Leyte receives the regional Gawad Pamana ng Lahi award

The Province of Leyte maintained its hold on the provincial category of the regional Gawad Pamana ng Lahi (GPL) award for two years in a row. Last December 14, 2012 during the  Christmas Party of the provincial government of Leyte held at the new Convention Center in the town of Palo, Governor Mimiette S. Bagulaya formally received the P 3 Million cash prize and trophy from Director Pedro A. Noval Jr. of the Department of the Interior and Local Government. 

Aside from the trophy prepared by DILG national office, Dir. Noval, assisted by DILG-Leyte Provincial Director Artemio B. Caneja also presented Gov. Bagulaya a plaque of recognition from DILG-regional office.  

In revealing that Leyte was disqualified for the national award as he was a member of the national board of judges of the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, Former Leyte Governor and now Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla encouraged the present administration as well as the incoming one, led by his brother Dominic  who was also around, to  seek next year  the Gold Level award for the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH), which is a key criterion of the GPL. 

Both Governor Bagulaya and DOE Secretary Petilla offered the award to the work force of the Province of Leyte, saying the award is a reflection of the commitment and contribution of all personnel in that local government unit ( LGU). 

Gawad Pamana ng Lahi is considered by the DILG as the “mother of all (its) awards” as its criteria covers LGUs’ Overall Performance Index (OPI) in the agency’s Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS); the SGH (which recognizes transparency, accountability and inclusivity in local administration and development); International or National Awards; and acknowledged innovations.  It has three categories: province, city and municipality.  

Leyte won over Southern Leyte, while the regional winner for the City Category is Tacloban City, which edged out Ormoc City and Maasin. No municipality in the region passed the statistical standard for the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi. 

GPL was initiated by the late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo as part of his incentive system for good local governance. LGPMS takes up 80% of the score, SGH  10%; while the remaining 10% is split equally for innovations and awards . The Gawad Pamana ng Lahi prize money is to be used by the local government for projects promoting disaster risk reduction and management or climate change adaptation; local economic development; or the Millennium Development Goals