OLONGAPO CITY — In a historic milestone for local governance, the City Government of Olongapo, in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Olongapo City, conferred the inaugural Barangay Excellence in Service and Transformation (B.E.S.T.) of Olongapo Seal to nine outstanding barangays on Tuesday, November 18.

The awarding ceremony, held at the SMX Olongapo City Convention Center, marked the culmination of the city’s intensified push to align barangay-level governance with national standards of transparency, accountability, and service delivery.

The Best of the B.E.S.T.

Barangay Barretto emerged as the undisputed top performer of the inaugural batch, demonstrating the highest level of compliance by passing a total of eight (8) governance areas—the three mandatory Core Areas plus five Essential Areas.

Aside from sweeping the governance assessment, Barretto was the sole honoree to achieve certification in all four major social protection functionalities: the Violence Against Women (VAW) Desk, Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC), Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS), and the Persons with Disability Affairs Desk (BPDAD).

Barangay Banicain secured the distinction of being the second-highest performer, passing a total of seven (7) governance areas. In addition to the Core Areas, Banicain was recognized for its excellence in Business Friendliness, Youth Governance, Participative Governance, and Public Administration.

Rounding out the top three was Barangay Gordon Heights, which passed six (6) governance areas. Gordon Heights was notably cited for its performance in Business Friendliness, Youth Governance, and Public Administration, alongside special certifications for its BCPC, VAW, and GFPS bodies.

Standard Bearers of Governance

The DILG also conferred the B.E.S.T. Marker to Barangay East Bajac-Bajac, Barangay Mabayuan, Barangay Old Cabalan, and Barangay Sta. Rita, all of which passed a total of five (5) governance areas.

Barangay Asinan and Barangay New Kababae completed the roster of "Magic 9" Seal recipients, having successfully passed the three Core Areas and one Essential Area. Notably, New Kababae also received special distinctions for its functional BCPC and GFPS.

Each of the nine Seal recipients received a PHP 10,000 cash incentive and a plaque of recognition to accompany their official marker.

City-Wide Commitment to Protection

The DILG Olongapo City commended the fact that every single barangay in the city took home a distinction, proving a collective commitment to social protection.

While they did not clinch the overall seal, Barangay Kalaklan, Barangay New Kalalake, and Barangay West Bajac-Bajac were honored with Special Awards for maintaining both functional BCPC and VAW Desks.

Meanwhile, Barangay East Tapinac, Barangay New Cabalan, Barangay New Ilalim, Barangay Pag-asa, and Barangay West Tapinac were recognized for their functional VAW Desks.

'Cornerstone of Governance'

DILG Region 3 Director Araceli A. San Jose, CESO III, who graced the event as the keynote speaker, underscored the critical role of barangay officials in national development.

"Excellence truly begins at the barangay level—the foundation of strong and responsive local governance," Director San Jose stated. "Behind every successful program, every safer street, and every youth or woman given an opportunity, are leaders who chose to act and serve rather than wait for change."

Director San Jose challenged the awardees to sustain their momentum: "Do not stop where you are now. Continue to innovate, to collaborate, and to lead with integrity and compassion."

A Unified Vision for Excellence

Spearheaded by Mayor Paulino and DILG Olongapo City Director Zotico Gerson A. Villanueva Jr., the B.E.S.T. of Olongapo Awards mirrors the stringent criteria of the national Seal of Good Local Governance for Barangays (SGLGB).

Mayor Paulino commended the barangays for accepting the challenge to improve their services, noting that their success is vital to the entire city's governance goals. He emphasized that preparing the barangays for these rigorous standards is a direct reflection of the city's own dedication to maintaining its high standing.

"Preparation ito para sa Seal of Good Local Governance," Mayor Paulino explained, highlighting the shared roadmap for the city and its villages. "Gaya ng City, gusto natin lahat ng 17 barangays ng Olongapo ma-earn din yung Seal of Good Local Governance."

To qualify for the seal, barangays underwent rigorous assessment and on-site validation in three core areas—Financial Administration, Disaster Preparedness, and Safety, Peace, and Order—and at least one essential governance area.

DILG Olongapo City remains committed to coaching and mentoring all 17 barangays to ensure that this culture of excellence becomes the standard for public service in the city.