ROUND UP

2022 GALING POOK FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

The Galing Pook Foundation highlighted local government units (LGUs) from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao that encourage innovation and quality, along with co-presenters SM Prime Holdings Inc., the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Local Government Academy (LGA), and sponsors Cebu Pacific and Airspeed.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised the foundation for recognizing and rewarding highperforming LGUs. He emphasized the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors in producing more significant and effective programs that genuinely benefit Filipinos.

“The recognition that you give to cities and municipalities inspires them to accelerate their drive toward improvement, and it encourages LGUs to adopt practices that make us paragons of excellence in public service. It is necessary for us to underscore the importance of strengthening partnerships between the government and private organizations, such as the Galing Pook Foundation, especially as we bring about meaningful progress in the country,” Marcos said.

All local executives and LGU teams that took part this year were congratulated by Galing Pook Chairperson Mel Sarmiento, saying “It’s truly inspiring to see the impact of the work that you do, and I’m sure you’ve brought value to many Filipinos all over the country. Our collaborations bring us closer to realizing our shared vision, na ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino, may simple pero kumportableng buhay (each Filipino family should have a simple but comfortable life).

The top 10 included: The Green Wall of Alcala (Alcala, Cagayan); Advancing and Sustaining Good Governance and Community Actions towards Resiliency and Empowerment (Basilan Province); Bataan Public-Private Partnership Programs (Bataan Province); Balik-Biñan Project: Tourism Development through Heritage Conservation (Biñan City, Laguna); From Black to Green: Fishponds, Eco-Tourism and Full Employment (Brgy. Cayabu,

Tanay, Rizal); Trekking to Unlock Community Ailments and Difficulties (TUCAD) (Goa, Camarines Sur); “I-BIKE” A Program Promoting the Development of the Iloilo City Bike Culture (Iloilo City); Yaru: A Whole-of-Community Approach Towards Disaster Management (Itbayat, Batanes); Libertad Fish Forever Savings Club (Libertad, Antique); and Basta Piddigueño, AgriHenyo: Consolidated Farm Production System (Piddig, Ilocos Norte). The Galing Pook Foundation’s executive director, Georgina Hernandez Yang, hopes that other LGUs will take their lead and develop creative plans and activities that might win the foundation’s award in the future. A total of 196 applications were received from various LGUs across the Philippines, and 18 finalists were used to determine the 10 winners. The Galing Pook Awards, which were established on October 21, 1993, have honored 329 LGU projects from 200 LGUs around the country that have been encouraged for replication to benefit more communities. The Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) was inspired by the Galing Pook Awards.

PHP100 MILLION SPECIAL EDUCATION FUND PROVIDED TO 34 SCHOOLS IN ILOILO

The Special Education Fund (SEF) of the provincial government of Iloilo has provided Php100.93 million to 34 elementary and secondary schools in the province. Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. led the distribution of the checks on November 24, and said, “We sync with the DepEd to know the needs of the schools.”

According to a news release from Balita Halin sa Kapitolyo, the “Bulig Eskwela Sang Probinsya Program (BES Probinsya Program)” is the umbrella program for the assistance provided by the provincial government.

On September 27, 2022, Defensor issued Executive Order 420, establishing the province of Iloilo’s program for an efficient, current, and transformational educational system. The press statement also stated, “[The fund] will be used for construction of school buildings, rehabilitation and repair of facilities, and the purchase of laptops and printers, among others.”

Alimodian, Badiangan, Bingawan, Concepcion, Leon, Maasin, Mina, Passi City, Pavia, San Dionisio, San Joaquin, Sara, Barotac Nuevo, and Sta. Barbara were among the recipients with one school each; Barotac Viejo, Batad, Oton, and Janiuay each have two beneficiary schools; Calinog has three; Carlos has four; and Tigbauan has five recipient schools.

SPORTS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES IN MINDANAO EXPLORED AT THE PANAGHISGOT CONFERENCE

The University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UPMin), the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the academic community, and other government agencies gathered last November 28, 2022 for a two-day event to promote long-term sports development initiatives in Mindanao. Alona Quinto, project development officer for the PSC, stated that the “Panaghisgot” conference aims to address a variety of concerns, notably with regard to the region’s sports development projects. She stated in an interview, “Mindanao was never a lesser priority of the PSC. They have a big part of the programs as we produced promising athletes from Mindanao.”

Quinto said that the seminar would explain PSC Chairman Noli Eala’s strategy for the grassroots program, which recruits promising athletes from different local government entities. She said, “It is always a partnership when it comes to developing athletes; Chairman Eala said we will never stop supporting, financially or on the technical aspect. That is the direction of PSC: to help the LGUs promote their sports programs.”

Dr. Jezreel Abarca, the head of the UP-Min Department of Human Kinetics, emphasized the significance of starting the Mindanao Sports Development Program as part of the initiative. A comprehensive program, according to Abarca, would offer readily available, high-quality academic degree programs expected to produce graduates from Mindanao who are culturally aware, gender-responsive, globally competitive, and sports specialists.

She stated, “With this, we can also promote Mindanao-specific research for sustainable programs in sports development, sports science, sports education, physical fitness, and well-being.” She said that through the exchange of technical expertise and facilities, the program would improve the sports initiatives of the Mindanao LGUs, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Department of Education (DepEd).

Jimmy Musa, development management officer for the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and point of contact for the Sociocultural and Education (SCE) Pillar of the Brunei DarussalamIndonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), stated that his office is dedicated to supporting the sustainable growth of sports in Mindanao, especially in the context of BIMP-EAGA sub-regional cooperation. He said, “We have been playing a key role in coordinating and facilitating the participation of sports athletes and players from various Mindanao LGUs in the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games since 1996.”

As the third strategic priority sector of the BIMP-EAGA SCE Pillar, he said that MinDA has contributed technically to the terms of reference for the founding of the Youth and Sports Development Working Group.

DAR’S AGRI-PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM HELPS FARMERS IN CALBAYOG CITY, SAMAR

A farmers’ association from Barangay Panoypoy in Calbayog City has received farm equipment worth Php260,250 from the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS) program.

The Panoypoy Farmers Association (PFA), which has 113 members and 69 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) who are involved in raising hogs and growing organic vegetables, benefited from the equipment, which included a hand tractor with a rotavator, a water pump with suction and discharge hoses, a grass cutter, and several garden tools.

Alfonso Catorce, the provincial chief of DAR-Calbayog, stated that the distribution of the farm equipment is in accordance with Secretary Conrado Estrella III’s mandate to provide ARBs with contemporary equipment.

Catorce said, “These farm machines are exactly what the 113 farmer-members of the PFA need to help them in their livestockraising and organic vegetable production.” The association expressed their gratitude for the assistance, which is anticipated to increase their agricultural output. PFA President Pedro Abajo stated, “We would like to thank the DAR for listening to our concerns and for granting what they had promised us.”

The CRFPS project is designed to help agrarian reform communities become more resilient by giving them access to cuttingedge machinery that will boost farm output, generate more income, and enhance their quality of life.