Capitol, RAFI award barangays

CEBU, Philippines - Capitol and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) awarded 150 outstanding barangays, three from each of the 50 participating cities and municipalities, in the implementation of the expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (eGWEN) Our Cebu program this year.

The amount of P150,000 was given to the first placer; P100,000 to the second placer and P50,000 to the third placer during the awarding ceremony held at the Cebu International Convention Center.

In addition, barangays Valladolid of Carcar City, Villahermosa of Tudela, and San Isidro of San Francisco, also got P50,000, P30,000 and P20,000, respectively, for being the top implementers of the rabies eradication program.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was accompanied by third district Rep. Pablo John Garcia, and RAFI Board of Trustees member, Fr. Ernesto Javier, in handing out the awards.

The awardees were the three best eGWEN barangay implementers in their respective towns or cities, who have made “Our Cebu, truly a place that you can live, work, play, invest in, and most of all, a place to be proud of,” Garcia said.

For their outstanding efforts in implementing the Goat Dispersal Program of the Capitol, the City of Naga was awarded P100,000, the municipality of Ginatilan received P75,000 and P60,000 was given to San Fernando town.

The top three puroks, from each of the 19 local government units who have installed the purok system in their governance, received an amount ranging from P10,000 to P30,000.

These 19 are Alcoy, Alegria, Bantayan, Barili, Boljoon, Carcar City, Catmon, Liloan, Medellin, Oslob, Pilar, Poro, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Sogod, Tabuelan, Toledo City, Tuburan and Tudela.

This was the first time that the provincial government provided special awards for the purok system, which Garcia said, is the substance to the “success” of the eGWEN program.

For the next season of the program, Garcia announced to the 2,500 mayors, vice-mayors, barangay captains, and purok leaders present during the event, the establishment of the purok system will be given more weight in the evaluation.

The purok system, which originated in the town of San Francisco and gained popularity when they won the United Nations Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction in 2011, falls under the criteria of government system and structures, for which the LGUs are assessed, along with cleanliness, sanitation and health; greening, protection and enhancement of the environment; creativity, artistry and aesthetic impact; and appreciation, promotion and nurturing culture and heritage.

Millions worth of awards are still set to be given on Aug. 13, this time for the top ten LGUs in the eGWEN program. The provincial government has also purchased mini-coaches to be given away as an additional prize for the outstanding implementers.    - THE FREEMAN