Pangasinan wins regional dev't awards

MANILA, Philippines - Pangasinan reaped major awards in the Regional Development Council (RDC-Region 1) Performance Awards held recently at the Oasis Country Resort Hotel in San Fernando, La Union.

Pangasinan emerged as champion in five areas, namely: Best Local Government Unit (LGU); Best Practices for its massive river clean-up and dredging operations; Best Performing LGU based on local governance performance monitoring system; Best LGU Poverty Reduction Program Implementer; Best LGU Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Project Implementer; and Best Project Implementer.

The province also bagged the first runner-up award in the cleanest, safest and greenest LGU search.

On top of this, Pangasinan is already in the Hall of Fame for Coastal Resources Management Awards and National Statistics Month Celebration Awards.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. said in a news conference after receiving the awards that, “To me, this serves as an inspiration for us to do something more for our constituents.”

He added that earning these prestigious awards “is a vindication for us and it gives us inspiration to perform better.”

The provincial government aims to establish an 18-hole golf course as part of the master plan to develop an eco-tourism zone in western barangays of Lingayen to provide thousands of jobs and livelihood opportunities for local folks and attract tourists and investors.

The governor showed his appreciation to the provincial board led by Vice Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr. and the rest of provincial government officials, adding that the recognition is a wake up call for the provincial government to aim for the number one spot in areas that can be realized.

Calimlim reiterated the provincial board’s full support for the governor, adding that the harmonious working relationship between the executive and legislative branch is something that other local government units should emulate.

Meanwhile, Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said the awards are concrete recognition of good governance in Pangasinan.

“We are already a Hall of Fame awardee, which means the province is consistently outstanding in its performance,” he said.