DILG Secretary Mar Roxas and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa hand the marker and plaque to the City Government of Tagum for winning the Galing Pook Award for its Night Market Program. Mayor Allan L. Rellon and Vice Mayor Geterito Gementiza lead the city’s delegation to the awarding ceremony held October 21, 2014 at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. Photo by Louie Bryan Lapat of CIO TAGUM
TAGUM CITY—The city’s slogan of “Tagum, Tagumpay” gained momentum anew as the City Government of Tagum hauled three major awards from three separate award-giving bodies, solidifying the gains of Mayor Allan L. Rellon’s participatory and people-centered governance.
GALING POOK
Tagum City’s Night Market Program bagged one of this year’s Galing Pook Awards, a pioneering program that recognizes innovation and excellence in local governance.
Mayor Allan L. Rellon formally received the award from Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and DILG Sec. Mar Roxas who are representatives of President Benigno S. Aquino III in a fitting ceremony held in EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong last October 21, 2014.
“Tagum City established the night market to organize and improve the lot of its many ambulant vendors while improving the income generation of the local government that the latter uses to finance its public services and its other development programs,” said Galing Pook Chairperson Ma. Lourdes Fernando in her speech.
The winners of the Galing Pook Awards are selected through a multi-level rigorous screening process and are evaluated on positive results and impact, promotion of people’s participation and empowerment, innovation, transferability and sustainability, and efficiency of program service delivery.
Assisting Mayor Rellon in receiving the award were City Vice Mayor Geterito Gementiza, members of the 6th City Council of Tagum and some department heads and employees of the local government.
BEST PESO IN THE PHILIPPINES
Meanwhile, the Public Employment Services Office of the city government was once again declared as Best PESO in the country for the component city category, awarded by the Department of Labor and Employment during the 14th National PESO Congress held at General Santos City last October 22, 2014.
PESO Manager Rogeneth Pagdilao Llanos received the award, along with Miss Alicia Sulayon who received the Best School-Based PESO Award for the University of Mindanao Tagum College.
Both were recognized for excellently implementing the delivery of employment facilitation programs and services of DOLE, as highlighted by Mayor Rellon who shared with all PESO managers the city’s best practices during the said national congress.
BUSINESS-FRIENDLY LGU
On the other hand, Tagum was also recognized as a finalist in the Search for the Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit Award “for exemplifying commendable initiatives towards good governance reforms that promote trade and investments, and significantly contribute to local economic development.”
The award was given by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry last October 22, 2014 in time for the 40th Philippine Business Conference held at Manila Hotel.
PCCI based the award on five criteria which are trade, investments, and tourism promotions; public-private sector partnership; micro, small and medium enterprises [MSME] development; quality management system, innovations, and human resources development; and inter-local government relations. Louie Lapat of CIO Tagum