For the first time, the City Government of Valenzuela, led by Mayor Wes Gatchalian, was conferred with the most coveted Seal of Good Local Governance by the Department of the Interior and Local Government during the awarding ceremony at the Manila Hotel on 13 December.
With cities passing rate of 43 percent, Valenzuela City is one of 64 out of 149 cities in the Philippines, and one of the 11 out of 17 cities in the National Capital Region that was recognized for passing the "All-in" assessment approach of the ten (10) governance areas, namely Financial Administration and Sustainability; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection and Sensitivity; Health Compliance and Responsiveness; Sustainable Education; BusinessFriendliness and Competitiveness; Safety, Peace and Order; Environmental Management; Tourism, Heritage Development, Culture and Arts; and Youth Development.
In his keynote message, DILG Secretary Atty. Benhur Abalos commended all the SGLG passers of this year's assessment.
"Kaya sa inyo na 493 SGLG passers, nawaý ibahagi po ninyo ang inyong kwento sa ating mga kapwa local official. Kapag may mga pagtitipon o pagsasanay, nawa'y pag-usapan natin ang iba't ibang paraan kung paano mas mapahusay ang mabuting pamamahala."
Being one of the awardees, Valenzuela will take home the prestigious SGLG marker alongside the SGLG Incentive Fund of P2.3 Million eligibility for the city level to finance high-impact local development projects supportive of the ten governance areas.
In an interview, Mayor Gatchalian shared his excitement to win the SGLG in his administration.
"Very meaningful ng araw na 'to, dahil first-time nating nanalo ng SGLG. Isang karangalan sa'kin bilang Ama ng Lungsod, na nakuha po natin ito, and this, for me, is a motivation to do better in the next years.. Congratulations and thankful to my department heads, City Hall staff, and to the City of Valenzuela for attaining our first SGLG," he said.
The Seal of Good Local Governance, in virtue of the Republic Act No, 11292 or the SGLG Act of 2019, is an institutionalized award, incentive, honor, and recognition-based program that encourages LGUs' commitment to progress and improve their performance along various governance areas continuously.
This recent conferment reflects the unwavering efforts and dedication of the City Government to fostering a culture of integrity, exemplary public service, and good governance for every Pamilyang Valenzuelano.