(Manila, 3rd; comprehensive report) Philippine President Marcos on Wednesday emphasized that transparency and accountability must be embedded at all levels of government, especially in light of recent controversies over flood control projects, which further highlight the importance of strengthening the barangay (village) governance system.
Presiding over the 2025 "Galing Pook Awards" at Malacañang Palace, Marcos pointed out that village-level units across the country have proven that as long as procedures are clear and community participation is sufficient, even with limited resources, more effective and trustworthy public services can be provided.
He stated, "With procedural transparency, public trust will increase; with accountable mechanisms, the government's credibility will rise; by putting people’s welfare first, the nation will truly progress."
This statement comes as the government investigates multiple cases of defects and inflated prices in flood control projects. Marcos stressed that the central government will continue to pursue and hold all relevant parties accountable.
In contrast, he acknowledged that this year's 10 award-winning village-level units demonstrated grassroots innovation. He said these projects are close to the people's needs, and even involve creative ideas the central government had not considered—“truly originating from the villages.”
This year marks the first time in more than 30 years that the “Galing Pook Awards” are focused on village-level governance, highlighting its critical role as the closest public service interface for the people, including disaster response, community self-governance, and grassroots judicial systems.
Marcos called on central departments to learn from and more widely implement these proven village-level innovative practices, noted for their transparency, participation, and effectiveness.
This year's event is jointly organized by the Galing Pook Foundation, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Local Government Academy, SM Prime, and the Land Bank of the Philippines. Since 1993, the awards have recognized 235 local government units for a total of 367 outstanding programs.
He stated, "With procedural transparency, public trust will increase; with accountable mechanisms, the government's credibility will rise; by putting people’s welfare first, the nation will truly progress."
This statement comes as the government investigates multiple cases of defects and inflated prices in flood control projects. Marcos stressed that the central government will continue to pursue and hold all relevant parties accountable.
In contrast, he acknowledged that this year's 10 award-winning village-level units demonstrated grassroots innovation. He said these projects are close to the people's needs, and even involve creative ideas the central government had not considered—“truly originating from the villages.”
This year marks the first time in more than 30 years that the “Galing Pook Awards” are focused on village-level governance, highlighting its critical role as the closest public service interface for the people, including disaster response, community self-governance, and grassroots judicial systems.
Marcos called on central departments to learn from and more widely implement these proven village-level innovative practices, noted for their transparency, participation, and effectiveness.
This year's event is jointly organized by the Galing Pook Foundation, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Local Government Academy, SM Prime, and the Land Bank of the Philippines. Since 1993, the awards have recognized 235 local government units for a total of 367 outstanding programs.