Eastern visayas: The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has completed the assessment for the 2025 Regional Seal of Good Local Governance Champions (RSGLGC), covering four provinces in the Eastern Visayas region. The Regional Assessment Teams carried out the evaluation in the first two weeks of September in Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar provinces.

According to Philippines News Agency, these assessments form part of the RSGLGC's mission to promote excellence, strengthen accountability, and sustain continuous improvement in local governance across Eastern Visayas. The assessment process included comprehensive document reviews, key informant interviews, and onsite inspections of critical local government facilities. To safeguard transparency and impartiality, representatives from civil society organizations joined as independent validators, the DILG regional office said in a statement.

At the end of each assessment, the assessment teams held an exit conference to present preliminary findings and recommendations to local officials. These sessions provided an avenue for reflection, feedback, and joint planning, ensuring that local governments could take immediate action to address identified gaps and sustain progress in governance reforms, the DILG said.

DILG Regional Director Arnel Agabe underscored that the RSGLGC is more than an award since it is a continuing challenge for LGUs to embrace excellence as part of their governance. "This recognition is not about competition, but about transformation. The RSGLGC is our way of helping local government units identify their strengths and weaknesses and providing them with the guidance to improve," Agabe said. "At the end of the day, our goal is one: to ensure that services reach the people efficiently, transparently, and sustainably."

Agabe further said local governments must view the assessment as an opportunity to innovate and strengthen systems, particularly in areas such as financial administration, disaster preparedness, peace and order, social protection, and business-friendliness. The RSGLGC was introduced in Eastern Visayas in response to strong appeals from local government units and local leagues to sustain the recognition of good governance practices. More than a compliance mechanism, the RSGLGC serves as a strategic platform to encourage innovation, improve institutional performance, and elevate the delivery of public services throughout the region, according to DILG.