A total 350 local government units across the country are set to receive the 2022 Seal of Good Local Governance Award in December from the Department of the Interior and Local Government for their best practices amid the Covid-19 health crisis.

DILG Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos, Jr. on Sunday congratulated the LGUs composed of 18 provinces, 60 cities, and 272 municipalities that passed the stringent SGLG parameters.

"Covid-19 is a huge roadblock in public service yet this year's SGLG awardees persisted. I congratulate all 350 LGUs for their exemplary performance in delivering quality public service to their localities and for bagging the 2022 SGLG Award," Abalos said.

"I commend you for your commitment to raising local governance standards despite the challenges brought by the pandemic and other calamities we have faced in recent years," he added.

Abalos said that under the SGLG program, LGUs must pass the following governance areas — financial administration and sustainability; disaster preparedness; social protection and sensitivity; health compliance and responsiveness; sustainable education; business-friendliness and competitiveness; safety, peace and order; environmental management; tourism, heritage development, culture and arts; and, youth development.

He added that out of 1,715 provinces, cities and municipalities nationwide, only 20.4 percent or 350 LGUs have received the Seal this year.

Among all the regions of the country, Abalos said Region 3 garnered the highest number of awardees with a total of 61 awards composed of 51 municipalities, 6 cities and 2 provinces receiving the Seal, followed by Region 1 with 54 awardees comprised of 48 municipalities, four cities and two provinces, and Region 2 with 35 awardees from 29 municipalities, four cities and two provinces.

Other SGLG awardees for 2022 include five in the National Capital Region; 12 in the Cordillera Administrative Region; 29 in Calabarzon; six in Mimaropa; nine in Region 5 (Bicol); 27 in Region 6; six in Region 7; 16 in Region 8; six in Region 9; 26 in Region 10; 15 in Region 11; 13 in Region 12; 17 in Region 13 and 14 in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

All awardees will be recognized and conferred with the 2022 SGLG marker in an awarding ceremony in December 2022.

In addition to getting this year's SGLG marker, LGU awardees are also eligible for the SGLG Incentive Fund to finance their local development initiatives in support of national goals and strategic thrusts.

The SGLG program, evolving from the Seal of Good Housekeeping, was institutionalized under Republic Act 11292 or "The Seal of Good Local Governance Act of 2019."