Outstanding 'lupons' to receive 2023 incentive awards at Manila Hotel
By Chito Chavez
The most outstanding lupong tagapamayapa in the country will receive the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards (LTIA) 2023 for their excellence in amicably resolving community disputes in a ceremony at the Manila Hotel on Dec. 11, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
In a statement on Saturday, Dec. 9, the DILG explained that the ‘lupon’ is composed of the Punong Barangay as chairperson and 10 to 20 community members that perform mediation, conciliation or arbitration for local disputes.
The LTIA started in 1982 and was elevated to a Presidential Award by Executive Order 394, entitled “Establishing the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards” in 1997.
DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said the LTIA aims to recognize the lupons as mediation boards that adequately demonstrated the ability to judiciously and expeditiously resolve cases brought before them and promoted and implemented the Katarungang Pambarangay (KP).
“This is a clear manifestation that our justice system at the barangay level is working and vibrant and that our lupons have been very effective in carrying their mandate of amicably settling disputes at the barangay level,” Abalos emphasized.
The overall body in charge of the LTIA is the National Awards Committee (NAC), composed of the DILG secretary as chairman, the DOJ Secretary as vice chairman.
“They are joined by the national president of the Liga ng mga Barangay and representatives from the Supreme Court, National Peace and Order Council, and the private sector or civil society organization as members,’’ the DILG stated.
“The criteria for judging are: efficiency; creativity and resourcefulness; area or facility for KP activities; and financial or non-financial support, among others,’’ it added.
The DILG disclosed that the “LTIA winners will receive trophies and a cash prize of P300,000 for the first place, P250,000 for the second place and P200,000 for the third place.’’
It added that the Hall of Fame awardees will each receive P300,000 and a trophy.