Republic of the Philippines

In a collaborative effort to enhance the ease of doing business and streamline government services, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) VI, in partnership with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) VI and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) VI, conducted the EODB Compliance Evaluation among cities in Western Visayas, being the key agencies in the implementation of RA 11032. This pivotal assessment centers on tracking the progress of cities within the region in implementing reforms that enhance the ease of doing business, pursuant to Republic Act 11032, also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, as well as pertinent Joint Memorandum Circulars and related government issuances. A total of 16 cities, including two highly urbanized cities and fourteen (14) component cities in the region, were targeted and evaluated by the Regional EODB Compliance Evaluation Team from September to November 2023. In particular, the team’s focus extends to several critical areas, including the creation of the Committee on Anti-Red Tape (CART), the citizens’ charter, reengineering and regulatory reform initiatives, the streamlining of business permit and clearance processes, and the issuance of building permits and certificates of occupancy. The evaluation also examines the LGUs’ actual practices in order to identify areas for improvement and provide specific recommendations. This compliance evaluation carries far-reaching implications for Western Visayas. Achieving high compliance not only promotes a more conducive climate for businesses but also entices potential investors and propels economic growth. Furthermore, it encourages local government units to become more responsive to the needs of their constituents, leading to more efficient and citizen-centric public services. Leading the team for this evaluation are LGOO IV Aizel Padilla, LGOO IV Sefaniah Gabrielle Roldan, and LGOO II Jiselle Yanson of DILG Region VI, together with partners from ARTA RFO VI: PDO III Janine de la Paz, SAO Raymond John Villanueva, CAO Josephine Venus Castillo, and ADAS III Juvy Albay; and DICT VI: ISA I Pearl Angelique T. Hillado, PDO II Karizza Gidaya, PDO II Ma. Ella Armamento, ISA I Raphael Ramar Benasa, and ISA I Kristian Paul Ombrog. This EODB Compliance Evaluation is an initiative of the DILG-Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD). It is crucial to note that the pilot implementation in 2023 is confined only to cities.#

BFP6 List of Qualified Fire Officer I Applicants (Attrition Quota)

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos said that a maximum three-week transition period is set for newly elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials (BSKOs) to properly and smoothly assume office. He explained that the allotted transition period is important as this will spell the difference whether the incoming officials could immediately buckle down to work or not. “Ang transition period na binibigay natin ay three weeks. Napaka-importante na ma-turn-over sa mga bagong opisyal properly ang properties ng barangay. Ilang computer ‘yan, ilang kotse ’yan. Are they in good condition?” he said in a recent press briefing. He continued: “Baka pag-upo niyo diyan wala ng laman ang barangay hall.” To ensure smooth transition, Abalos announced the issuance of DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2023-166, which newly-elected SK and barangay officials can use as guide prior and during their assumption. Likewise, outgoing BSKOs were instructed to submit the final inventory of the Barangay and SK properties, financial records, documents, and properties (PFRDs) and money accountabilities and to ensure turnover of the same to the incoming or newly elected BSKOs. “Ayaw po nating magkagulo. Inuulit ko po ang announcement na ito sapagkat this will cover all the barangays and SK sa (buong) Pilipinas. Pagka-oath mo, coordinate with our DILG officer na nasa ground at binigyan namin sila ng instructions dito na magkaroon ng proper turnover,” he said. He also clarified that he was prompted to issue the guidelines following the advice of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that winning barangay and SK election candidates, upon being proclaimed and taking their oath, can effectively assume office. “Kami sa DILG, susundin namin ang Comelec. Baka magkaroon lang tayo ng problem on the ground,” he stressed. “Bakit? Kung bago ka, kailangan mo mag-appoint ng bagong treasurer, secretary. Kailangan mo ng resolution sa barangay para sa bagong bank account at kailangan ka pa magpost ng bond. Siguro, it will take two to three weeks bago mangyari iyon,” he elaborated. In the DILG MC 2023-166, newly elected BSKOs are urged to secure or comply with the bonding requirements and other requisites under the existing laws, rules, and regulations.###

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos reminded Monday candidates of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023 to file their Statements of Election Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) early and not wait for the deadline. Abalos specifically advised candidates who will emerge victorious in the barangay elections today (October 30) to submit their SOCE to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure their seamless proclamation. “I-submit n’yo ang Statement of Contributions and Expenditure sa Comelec. Importante ‘yan. At huwag n’yo nang hintayin ang 30-day deadline,” Abalos said. Based on Republic Act No. 7166 or the Synchronized National and Local Elections and Electoral Reforms Act, no elected officials may sit without filing their respective SOCE. The SOCE is a thorough and comprehensive report about the campaign contributions and expenditures of the political candidates. For transparency, candidates should file their SOCE to the Office of the Election Officer concerned on or before November 29, 2023, or not later than one month after the day of the election. The DILG Chief likewise reminded winning candidates to ensure that the inventory report of the barangays’ assets and properties are legitimate and are turned over to them properly. “It should be accepted. At i-check n’yo rin nang maigi kung ilang computer ang iniwan, ilang sasakyan. Napakaimportante nito kasi mamaya may nawawala sa inyo pa maibintang,” Abalos stressed . ###

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos commended on Thursday the local government of Iloilo City for earning the Philippines’ first title of “Creative City of Gastronomy” of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network (UCCN). Abalos recognized the local leaders, led by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, Rep. Christopher “Toff” De Venecia, chair of the House Committee on Creative Industries, the citizenry, and all their stakeholders for their significant involvement and active efforts leading to the inclusion of the city in the prestigious network. “This recognition is a homage to Iloilo City’s Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and ancestors who passed down their customs, traditions, and ways of life, including the traditional Ilonggo recipes. It is a resounding testament to the richness, ingenuity, and diversity of our culture as Filipinos,” Abalos said. The Creative City of Gastronomy tag, according to Abalos, will surely boost tourism not only in Iloilo City but also in the entire country. “This win by Iloilo City will create an environment that fosters innovation and creativity as key drivers for a more sustainable and inclusive development,” he said. With this feat, Iloilo City became the third city in the Philippines to be part of the international network after Baguio (2017) for craft and folk art, and Cebu (2019) for design. This , as Abalos rallies all other cities in the country to replicate the success of Iloilo, Cebu, and Baguio and be recognized worldwide as icons of urban development. “I strongly believe that there is no shortage of creativity and innovation in this country and that this land is home to a diverse cultural heritage,” he pointed out. “Ito ang mga bagay na nagbibigay kahulugan sa ating pagka-Pilipino. So, we must show these proudly to the world, for they are among the many reasons to love the Philippines”. Iloilo City is one of the 55 cities worldwide to be included in UCCN this year, following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. These new cities are acknowledged for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies and displaying innovative practices in human-centered urban planning. With the latest additions, the network now counts 350 cities in more than 100 countries, representing seven creative fields: crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music.###

As the government continues its intensified whole-of-nation approach against illegal drugs, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Sunday forged a partnership with the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) to further promote and expand the reach of its flagship anti-drug campaign, Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program. In a press conference during the opening of the 2023 PVL All-Filipino Conference at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said the partnership with PVL, made official through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement, will foster better engagement among Filipino youth and will help encourage them to embrace a healthy lifestyle and turn away from illegal drugs. “The kids have role models to follow. And we have a lot of young kids who have role models in this league, of course, our athletes here. Ang laking bagay nitong partnership na ito. It talks about lifestyle, it talks about attitude change which is crucial in our demand reduction campaign,” Abalos said. The DILG Chief likewise thanked PVL, the country’s first-ever women’s professional volleyball league, for joining the fight against drugs and for believing in the spirit of BIDA. For his part, Ricky Palou, president of Sports Vision Management Group, Inc., the company behind PVL, committed the league’s continued support to the BIDA program. “We believe in this endeavor. And we are very happy to join DILG in this campaign. We fully support the DILG’s anti-drugs program and we are going to really work to ensure that it will be successful,” he said. The partnership is expected to upscale the league’s drug testing initiatives in accordance with Republic Act No. 9165, or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,” among its players and staff, according to Abalos. Under the MOA, PVL players will also sport the BIDA program logo on their jerseys. The league is also expected to help raise awareness about the anti-drug program through the dissemination of “BIDA Visuals” such as advertisement videos and photographs made by the DILG and other Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to be played and shown on the league’s assets, infrastructures, and social media platforms. The Department has also signed similar partnerships with different sports leagues and organizations, such as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), to gain support for the BIDA Program, which recently won the National Social Welfare Initiative of the Year Award in the 2023 GovMedia Awards. A partnership with over 30 top private firms in the country was also sealed last May. ###

The Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) flagship anti-drug campaign Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA) Program will be featured in all of Megaworld Lifestyle Malls’ 20 theatres and 6 LED walls nationwide. In his speech during the screening of the BIDA advertisement on Friday, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos thanked Megaworld, the second lifestyle mall chain to screen the BIDA ad, for reaffirming its commitment in supporting the campaign and emphasized that solving the drug problem entails a lifestyle change based on supply and demand reduction. “Marami na pong sumasama. At marami pa sa mga susunod na araw. Iikot po kami. Hindi kami mapapagod because this is for our children. This is a war for our future,” Abalos said. The DILG Chief also commended Megaworld’s efforts to maintain a drug-free workplace through random drug-tests and gate ambassadors or K-9 dogs well-trained to detect illegal substances and deadly weapons. He then stressed that the war on drugs should not be fought by the police and the government alone, but by all sectors working together in the whole-of-nation approach against illegal drugs under the BIDA program. “It is a good fight and we will win this fight,” Abalos said. For his part, Megaworld Assistant Vice President for Lifestyle Malls Mark Sta. Ana thanked the DILG for partnering with the company for a significant cause and committed to providing venues for BIDA events and hosting other BIDA activities. Megaworld Lifestyle Malls is the retail and commercial arm of property giant Megaworld Corporation which is one of the over 30 top companies in the country that recently signed a partnership with the DILG under the “BIDA Workplace Program” to promote drug-free workplaces. ###

Representing President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Thursday recognized top local government units (LGUs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) for promoting innovation and exemplifying leadership for better public service delivery and conferred to them the coveted 2023 Galing Pook Award. In his message during the 2023 Galing Pook Awarding Ceremony in Pasay City, Abalos, himself a recipient of multiple Galing Pook awards during his term as mayor of Mandaluyong City, congratulated the winners and urged them to collaborate with the DILG and Galing Pook Foundation in helping other LGUs emulate their transformative projects in their respective communities. “This 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,” Abalos said. “Kaya ang hihilingin ko sa inyo, work with us sa DILG, Galing Pook and let’s replicate these (programs) to other LGUs… It’s not just about winning, it’s not just about the awards. It’s also about sharing these beautiful practices to other (LGUs),” he added. President Marcos, in a message read by the Secretary, also lauded the winners for their innovative and excellent programs that address various local challenges and improve the lives of their constituents. “Your unwavering dedication and innovative spirit are a testament to the resilience and determination of the Filipino people.” The President also thanked the Galing Pook Foundation for empowering LGUs and CSOs to develop programs and social innovations for improved public service delivery. The winners of the 2023 Galing Pook Awards are: Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte: Seal of Health Governance Davao Oriental Province: Happy Home General Santos City: Shari’a Atas Bitiara Makati City: Virtual Queuing Management System for Health Centers Iloilo Province: Mobilizing Communities through People-Centered Zero Open Defecation Movement Towards Sustainable Sanitation Pasig City: Prehospital Care and Emergency Medical Services Medical Control Program Bayawan City, Negros Oriental: Fish From The Mountains: Bayawan Inland Aquaculture Bataan Province: 1Bataan Seal of Healthy Barangay Barangay Taloot, Argao, Cebu: Barangay Taloot Community-Based Integrated Approach Quezon City: iRISE UP (Intelligent, Resilient, and Integrated Systems for the Urban Population) Meanwhile, the 2023 Galing Pook Citizenship Awards winners were the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.; Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative; Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation; Health Futures Foundation, Inc.; and Espoir School of Life. They received a trophy designed and carved by renowned Filipino visual artist Toym Imao. The Galing Pook Awards winners were chosen from 166 applications from different local governments in the country. The applicants were trimmed down to 17 finalists, which then made panel presentations and underwent probing questions by a board of judges led by the DILG Secretary. Launched on October 21, 1993, the Galing Pook Awards has already recognized over 330 LGU programs from at least 200 LGUs in the country that have been promoted for replication to benefit more communities.###

The DILG Region 6, in its continuous efforts to capacitate local government units (LGUs) in the promotion of local economic development (LED), was recognized and selected by the Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD) to be the pilot region to implement the Recovery Initiatives towards Sustained Local Economy (RISE) Program. The RISE national launching was held on October 6, 2023 at the Diversion 21 Hotel, Iloilo City. The region highlighted its partnership strengths in the implementation of the RISE Program through its Local Governance Regional Resource Center (LGRRC) and collaboration with Local Resource Institutes and the private sector through the Western Visayas Local Governance Resource Consortium (WVLGRC), National Government Agencies (NGAs), and other stakeholders. DILG 6 Regional Director Juan Jovian E. Ingeniero said in his message, “This launching serves as a platform for fruitful discussions, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Nagbibigay ito ng pagkakataong tuklasin ang mga komprehensibong ideya at estratehiya na makapagtutulak sa paglago at pag-unlad ng ekonomiya. Ang magkakaibang hanay ng mga pananaw na inaalok ng programang ito ay walang alinlangang magpapayaman sa ating pang-unawa sa mga hamon na ating kinakaharap at tutulong sa atin na matukoy ang mga epektibong solusyon.” Directors from the other DILG regional offices as well as representatives from different national government agencies attended this convergence, which featured the sharing of LED initiatives from the Province of Iloilo and Iloilo City, and the presentation of LED project proposals from the two LGUs with the best LED business plans selected during the presentation and critique on June 9, 2023. The winning LGUs are the municipality of Badiangan from the province of Iloilo focusing on the revival of the ginger industry and Talisay City from the province of Negros Occidental with project on integration of the coconut industry with Agri-Tourism. Both LGUs are the first recipients of the RISE Program that went through another critiquing from a panel of reactors offering recommendations. The RISE program highlights the LGUs act as facilitators and catalysts for investment. They establish a conducive business environment by streamlining regulations, simplifying permitting processes, and providing incentives. By maintaining and enhancing critical infrastructure, LGUs attract private investment, foster business expansion, and create jobs. Moreover, they champion small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by offering tailored support, training programs, and financial assistance, nurturing local entrepreneurship and innovation. DILG created the RISE Program to empower LGUs with the necessary tools, strategies, and partnerships needed to drive economic recovery and nurture sustained growth. Division Chief for Local Government Capability Development (LGCDD) Christian M. Nagaynay, unveiled the comprehensive framework designed by the Region. The Region 6 LED coaches, composed of professors from various universities, provided valuable insights necessary in assisting the LGUs in their capacity development. “I would like to express my gratitude to all the distinguished LED coaches and experts who graciously agreed to share their insights and time with us. Ang inyong kasanayan at karanasan ay magbibigay inspirasyon sa mga talakayan na nakakapukaw ng pag-iisip na maaaring humubog ng kalinangan at inisyatiba sa mga darating na taon para sa programang ito,” said RD Ingeniero. “I am also pleased to acknowledge the partnership offered by the different national government agencies for this program. Recognizing the relevance of these partnerships for local development will cultivate stronger relationships,” Ingeniero added. The partnership was formalized through signing Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which will enables exchange of resources and knowledge, encourage agency collaboration, and promote synergy. Part of the launching of the RISE Program was an exhibit showcasing the products of the Province of Iloilo; City of Iloilo; Badiangan, Iloilo; Talisay City, Negros Occidental; Sta. Barbara, Iloilo; Banate, Iloilo and Jordan, Guimaras. Promoting local economic development and resilient communities by enhancing the LGU’s capacity to drive recovery and growth is one of the objectives of the RISE Program and the display supporting local products was a step towards it.

Bilang paghahanda sa simula ng kampanya para sa ng Barangay at Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), nagpasyang magsanib-puwersa ang Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) at ang Commission on Elections (COMELEC) laban sa pagbili at pagbenta ng mga boto. Lalagdaan nina DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos at COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia ang isang memorandum of agreement (MOA) sa Oktubre 11 (Martes) na naglalayong makipag-tulungan sa iba pang mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan, mga citizens’ arms at iba pang stakeholders upang matiyak ang pagdaraos ng malaya, maayos, tapat at mapayapang halalan. “We’re ready to support COMELEC to safeguard the ballot. Labanan natin ang pagbili at pagbebenta ng boto, isang pinakamasamang kanser ng lipunan,” ani Abalos. Sa ilalim ng MOA, magsasagawa ang DILG at COMELEC ng pagsasanay upang ituro sa kanilang mga tauhan ang pagkilala sa mga paraan ng pagbili at pagbenta ng mga boto at pagkalap ng ebidensiya ukol sa election offenses. Pangungunahan din ng dalawang ahensiya ang isang information campaign tungkol sa pagbili at pagbenta ng mga boto sa mga LGU. Ang panahon ng kampanya para sa halalan ng mga opisyal ng mga barangay at SK ay mula Oktubre 19 hanggang Oktubre 28 ng taong ito. Ayon sa Omnibus Election Code, ang pagbili at pagbenta ng boto ay tumutukoy sa “offering money or anything of value to induce anyone to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote.” ###