Adding to its long list of feats this year, Bago City has garnered three major awards in the 2024 Excellence in Local Governance (Excell) Awards, a regional awards program of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Western Visayas focused on measuring performance among local governments units (LGUs) in the region.
The city’s entry, dubbed “Elevating Information, Education, and Communication: Mobile Info Van on the Go” won the Excellence in Disaster Preparedness award.
Bago was also adjudged as winner of Excellence in Tourism, Heritage Development, Culture and Arts award for its “Booming Green AgriTourism: Cultivating a Sustainable Future for Bago City Tourism” initiative alongside the provincial government of Negros Occidental’s “Negros Trade Fair: A Success Story of Negrenses’ Rich History, Culture, and Heritage” entry.
Another award bagged by the city is the Excellence in Youth Development for its “Leadership Communities (LeadCom) Bago” entry.
Bago City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer, Dr. Merijene Ortizo, senior tourism operations officer Mae Ann Furtos, and local youth development officer Allan Señeres, along with Bago City Local Government Operations officer VI Mia Asuncion Gatilogo, received the awards during the Pagdayaw 2024 in Iloilo City Dec. 17.
Bago is the only LGU in Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod, to be included in the pool of Excell awards winners this year, the city said in a press release Dec. 18.
The highly-urbanized city received the Excellence in Health Compliance and Responsiveness award for its Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP).
Bago received a plaque, certificate, and a cash prize of P20,000 for each of the categories.
The province of Negros Occidental also bagged the Excellence in Environmental Management award for its “Negros Occidental: Negros Occidental Wetlands Conservation Program”.
This year’s Pagdayaw is themed “Illuminating Excellence and Inspiring Transformation,” the city said. ||
