The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-7 recognized the best Lupong Tagapamayapa in Central Visayas with exemplary performance in settling disputes at the grassroots level in the CY 2021 Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards (LTIA) Regional Recognition Ceremony on Friday, October 15, 2021, at the Radisson Blu Hotel Cebu.
Four barangays from Cebu and Bohol were feted as regional winners and pocketed P50,000 cash prize following a thorough deliberation from the LTIA Regional Awards Committee. Barangay Budla-an, Cebu City was hailed regional winner in the Highly-Urbanized Cities (HUC) category while Barangay Taloto, Tagbilaran City Bohol was named regional winner in the Component Cities category.
Both the lupons from Budla-an and Taloto are included in the shortlist of the National Finalist in the LTIA after undergoing national validation conducted by the National Board of Judges last September 21 to 23.
Brgy. Nasipit, Barili, Cebu won the 1st to 3rd Class Municipality category and Brgy. Nahawan, Clarin, Bohol topped the 4th to 6th Class Municipality class. In his message, DILG-7 Regional Director Leocadio Trovela lauded the contribution of the Lupong Tagapamayapa in reliving court dockets that enables the government to save billions.
“The government saves billions of pesos since most of the cases have already been resolved as early as in the barangay level,” he said. “Each case that the Lupon is able to settle saves the government P9,500 which is the estimated adjudication cost.”
The event’s guest of honor is no less than DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño, who acknowledged the sacrifice of the Lupons especially in this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
Completing this year’s list of winners were Brgy Tabok, Mandaue City and Brgy Agus, Lapu-Lapu City which won first and second runner-up honors in the HUC category.
Brgy. Uling, City of Naga and Barangay Motong, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental were the runners-up in the Component City, while Brgy. Can-upao, Jagna, Bohol and Brgy. Poblacion, Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental rounded up the top barangays in 1st to 3rd Class Municipality.
In the 4th to 6th Class Municipality, brgys. Sandugan, Larena, Siquijor; Villahermosa, Tudela, Cebu; and Cambaloctot, San Jose, Negros Oriental settled for first to third runner-up honors. The runners-up in four categories won P15,000 and P10,000, respectively.
CSO partner and the Dean of USJ-R School of Law Atty. Jonathan P. Capanas closed the program with an inspirational remark to the Lupons.
“To all our winners, I hope that you will not stop, I hope that you will continue what you are doing and I hope that you will continue improving,” said Atty. Capanas. “Remember that what you are doing in your respective barangay is so noble, you are touching so many lives,”
Meanwhile, the DILG sub-regional offices thru the leadership of provincial and city directors, the C/MLGOOs and regional awards committee were also recognized during the activity.