The province of Bulacan received a total of 24 national and regional awards within the first six months of Governor Daniel R. Fernando’s second term as the provincial chief executive.
Fernando offered the awards to the men and women behind this success – the employees of the Provincial Government of Bulacan, who helped him realize his dreams for the great province.
“Ang dami po nating pangarap para sa ating bayan, ang dami po nating kailangang gawin para makamit ang mga pangarap na ito, kaya naman malaki po ang ating pasasalamat sa ating mga kawani na siya nating nagiging katuwang upang isakatuparan ang lahat ng magagandang bagay na ito,” the governor said.
Fernando led the province’s economy grew steadily increased as it bagged the 2022 Most Business-Friendly Province award from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and ranked 10th place as the Most Competitive Province among all the provinces in the country given by the Department of Trade and Industry.
Also, as a result of good governance, the PGB claimed its sixth Seal of Good Local Governance and four other awards from the 2022 Gawad Timpukan Central Luzon Award including the Recognition for the Local Committee on Anti-Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Children, Local Council for the Protection of Children, Local Government Support Fund-Support to Barangay Development Program 2021, and Local Government Support Fund-Conditional Matching Grants to Provinces.
The province also excelled financially this year and was able to get the Top 3 in Local Revenue Generation Hall of Fame Award for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 to 2020, and Top 2 in Highest Locally Sourced Revenues for FY 2021.
Health programs of the province also got the spotlight for 2022 as five awards were conferred to the province during the 8th Central Luzon Excellence Awards for Health including Outstanding Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Best in Multi-sectoral Collaboration on COVID-19 Vaccination, Pulang Laso Excellence Awards for Health awarded to Bulacan Medical Center (Hospital Category), Excellence Award for DRRM-H Institutionalization, and Excellence Award in UHC Implementation.
The agriculture sector also bagged five awards for the province including Rank 2 on Outstanding Performance in the implementation of projects, accounts and programs under the High Value Crops and Development Program; Highest Accomplishment on the distribution and submission of signed list for inorganic fertilizer; Highest Number of verified farmers and farm lots under the RCM-FFR (Provincial Category; Outstanding Province in Central Luzon, and Highest Accomplishment on the distribution and submission of signed list for inorganic fertilizers (RCEF Provinces).
The province was also able to achieve a Beyond Compliant Seal of Excellence during the 22nd Gawad Kalasag Seal for Local DRRM Councils and Offices. Bulacan was also awarded as the 2021 Top Performing Public Library in the Philippines – Provincial Category by the National Library of the Philippines and Asia Foundation and the Energy Efficiency Excellence Awards from the Department of Energy; SINEliksik Bulacan won the Best Program for Culture and the Arts Grand Champion from the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines – Department of Tourism; and Fernando was recognized as the 2022 Most Influential Elected Official by the Gawad Amerika Awards. Beyond recognitions, what is important for Fernando is the effect of these awards for the Bulakenyos.
“Oo, mahalaga ang mga parangal na tulad ng mga ito. Ngunit ang lubos na importante ay ang sinisimbolo ng mga ito, na ibinibigay natin ang maaasahang serbisyo-publiko sa ating mga kalalawigan. At hindi sila nagkamali na tayo ang pinili nila na mamuno sa kanila tungo sa kaunlaran,” the governor said. (Provincial Government of Bulacan)
