Manila bags good governance seal

The local government of Manila has been recognized as a 2024 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) awardee, a testament to its excellence in local administration even as eight Manila barangays have been nominated for barangay-level SGLG honors.

Mayor Honey Lacuna highlighted the significance of this achievement, noting that Manila’s 2nd place finish in the 2024 Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index among highly urbanized cities, along with its SGLG recognition, underscores its strong governance.

“Receiving the Seal of Good Local Governance is a significant achievement. It’s a rigorous process that involves evaluation by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other government agencies, such as the Commission on Audit, Department of Finance, and others,” Lacuna said.

“Not all LGUs, whether provinces, cities, municipalities, or barangays, are able to achieve this honor,” she added.

The lady mayor also stressed that this is the first time Manila has received the SGLG award, a milestone not achieved by previous mayors.

The SGLG recognizes excellence in 10 critical governance areas which include Financial Administration and Sustainability; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection and Sensitivity; Health Compliance and Responsiveness; Programs for Sustainable Education; Business Friendliness and Competitiveness; Safety, Peace and Order; Environmental Management; Tourism, Heritage, Development, Culture, and Arts and Youth Development.

Lacuna expressed pride in the eight barangays nominated for SGLG recognition, highlighting the administration’s commitment to effective governance. She also emphasized that these achievements refute any claims of inaction or neglect.

The SGLG awards will be formally conferred by the DILG in an upcoming ceremony.