Davao City secures good financial housekeeping award

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) bestowed on this city and more than 100 others the seal of “Good Financial Housekeeping” for the year 2023, a nice gift to the city celebrating its 87th founding day for a month beginning last March 1, according to a report by BusinessMirror.

A city government news dispatch on Monday announced that this city was among 132 cities granted the seal from the DILG. The DILG also awarded the seal to 1,165 municipalities and 68 provinces in a huge haul of performing local government units (LGUs). A total of 1,365 LGUs garnered the award from out of the 1,715 LGUs that were assessed.

The assessment took into consideration the compliance of the city with the accounting and auditing standards, rules, and regulations for local government units, the city information office said.

In a statement relayed to the City Information Office, DILG City Director Vicky P. Sarcena said her office considered the most recent available Commission on Audit (COA) opinion for calendar years 2021 or 2022 and based on the annual audit report posted on the COA website.

Sarcena said the “Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping,” formerly the “Seal of Good Housekeeping,” is a component of the “Seal of Good Local Governance.”

“This is part of the Financial Administration—one of the ten governance areas under the “Seal of Good Local Governance”—which focuses on financial accountability and transparency. Passing the ‘Good Financial Housekeeping’ is one of the requirements when a local government unit wants to avail of a loan from a government financing institution,” Sarcena said.

Meanwhile, the city is deploying more than 8,000 safety and security personnel for its Araw ng Dabaw celebration, which would last for three weeks. This city was declared a charter city on March 1, 1937.

“The number of security personnel to be deployed starting March 1 until March 17 is 7,050 integrated security personnel. And if you will count from March 1 until the last day of March, with those accredited events and private ones that also need deployment, we will have a total of 8,415 personnel,” said Angel B. Sumagaysay, head of the City Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO).

Sumagaysay, a retired police officer, said the bulk of the deployment is for the “Parada Dabawenyo” and the “Mutya ng Dabaw.” Events with special permits held within March were given security deployment, he added.

“We also included events [requiring a] special mayor’s permit and events that gather a large number of people, which also oblige us to add more personnel),” he added.

Sumagaysay said the staff of the PSSO and the City Tourism Operations Office to prepare for the events. As a member of the “Araw ng Dabaw” executive committee, the PSSO will also be providing updates on security matters during their meetings, he added.

The security restrictions also implemented in the past include the prohibition of carrying backpacks and big bags, laser lights and firearms. Bomb jokes are also disallowed. Sumagaysay said they would also ensure a “no littering” policy is followed. Bringing sharp objects, drinking alcoholic beverages and smoking in public places are also prohibited.

Denizens of Davao City are also advised not to bring infants and small children during any event and are also advised to take off their jackets and sunglasses upon going through inspection areas.