Bohol does it again as ‘Best Governed Province 2011 on track to possible Hall of Fame after consecutive awards

Bohol is on track to possible Hall of Fame as the best-governed province in the country. The province was highlighted anew when the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) named last week the consistent top performing local government units (LGUs) nationwide. According to the DILG, Bohol under Gov. Edgar Chatto ranked first in two consecutive years, 2010 and 2011, as the top provincial government in the entire Philippine republic. A “three-peat” hopefully this year automatically earns for Bohol the Hall of Fame as the country’s best-governed province.

The latest DILG report named the top 10 provincial governments, top 10 city governments and top 10 municipal governments in each year from 2009 to 2011. All categories summed up, only 13 LGUs emerged as the consistent top performers across the three-year period. This means that these 13 LGUs had been included in the top 10 in their respective categories each year from 2009 to 2011. DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo identified the 13 as the provinces of La Union, Cavite, Albay, and Ilocos Norte; the cities of Valenzuela, Makati, Angeles, Taguig, Davao, Laoag, Vigan and Cabanatuan; and the municipality of Ilagan in Isabela.

Bohol is “not among” the consistent performer provinces within the given three-year span simply because it even failed to land in the 10 th spot in 2009. The province of the Boholanos made its amazing, surprising entry right to the first place in not just one but two succeeding years only when Chatto assumed governor in 2010. From 2010 to 2011, Bohol thus gained the highest---even near-perfect---scores in the DILG-administered Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS), which is done annually. The LGPMS is a management and development tool that does not only enable LGUs to determine their capabilities and limitations in the delivery of public services. It likewise provides information on the state of local government performance and the LGUs’ state of local development. While Bohol is not among the 13 consistent top provinces across the three-year period because it was not even in the top 10 in 2009, it has held the solo title as the only province to have ranked first in two consecutive years since 2010.

Only La Union could come close to Bohol after placing second in 2010 and 2011. La Union was 6 th among the top 10 provinces in 2009. Of the cities in the country, Tagbilaran City was not in the top 10 since 2009 until 2011. The DILG secretary explained that the LGUs are assessed and ranked based on performance area index ranging from one to five, with one as lowest and five as highest, in the areas of administrative governance, social governance, economic governance, environmental governance, and fundamental of good governance, which includes transparency, participation and financial accountability. A team of representatives from national and local governments conducts the evaluation, which results are validated by civil society organizations to maintain impartiality. Robredo said the LGPMS topnotchers do not only earn the distinction of being among the best-performing LGUs in the country.

They will also have the greater chance to be nominated to the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, which is conferred to LGUs that advance the tenets of good governance based on certain criteria, including the LGPMS. Chatto is already a Pamana ng Lahi awardee. A DILG-LGPMS Hall of Fame spot hopefully for Bohol as the best-governed province in three succeeding year is really an extra-exceptional feat for any LGU in the country, according to DILG insiders themselves. But Chatto said awards are merely aftermaths of good works because they are not the objectives to strive to do more and well. He thanked Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and the entire capitol family as well as the different component LGUs and sectors who support Chatto’s selfless servant leadership. The DILG secretary extolled the performing LGUs which shining examples inspire others to strive in the performance of their mandate. Some fellow government officials and workers would dare say that Chatto is not among them because “he is far better.”

(Ven Rebo Arigo)