The award attempts to scale up the valuing of accountability, transparency and inclusivity in local administration and development, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said. A team of regional validators assessed Bohol according to the general criteria set up for the award, which is also largely based on the online assessment tool of the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS) over-all performance index (OPI).

The award also takes into consideration one’s earning of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH), innovations in those four areas of assessment and its awards and distinctions it garnered from January to December of last year, based on the data from the DILG memo. According to the DILG memorandum on the Gawad Pamana, local governments would be rated on the following: LGPMS-OPI – 80%, Seal of Good Housekeeping (10%), Innovations – (5%) and awards and citations (5%). As Bohol wins it over in the region, it automatically qualifies for the national evaluations, said DILG Gawad Pamana point-person Ma. Reina Quilas on Thursday. Bohol however enters the competition with 10 points less while being assured of high points in innovations and about in awards and citations, shared observers close to the DILG.

Bohol has won the best governed local government unit in the country which, according to DILG is based on the LGPMS, so a high point in the 80% could be expected. The province has also won at least two more awards including TESDAs Kabalikat. According to Quilas, Bohol included at least 14 innovations in governance which should also merit a high score. While DILG admits it might be a tough challenge for Bohol which has still to earn its Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) to earn 10 points in the national assessments, Quilas also said SGH is newly opened for provinces and she has not heard of any province earning the seal.