Ocampos is 2003 Most Outstanding Governor of the Philippines  

Winners of the 2003 Local Government Leadership Awards (LGLA) were named and honored today at awarding ceremonies held at the Senate building which coincided with the 12th anniversary of the enactment of the Local Government Code.
 
Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos of Misamis Occidental was chosen most outstanding provincial governor. Mayor Feliciano F. Belmonte Jr. of Quezon City was named most outstanding city mayor and Mayor Sergio Manzana, of Pangil, Laguna most outstanding municipal mayor.
 
A Joint project of the Senate and several academic institutions involved in raising the standards of local governance, the LGLA aims to promote the qualities skills and strategies of excellent local chief executives that will serve as models and inspiration to others like them.
 
The three most outstanding local government leaders each received a cash reward of P 100,000 and a plaque of recognition.
 
A first termer governor, Ocampos’ dynamic administration of Misamis Occidental is anchored on his flagship program called the CHAMPS which stands for C-competence, H-health, A-agricultural productivity, M-maintenance of peace and order, P-preservation of the environment, and S-social services.  

“His innovativeness and youthful vigor have infused energy to provincial services as can be seen from his province-wide water system program, the internal revenue allotment sharing scheme for barangay projects, provision of reflectorized safety posts along the dim provincial highway and environmental restoration and preservation of Misamis Occidental’s upland regions,” LGLA organizing consortium said.  

Belmonte, who is in his first term as mayor of Quezon City, was a former speaker and minority leader of the House of Representatives. He played a lead role in the prosecution panel during the impeachment of former President Joseph Estrada.
 
Now on his third term, Mayor Manzana exhibited exemplary skills in resource mobilization by acquiring funding from both local and international agencies for the construction of a new municipal building and a two-storey municipal medical center. Forward-looking and innovative, Manzana uses scientific tools like feasibility studies, surveys and focus group discussions to make sure that all his projects are sustainable.
 
This year’s three most outstanding local government leaders were chosen from a field of 21 finalists that included five outstanding provincial governors, six outstanding city mayors and 10 outstanding municipal mayors.  
The other winners were:
 
Outstanding governors: Rodolfo Agbayani (Nueva Vizcaya), Rodolfo del Rosario (Davao del Norte), Hermilando Mandanas (Batangas), and Luis Villafuerte (Camarines Sur)
 
Outstanding city mayors: Benjamin Abalos Jr. (Mandaluyong), Rey Aquino (San Fernando, Pampanga), Benjamin Lim (Dagupan), Jennifer Tan (Tangub) and Rodolfo Ting (Tuguegarao).
 
Outstanding municipal mayors: Emilio Ramon Ejercito III (Pagsanjan, Laguna), Edwin Hamor (Casiguran, Sorsogon), Cesar Tomas Lopez (Loon, Bohol), Cherlito Macas (Linamon, Lanao del Norte), Marcel Pan (Goa, Camarines Sur), Ramon Piang (Upi, Maguindanao), Roberto Sualog (Sigma, Capiz), Betty Verzoala (Luna, Apayao) and Dixon Yasay (Opol, Misamis Oriental).
 
The LGLA winners were chosen based on the following criteria: transparency and accountability, participatory governance, rule of law, organization and management, continuity and stability, service delivery and leadership skills.
 
The winners were chosen by a 17-person national selection committee jointly chaired by Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina Jr.
 
The awards were born through the efforts of Sen. Pimentel, acknowledged Father of Philippine Local Autonomy with the help of the Center of Local and Regional Governance of the National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines. The ensuing awards consortium was created with partner-institutions including the Center for Leadership Citizenship and Democracy, the Local Government Academy and the De La Salle Institute of Governance.
 
During the awarding ceremonies, the 10 outstanding municipal mayors were awarded and additional P 500,000 in project funds, while the 6 outstanding city mayors and the 5 outstanding governors were awarded an additional P1,000,000 in project funds. These project funds were awarded by Senate President Franklin Drilon from his Priority Development Assistance Fund.
 
This year, the LGLA has been institutionalized as an official initiative of the Senate through the efforts of Senate President Franklin Drilon.