The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) commended outstanding barangays in Central Luzon for their "exemplary performance" in carrying out their mandate that facilitated the delivery of basic public service to their constituents.
In a statement, the DILG said that among the awards given were the regional top performers of the 2023 Barangay Environmental Compliance Audit and the 2022 Lupon Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards "who exhibited outstanding performance in the implementation of solid waste management within their locality and the exemplary implementation of the Katarungang Pambarangay, respectively."
The DILG noted that the Barangay Environmental Compliance Audit (BECA) City Category regional top performers include Barangay Pinagbarilan, Baliwag City, Bulacan (1st place); Barangay Lote Puerto Rivas, Balanga City, Bataan (2nd place); and Barangay Sangitan West, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija (3rd place).
In the municipal category, the regional winners were Barangay Bulihan, Plaridel, Bulacan (1st place); Barangay San Antonio, Bagac, Bataan (2nd place); and Barangay Benedicto, Floridablanca, Pampanga (3rd place).
The Lupon Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards regional winners (4th -6th class municipalities), were Barangays Camiing, Cabangan, Zambales (1st place); Sta. Lucia, Samal, Bataan (1st runner up); and San Vicente, Sto. Tomas, Pampanga (second runner up).
In the same category for the first and third class municipalities, those recognized were Barangays Alangan, Limay, Bataan (winner); Balucuc, Apalit, Pampanga (1st runner-up); and Calantas, Casiguran, Aurora (2nd runner up).
For the component city, the regional winners were Barangays Malpitic, City of San Fernando, Pampanga (top performer); Tungkong Mangga, City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan (1st runner up); and San Carlos, Tarlac City, Tarlac (2nd runner up).
The DILG noted that Barangay Balibago, Angeles City came out on top and was followed by Barangay Barretto, Olongapo City in the highly urbanized city (HUC) category).
DILG-Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS) Director Debie T. Torres acknowledged the "vital role of the smallest unit in our country as building blocks of local communities."
The ceremony also served as the venue for the launching of the landmark information, education and communication initiative of DILG-R3 designed for barangays, namely the “Enhancement of Barangay Solid Waste Management Manual”.
The DILG disclosed that the manual is the first of its kind in the country that was developed to capacitate barangays on efficient solid waste management programs and practices and is targeted to be distributed to over 2,000 barangays in the region.