In a commendable recognition of effective governance, the province of Antique, along with nine of its municipalities, has been awarded the prestigious Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) for 2024. The announcement was made by the SGLG Council of Good Local Governance on November 14, 2024. Darrelle Thea Abad, Program Manager at the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Antique Provincial Office, confirmed the achievement in a subsequent interview on November 15, 2024.
The honored municipalities include Barbaza, Belison, Culasi, Libertad, Pandan, Patnongon, San Jose de Buenavista, San Remigio, and Valderrama. These local government units were evaluated and found compliant in all ten areas of the SGLG criteria, which encompass transparency, accountability in public fund management, disaster preparedness, social protection, and responsiveness to the needs of vulnerable populations.
Antique has now secured the SGLG award for the third consecutive year, having previously won in 2021 and 2022. This year, it joins 40 other provinces across the Philippines in achieving this distinction. The number of municipalities in Antique receiving the SGLG has also grown progressively, from four in 2022 to six in 2023, and now nine in 2024.
While the exact fiscal incentives for the awardees remain undisclosed pending the official awarding ceremony next month, the recognition underscores the province’s and its municipalities’ commitment to upholding standards of good governance.