Seven Iloilo barangays earn 2024 good governance seal

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Seven out of more than 1,700 barangays in Iloilo province were recognized with the Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangay (SGLB) 2024 by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) during the Liga Day celebration on Sunday, Aug. 24, at the Iloilo Sports Complex.

The awardees are Brgy. San Juan Crisostomo in Anilao; Brgy. Agboy Norte, Brgy. Binolbog, and Brgy. Igcadios in Leon; Brgy. Pagsanga-an and Brgy. Ungka II in Pavia; and Brgy. Gines Nuevo in San Enrique.

The SGLB recognizes barangays that demonstrate exceptional performance in governance and encourages sustained quality public service delivery.

The assessment covers key areas, including financial administration, disaster preparedness, peace and order, social protection, business-friendliness, environmental management, and the promotion of tourism, culture, and the arts.

DILG Iloilo Director Carmelo Orbista, in his message, said the SGLB is more than an award, calling it “a symbol of integrity, transparency, accountability, and most of all, service excellence.”

“Your achievement is a testament to the dedication of your leaders and constituents in upholding the highest standards of public service. You are living examples that when a barangay thrives, the community flourishes,” he added.

This year’s number of awardees dropped significantly compared to 2023, when 37 barangays in the province met the stringent assessment criteria.

Liga ng mga Barangay Iloilo provincial president Amalia Victoria Debuque said the decline may be due to lower performance indicators last year.

“Even the provincial director mentioned he is not super ecstatic. I cannot yet give full details on the reasons, but we are encouraging our barangays to continue improving,” she said in an interview.

Debuque added that the 2024 SGLB would be the last under the current annual format, following DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s directive to award it based on the full term of the sitting local chief executive rather than annually.

She also urged barangay officials not to be complacent, noting that Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. launched a program to monitor the performance of local government units, with barangays serving as both stakeholders and implementers.

During the Liga Day opening ceremony, Defensor urged barangay officials to support programs under MoRProGRes Iloilo (Movement for a Robust, Progressive, Globally Competitive, and Resilient Province of Iloilo), a campaign aimed at advancing the social justice agenda of his administration.