Gawad Galing Pook

There has been of late a renewed appreciation of the role that local governments play in national politics. For those who have become cynical of our politics, you may take a look at the local level where some of the most inspiring initiatives in governance have taken place.

The Gawad Galing Pook launched in 1993 aims to promote excellence in local governance. A total of 195 local governance programs were awarded in the annual search for outstanding & trailblazing programs from 1994 to 2004. Below are samples of the awardees, which our community could replicate or adopt. For more information on the best practices in local governance, you may visit the organization’s website at www.galingpook.org.

1) People Empowerment Program – Naga City
2002 Outstanding Inter-LGU Cooperation/Multi-Sectoral Participation

This program was inspired by the People Power in 1986 which Nagueños then took steps to institutionalize by not just paying lip service to people empowerment but giving it teeth in policy making. A City Council was created representing various NGO’s, PO’s cooperatives, barangays, & everyone whose voices need to be heard as members. Common folks usually marginalized by powerful political interests get to participate. The city govt. has set up a website – www.naga.gov.ph, that contains its budget, financial statements, procurement, awards & bidding process, even job opportunities, among others. The city govt. also publish & distribute to all households an inch-thick Citizens' Charter that contains everything a Nagueño needs to know about public service provided by the city govt. and includes whom to contact and how long the process should take.

For this program, Mayor Jessie Robredo earned the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Asia’s version of Nobel Prize for govt. service in 2000. Likewise, the city also gained the recognition as one of the ten best places in the world from the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat).

2) Pilar Integrated Educational Support, Pilar Sorsogon
1994 – Trailblazing – Education

This is collaboration between LGU officials and other private and civic organizations. The program is to provide educational opportunities & skill enrichment trainings to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youths & adults. The program has 4 components: 1) Scholarship program; 2) Manpower development program in cooperation with National Manpower & Youth Council; 3) Preschooler’s program which employs the Montessori system and 4) Advance Learning Program for honor students.

To date, the program has 1,127 beneficiaries with 72% under the manpower development program

3) Barangay Agricultural Development Center, Negros Oriental
2004 – Outstanding - Agriculture

Negros Oriental has ideal conditions for agriculture & fishery development – good climate and abundant resources, but has problems of food shortage & insufficient supply of fresh fish protein. This is the challenge faced by the provincial govt. that leads it to embark on this project which aims to: 1) address the needs of people in the hinterland; 2) minimize the problem of insurgency, and 3) provide agriculture-led government services. The beneficiaries of the program are trained in agriculture, fishery development with active participation of women. The focus is on values education, leadership, management skills & community participatory planning process.

The result of this program are: 700 inland fishponds had been established, increased crop & vegetable production, increased household income of 26% from 1977 to 2000, decrease in malnutrition, access to credit from financing institutions, mass propagation of banana & abaca plantlets etc. Also, there is greater cooperation or bayanihan spirit, active participation among beneficiaries, local chief executives of rival political parties work closely with provincial government and rural based organizations & other groups are continually strengthened.

It is hoped that someday our community or province could be cited for excellence in local governance.

rOKEba

Reference: www.galingpook.org