(THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR FACEBOOK)
TACLOBAN CITY — Northern Samar has earned national recognition for its strong performance in transparent and accountable governance after being named a SubayBAYANI 2025 Awardee under the local government unit (LGU) exemplar category.
The award, conferred by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), distinguishes local government units that excel in project monitoring and reporting through the SubayBAYAN platform — ensuring that taxpayers’ money is maximized for impactful and timely public service.
The recognition underscores the province’s commitment, under the leadership of Governor Harris Ongchuan, to transforming public resources into well-implemented programs and services that directly benefit Northern Samar residents.
Presented annually, the SubayBAYANI Awards honor LGUs that consistently demonstrate timely, accurate, and comprehensive monitoring of development initiatives.
The award also highlights Most Significant Change (MSC) stories, which document real community-level improvements resulting from transparent and effective government projects.
The SubayBAYANI 2025 Award was formally presented to Northern Samar during a ceremony in Manila on November 26, 2025, led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DILG Secretary Juanito Remulla.
Receiving the award on behalf of the province were Jay Keenson Acebuche, provincial planning and development office head, and DILG provincial director Geraldine Maquelabit.
Other top-performing LGUs from Northern Samar were likewise cited during the ceremony.
Gamay and Catarman — represented by Mayor Timoteo Capoquian and Mayor Dianne Rosales, respectively — were recognized for meeting SubayBAYANI standards of excellence, while Bobon, headed by Mayor Reny Celespara, was named a 2025 SubayBAYANI national finalist, reaffirming its standing as one of the country’s high-performing municipalities in project transparency and accountability.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
