GENERAL SANTOS CITY — In a surprising development, the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) of the Department of Finance has ranked the province of Sarangani at the bottom in the 2024 Seal of Local Governance (SGLG) Assessment conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In its website, the BLGF has enumerated key indicators for a local government unit to garner high points for the prestigious SGLG Awards.

The Bureau of Local Government Finance has identified Sarangani Province as the lowest performer in its 2024 Seal of Local Governance (SGLG) Assessment, according to indicators used by the DILG.

The BLGF’s indicators include the timely submission of LGU Financial Tools System Reports, average local revenue growth, disbursement rates for various funds, and dependence on local revenues.

Sarangani Province scored just 27.87 percent, placing it last among the provinces in Region XII, which also includes North Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat. Sarangani’s budget appropriation was P342,385,414.00, but the actual expenditure for the Disbursement Rate of the 20 percent component of the National Tax Allotment for Local Development Projects was only P95,409,867.

Additionally, Sarangani ranked last in the Disbursement Rate for the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund 70 percent Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Component, scoring just 9.77 percent.

Governor Rogelio Pacquiao has not yet provided a comment on the issue.

Despite having a budget appropriation of P73,463,980.00, the actual expenditure was only P7,174,637.00. This underfunding comes in the wake of recent flooding and landslides in the province.

Governor Rogelio Pacquiao has not yet provided a comment on the issue.

The BLGF’s assessment is based on data validated by both its Central and Regional Offices and includes expenditures across a range of services such as general public services, education, health, and disaster preparedness.