Only 1 area in Bohol placed under area of concern

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)--Only one town in the province of Bohol was placed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) under yellow category in line with the May 2025 midterm polls.

During the Provincial Command Conference on Friday, Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Eliseo Labaria said the town of Buenavista is the only area of concern in the province.

Based on the criteria set by the police, green has no cause for concern, yellow has a history of political unrest, orange is with presence of armed groups, and red is critical or with grave concern that may warrant Comelec control.

Philippine National Police-Provincial Operations and Management Unit Chief, PMaj. Joseph Lopena said Buenavista was placed under yellow category based on election related incident last 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election where a shooting incident was reported in Barangay Cangawa wherein a municipal councilor was shot to death.

For 2025 midterm election, 3 candidates will vie for governor/vice governor, 105 for mayor, 96 for vice mayor, 26 for Sangguniang Panglungsod and 851 for Sangguniang Bayan.

For Representative candidates, 4 will vie for the First district and 2 each for the Second and Third district.

For Sangguniang Panlalawigan candidates, 8 will vie for the First district, 5 for the Second district, while 9 for the Third district.

A total of 18 candidates will run unopposed – 10 mayor and 8 vice mayor, per data presented during the conference. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

41 LGUs in Bohol pass Good Financial Housekeeping standards

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)--A total of 41 or 85 percent of local government units (LGUs) in Bohol passed the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) standards for Good Financial Housekeeping (GFH) in 2024.

Based on the list released by the DILG on March 3, the LGUs in Bohol that passed the GFH standards were Alburquerque, Alicia, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Batuan, Bien Unido, Bilar, Calape, Candijay, Carmen, Catigbian, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dagohoy, Danao, Dauis, Dimiao, Garcia Hernandez, and Guindulman.

Also included were LGUs Inabanga, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, Pilar, Presidente Carlos P. Garcia, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sierra Bullones, Sikatuna, Trinidad, Tubigon, Ubay, Valencia, and Tagbilaran City.

These LGUs demonstrated good performance in financial transparency and accountability and have earned an Unqualified or Qualified Commission on Audit - Audit Opinion.

GFH, formerly the Seal of Good Housekeeping, refers to the compliance of the LGU with accounting and auditing standards, rules and regulations.

To pass good financial housekeeping standards, the LGUs must receive qualified and unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit (COA) and least 30 percent of these opinion has been acted upon, and compliance with the full disclosure policy of local budget and finances, bids and public offerings posting in three conspicuous places and in the Full Disclosure Policy Portal (FDPP).

GFG is also a component of the Financial Administration (FA), one of the seven assessment areas of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).

An LGU must pass all the seven areas – financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, peace and order, business friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management and tourism culture and the arts-- for it to be conferred with the SGLG.

Last year, 36 LGUs in Bohol, or 76% of 47 towns and one city in the province, were national passers of GHF for CY 2023, with Bohol passing in the province category, and Tagbilaran for the city category. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

Good Financial Housekeeping 2024 Passers. On March 3, the DILG released the list of passers through its official Facebook page where 41 LGUs in Bohol passed the GFH for the calendar year (CY) 2024. (DILG)