PROVINCE OF BUKIDNON | BUKIDNON NEWS – A celebration of local autonomy. This was the message conveyed at the awarding ceremony of the 2008 Galing Barangay (GABAY) Award by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 10 last February 19, 2009.

Twenty-five local government unit (LGU) awardees and finalists were acknowledged that day at SM City Atrium.

Barangay officials, led by their respective Punong Barangays, were present to receive their trophies, plaques and cash award from DILG-10.

Barangay Suarez of Iligan City and Barangay Canitoan of Cagayan de Oro City received their trophies as the first and second runner-up awardees, respectively, under the Highly-Urbanized Cities Urban Barangay category.

On the other hand, Barangay Balubal of CDOC and Barangay Ubaldo D. Laya of Iligan City won as first and second runner-up, respectively, under the Rural Barangay category.

For Component Cities (Urban Barangay) category, the winners were Barangay Carmen Annex of Ozamiz City (First Place), Barangay Mantic of Tangub City (Second Place), and Barangay Kalasungay of Malaybalay City (Third place). Finalists were Barangay 23 of Gingoog City, Barangay Lurogan of Valencia City, Barangay Mobod of Oroquieta City and Barangay Sinaloc of El Salvador City.

For Component Cities (Rural Barangay) category, the winners were Barangay Upper Rizal of Oroquieta City (First Place), Barangay Violeta of Malaybalay City (Second Place) and Barangay Kalabaylabay of El Salvador City (Third Place). Finalists were Barangay 3 of Gingoog City, Barangay Bintana of Tangub City and Barangay Dagat Kidavao of Valencia City.

The awardees for the 1st-3rd Class Municipalities category were Barangay Damilag of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon (First Place), Barangay Poblacion of Tubod, Lanao del Norte (Second Place) and Barangay Lower Jasaan of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental (Third Place).

Under the 4th-6th Class Municipalities category, the awardees were Barangay Kisolon of Sumilao, Bukidnon (First Place), Barangay Agoho of Mambajao, Camiguin (Second Place) and Barangay Poblacion of Libertad, Misamis Oriental (Third Place).

Finalists were Barangay Poblacion of Maigo, Lanao del Norte and Barangay Southwestern Poblacion of Calamba, Misamis Occidental.

Showing their full-support during the awarding were the Liga ng mga Barangay Provincial and City Chapter Presidents and some members of the Multi-Stakeholders Advisory Committee (MSAC) of the Local Governance Resource Center.

The Liga ng mga Barangay are the active partners of DILG-10 in the implementation of the GABAY Award. On the other hand, the MSAC members formed as part of the Regional Assessment Committee (RAC).

Each provincial and city field stations of DILG-10 had formed their respective awards committees and assessment teams to choose their own nominees/winners under their respective levels and for assessment by the RAC.

Executive Assistant Teodoro A. Sabuga-a, Jr., Acting Provincial Social Welfare & Development Officer of the Misamis Oriental provincial government gave a message in behalf of Governor Oscar S. Moreno.

Remembering his time as a Kabataang Barangay Federation President, he underlined the importance of the barangay officials to know how to run their barangays.

He urged them to strengthen governance in their respective barangays. “Kung hinay kini atong barangay governance, mahugmo kining pangagamhanan, (If the barangay governance is weak, the government will collapse),” he said.

Sabuga-a thanked DILG-10 especially the DILG Misamis Oriental field unit for all the assistance they gave to the provincial government, saying that “DILG is the backbone of good governance”.

Representing in behalf of City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula, City Councilor Alexander S. Dacer congratulated the awardees. He, too, remembered the time when he was a barangay official and knows the importance of having barangay officials well-learned in barangay affairs especially in budgeting their income.

Reading from the message of Mayor Jaraula, he reiterated how the barangay officials have the crucial role to play as frontliners in providing service to the people in the community.

“If the constituents in the barangays know they are taken care of, they will trust the government. And, this trust will make a difference towards our work,” he read.

Dacer continued that DILG is on the right track for launching the search, as GABAY provides avenues and challenges to local government units to aspire to do more.

The new DILG-10 Regional Director Loreto T. Bhagwani was happy to see barangay officials receiving their awards and know that the local officials have provided the needed service to their constituents.

He acknowledged the barangays in making a continued struggle to remain of service to the people even beyond the call of duty.

“I hope that this award will serve not only as acknowledgement but incentive to continue the fire and fervor of public service within (our) hearts,” Bhagwani said.

Director Bhagwani noted what Sabuga-a announced earlier and that of the barangay as the last bastion of democracy. He said that DILG continues to do its mandate to promote excellence in local governance.

The GABAY Award intends to enhance the performance of the barangays for more effective delivery of basic services through the appropriate program intervention and to give due recognition to the best performing barangays.

Specifically, it aims to strengthen good barangay governance and stimulate innovations in the barangay. (Press Release/Philippine Information Agency)

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