Why is Bohol the Best Governed Province in the Philippines?

Bohol: "Best Governed Province in the Philippines"   (an editorial)

The Province of Bohol has just been awarded as the "Best Governed Province in the Philippines," a rare honor and recognition that should make every Boholano proud of their leaders. And the award should remind the Boholano electorate that they have made the perfect choice in putting Gov. Edgar M. Chatto and Vice-Gov Concepcion O. Lim in the right position at the right time.

This is the very first time that Bohol gets this prestigious award, a solid testament to Chatto-Lim's pro-people, consultative brand of leadership. It shows how much noble leaders can do in just a span of one year.

How did Bohol, garnering the highest score of 4.9370 (with 5 as the highest) even among cities evaluated, get this award? The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has introduced a web-based self-assessment tool that measures the performance of every local government unit in the country. Named Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS), the tool evaluates the following areas: administrative, social, economic, and environmental governance, and fundamentals of good governance which include transparency, participation and financial accountability. Results of the performance survey have been verified and confirmed by independent civil society groups.

Covering the period from 2010 to the present, the evaluation yielded the following top performing provinces: Bohol (4.9370); Bulacan (4.8628); Negros Oriental (4.8331); Pangasinan (4.8185); Ilocos Norte (4.8185); Albay (4.8064); Cavite (4.8031); Compostela Valley (4.7812); and Tarlac (4.7773).

For the highly urbanized and independent component cities category, the winners are: Valenzuela (4.9150); San Juan (4.8875); Puerto Princesa (4.8640); Angeles (4.7410); Davao (4.7380); Naga (4.6940); Zamboanga (4.6865); Iligan (4.6710); Cebu (4.6633); and Taguig (4.6415).

And for the component cities category, the best managed LGUs are: Ligao (4.9240); Laoag (4.9193); San Fernando (4.9177); Vigan (4.8617); Gingoog (4.8568); Cabanatuan (4.8363); Dipolog (4.8113); La Carlota (4.7553); Iriga (4.7522); and Batac (4.7430).

While Bohol Province shines in the list of top performing LGUs, it is sad that the City of Tagbilaran cannot be found in the list of best governed LGUs. Anyone cannot miss the sense of glaring imbalance here.

DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo has this to say of our incumbent Provincial Officials: “I laud these local governments for their commitment in elevating and maintaining the highest standards of public service delivery in their respective localities. I hope that their shining examples will inspire others to strive hard in the performance of their duties.”

Gov. Chatto and Vice-Gov Concepcion Lim deserve a tap on the back for a job well done despite the fact that they just started implementing their programs and projects in barely over a year since they got elected in 2010. If they continue to put the interest of the public over anything else, we can expect that Bohol will also continue to serve as inspiring models for outstanding governance and great public service in the whole country.

Much work remains to be done, nevertheless. The provincial government and the people who share the visions of Chatto and Lim, while they should be congratulated for being loyal and faithful to their public mandate, must be able to demonstrate consistency and constancy of purpose and direction.

To stay on top requires unbroken chord of hard work and sincerity, focusing on the things that will make a lasting impact on the lives of the Bohol people.

Footnote: The following year (2012), Bohol was again awarded as the "Best Governed Province in the Philippines" by DILG, an achievement and recognition that is first ever in Bohol's history.