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MANILA, October 21, 2026 — Ten local government programs addressing concerns ranging from dengue prevention and children’s disability care to coastal resilience and Indigenous Peoples’ education were recognized at the 2026 Galing Pook Awards at Malacañan Palace today.
Under the theme “Islands of Hope: Local Innovations, National Inspiration,” the awards recognize innovative programs that produce concrete results, involve communities in decision-making, and offer approaches that other local governments can adapt.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., led the Awarding Ceremony. Commending the local government units, he emphasized that, “Magkakaibaman ang mga hamon at solusyon, iisa ang ipinapakita ng mga programang ito -- na ang mahuhusay na pamahala ay nagdudulot ng tunay at makabuluhang pagbabago sa buhay ng ating mga kababayan. (We may have different challenges and solutions, these programs all point to one thing – that good governance leads to realistic and meaningful changes in the lives of our people).”
The Ten Outstanding Local Governance Programs, listed alphabetically by program title, are:
The winners were selected from 19 finalist programs following application review, National Selection Committee deliberations, and field validation. The finalists presented their programs and answered questions from the Board of Judges on October 20 at the Henry Sy Sr. Auditorium, SM Prime Holdings Headquarters in Pasay City.
A total of 208 entries from different local government units all over the country were considered for this year’s Awards according to Jay Carizo, Executive Director of Galing Pook Foundation. After a rigorous screening process, only 34 made it to the field validation. After a series of deliberations of the 27-member National Selection Committee, only 19 finalists emerged.
Programs were assessed on their results and impact (25%); people’s participation, empowerment, and partnerships (25%); innovation and responsiveness to local conditions (20%); resilience and social cohesion (10%); sustainability (10%); and efficient service delivery and transferability (10%).
In her message during the Awarding Ceremony, Galing Pook Foundation Chairperson Dr. Maria Fe Villamejor-Mendoza emphasized that the awardees demonstrate how local governments and citizens can work together to improve public services and strengthen trust in government.
She also called for the lessons from these programs to reach more communities.
“Ang galing ng isang pook ay dapat mapakinabangan ng mas marami,” Mendoza said.
The ceremony also marked the introduction of the first Resilience Awards to recognize local programs demonstrating excellence in disaster resilience and climate adaptation. The Resilience Awards, supported by the National Resilience Council, were conferred to Baguio city's Project Denguerra and Iloilo City's I-Care Program.
This year’s Galing Pook Awarding Ceremony coincides with the 33rd anniversary of the launch of the Galing Pook Awards on October 21, 1993. Since its beginnings, the search has recognized local programs where government, citizens, and other stakeholders work together to address community needs.
Galing Pook will continue promoting the recognized programs as learning resources for other LGUs, with attention to the policies, partnerships, and community participation that make them work.
The 2026 Galing Pook Awards is supported by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Local Government Academy, SM Prime Holdings, and the Land Bank of the Philippines.
