DILG denies ties with

‘bogus’ award bodies

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)—Over the awards for public officials which now proliferate on social media, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Bohol, the agency which conducts various performance audits on local governance and confers these awards and incentives to exemplary LGUS denies any involvement on these.

In a statement issued January 27, the DILG categorically denies any association with any awards other than the 11 awards that it manages.

These DILG-managed awards and assessments include the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), Good Financial Housekeeping, Anti-Drug Abuse Council Functionality, Peace and Order Council Functionality, Local Legislative Award (LLA), Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance, Local Council for the Protection of Children Functionality, Local Council on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Children Functionality, Subaybayani Award, Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays and the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Award.

The DILG statement came after a supposedly First District mayor awardee declined the award as Top Mayor for the First District in the Province of Bohol, an award given by an entity which calls itself Civic Accountability Council (CIC).

Alburquerque mayor Don Ritchie Buates, in his facebook post said “I am sorry, I will return this to whoever is organizing this award. I can not accept [awards] if there are no government agencies involved in your awards.”

Getting ballistic against CIC as the awarding body, Mayor Buates added that a true award can be had with indicators and criteria set, with the DILG as they are the overseer of all transactions and activities of the LGU.

CIC gave mayor Buates a 9.8 over 10 rating citing increasing tourism [to] Albur and improving infrastructure.

To this, the DILG noted that “while this level acknowledges that other government agencies and private organizations and institutions are not prevented from giving due recognition to deserving local government units and elected local officials, the general public and most especially our local officials are strongly advised to be most prudent in giving acknowledgement and credence to award-giving bodies.”

And as an advice, the local government department said, “one may take foremost consideration to the track record of these institutions, the criteria they use, the methodologies they employ, and the mandates and objectives of the organizations, as well as their members.”

A cursory look at the facebook account of CIC showed that it could be based in Tagbilaran City, can be contacted by email at igitbohol@jakol.com, and had only three posts.

On January 17, it posted a new profile, and then an award to another Bohol mayor in the Third District, and then Mayor Buates’.

Mayor Buates went on sharing a similar award scam he encountered while he was still a town councillor.

As Sangguniang Bayan member then, a group sold him a book, after which he was given an award and posted on social media.

Calling these awards a scam, the young mayor added that the award has a price tag, and the amount one gives determine the award.

“Let us not dupe the public, stop, whoever you are setting up these awards,” the mayor urged.

“We understand that there is an apparent clamor to gate-keep the giving of awards and recognition in local governance. Absent such mechanism as of the moment, however, we urge everyone to exercise due diligence and critical thinking not only in verifying the legitimacy of such awards and recognition but also in joining, accepting and promoting such,” the DILG in Bohol capped its statement. (PIAbohol)

DECLINED. Alburquerque mayor Don Ritchie Buates declined the award as Top Mayor for Bohol’s First District conferred by a group calling itself Civic Accountability Council, noting that it did not have any criteria and audits and did not include government agencies like the DILG, which oversees governance awards and incentives. He also said his picture used as AI generated. (PIABohol/Mayor Don Buates FB)