The San Juan City local government and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) gave due recognition to the outstanding barangays in the city during the 2022 Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays (SGLGB) awarding ceremony on Tuesday, Feb. 7.
The event was held at the San Juan City Hall and attended by San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, and other city government officials, including barangay chairpersons, barangay council members, and staff from all 21 barangays of San Juan.
Zamora said the SGLGB was created to give distinction to remarkable barangays in various governance areas. It also aims to highlight the importance of barangays in nation-building.
“Ang barangay ay napakahalaga; kayo ang unang takbuhan ng problema, ang first responders kapag may pangangailangan ang mga mamamayan, ang unang nilalapitan ng mga San Juaneño. Kaya dapat na bigyan kayo ng pagkilala lalo na yung mga nag-e-excel sa kanilang roles (The barangays are extremely essential because you are the first ones people go to when they have problems in their localities. You are the first responders during emergencies, the first people San Juaneños ask for help in times of need. That's the reason why you must be given recognition especially those who excel in their roles)," Zamora said.
For her part, Agustin congratulated the winners and said, “If we get our barangay affairs right, the success of the city and region will follow. Handa kaming tumulong at sumuporta sa inyo upang matupad ang inyong mga minimithing adhikain. Sa pamamagitan nito ay makikilala pa ang San Juan bilang isa sa pinakamahusay na pamahalaang lokal sa Pilipinas (We are ready to help and give support to you and your advocacies. In this way, the city of San Juan will be more known as one of the best local governments in the Philippines)."
The SGLGB gave recognition to top-performing barangays in core areas like financial administration, disaster preparedness, safety, peace, and order, social protection, business friendliness and competitiveness, and environmental management.
Under the SGLGB Top Performing Barangays, the “Most Outstanding Barangay of Makabagong San Juan,” Brgy. Addition Hills came in first, followed by Brgy. Sta Lucia, and Brgy. Batis.
In the Best Barangay in the SGLGB Core Areas (Financial Administration, Disaster Preparedness, and Safety and Peace and Order) category, Brgy. Addition Hills also ranked first, closely followed by Brgy. Sta. Lucia, and Brgy. Corazon de Jesus.
Meanwhile, in the Best Barangay in the SGLGB Essential Areas (Social Protection, Business Friendliness and Competitiveness, and Environmental Management) category, Brgy. Batis took first place, with Brgy. Isabelita and Addition Hills coming in second and third places, respectively.
Awards were also given per assessment area. Brgy. Addition Hills won the Best in Safety, Peace, and Order, Best in Business Friendliness and Competitiveness, and Best in Barangay Legislation. Barangay West Crame bagged the Best in Disaster Preparedness. Brgy. Ermitaño won the Best in Financial Administration. The Best in Social Protection was awarded to Brgy. Sta. Lucia while Brgy. Batis was given the Best in Environmental Management.
Zamora congratulated the awardees and reminded them to uphold the high standards of excellence and integrity in their work.
"Bitbit natin ang bandila ng San Juan so we should always bring pride and honor to our city. ‘Wag tayong gagawa ng bagay na makakasira sa ating lungsod. Whatever you do will reflect on your barangay and whatever your barangay will do will reflect on our city (We are carrying the flag of San Juan so we should always bring pride and honor to our city. Let's refrain from doing things that will destroy our city. Whatever you do will reflect on your barangay and whatever your barangay does will reflect on our city)," the mayor said.
“Itong panahon na andito tayo, let us do our very best para hindi tayo magsisisi na 'sana ginawa ko ‘to.' Para masasabi nating I did my very best when I was there (While we are in this position, let us do our best so that we will not have regrets in governance. Let's do our best so that we can proudly say to ourselves that 'I did my very best when I was there')," he added.
Zamora also promised the barangays executives that new service vehicles will be given to them. The construction of new barangay halls, multi-purpose halls, and basketball courts will also continue this year.