By Jimmy K. Laking
The second-class municipality of Governor Generoso in Davao Oriental capped another solid performance in 2024 by pocketing the prestigious Seal of Good Local Governance awarded by the Department of Interior and Local Government.
It is the second such award for Davao Oriental’s prime tourist destination under Mayor Juanito Inojales. It accomplished the feat first in 2023.
The Davao Oriental towns of Caraga, Cateel, Lupon, San Isidro and Tarragona also made it to the list of 577 municipalities awarded the SGLG nationwide.
Inojales said the award is a testament to the municipality’s commitment to good governance, transparency and accountability.
“It is dedicated to all departments that worked as a team in providing better public service and in promoting local government reforms,” he said. “Truly, nothing is impossible in unity and hard work.”
The award came on the heels of a Department of Trade and Industry citation that ranked Governor Generoso as the country’s 25th most improved municipality.
It is also ranked No. 3 in the Davao region (behind New Bataan in Davao de Oro and Asuncion in Davao del Norte) in terms of economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure development and resilience innovation.
The seal of good local governance provides not only prestige to the beneficiary but also opens the door to opportunities in terms of funding and grants, both local and foreign.
The SGLG is awarded to LGUs that excelled in good financial housekeeping, disaster preparedness, social protection and sensitivity, health safety compliance, sustainable education, business friendliness and competitiveness, environmental protection and management, law and order and public safety.
Governor Generoso is the Philippine archipelago’s southeastern most tip. It faces the Celebes Sea to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the West and the Davao Gulf to the east.
Next to Palawan, it is also the second largest sanctuary of the resin-producing Almaciga (Agathis Philippinenses) tree.
Tourism officer Joey Gamao said census showed a population of 121,000 almaciga trees in 12 barangays. Roughly 71,000 trees are productive.
“The almaciga speaks of the bio-diversity that prevails in our remaining forests,” said Mayor Inojales. “We aim to preserve this to protect the environment and as a legacy to the future generations.” (JKL)
