LINGAYEN,Pangasinan, Nov 7. (PIA) -- For the fifth straight year, the provincial government of Pangasinan was awarded the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Governor Amado Espino III received the award from DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano on Nov. 4 at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel. He was accompanied by Provincial Planning and Development Office Coordinator Benita Pizarro and Pangasinan DILG Officer-in-Charge Randy Dela Rosa in receiving the award onstage.

Pangasinan is one of the five provinces in the country which have consistently passed the SGLG since 2015. Aside from Pangasinan, the other provinces which are now hailed as SGLG hall of famers include Isabela, Bulacan, Quirino, and Aklan.

A report from the Provincial Information Office (PIO) said, aside from the provincial feat, the province of Pangasinan also posted the most number of LGU passers with 21 municipalities and two cities. These include the cities of San Carlos and Alaminos, and the municipalities of Aguilar, Alcala, Anda, Asingan, Balungao, Basista, Bayambang, Bugallon, Calasiao, Infanta, Lingayen, Malasiqui, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Natividad, Rosales, San Manuel, San Quintin, Sta. Maria, Tayug and Urbiztondo.

During the ceremony, Secretary Ano said the SGLG has expanded the scope of criteria over the years.

The LGU awardees have to pass the minimum requirements of all the seven areas of governance, as follows: financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, peace and order, business friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management, and tourism, culture and the arts.

Each awardee received an SGLG marker and will be given the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) amounting to P4.5 million for a province, P3.5 million for a city, and P2.5 million for a municipality. (JNPD/VHS/PIA-1)