PRESIDENT Marcos has called on local governments nationwide to pioneer fresh ideas and continually refine existing programs to tackle pressing community challenges.
Speaking at the 2026 Galing Pook Awards ceremony held at Malacañan, the President emphasized that evolving community needs demand adaptive and progressive governance.
‘We must continue to encourage new ideas and build on the solutions that have already been made and that now feeling the difference in our communities,’ Marcos said in his address, urging officials to use current milestones as springboards for greater feats.
‘Let us ensure that the progress we achieve today becomes the foundation for even greater accomplishments.’
Ten local government programs were honored during the ceremony for their remarkable responsiveness to constituents’ needs and commitment to public service. This year’s secretariat evaluated 208 program submissions originating from 148 LGUs.
The 2026 Galing Pook awardees span across diverse regions and initiatives:
Bataan E-Mobility (Bataan)
Building Spaces in a Spaceless City (Valenzuela City)
Del Carmen Farm-to-Spoon (Surigao del Norte)
Iloilo City Action and Resilience (ICARe) Center: Decentralizing Risk Governance (Iloilo City)
KABAHAGI: QC’s Family-Governed Care for Children with Disabilities (Quezon City)
Kawsa sa Agrikultura ug Panginabuhian sa Barangay (KAAGAPAY) (Davao del Norte)
North Manila Bay Nature-based Solutions Pilot Project: Community-led Coastal Resilience through Building with Nature (barangay Pamarawan, City of Malolos, Bulacan)
One Name, One Identity: Walang Maiiwan Pagayawan (Pagayawan, Lanao del Sur)
Project Denguerra-War on Dengue (Baguio City)
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Zero Illiteracy and Innumeracy Program for Mangyans (ZIP) (Oriental Mindoro)
Reiterating that innovation is a continuous journey, Marcos pointed out that technology and modern governance approaches offer endless opportunities for growth.
‘The beauty of innovation is that there is always room for improvement. Whether through technology or better approaches to governance, we can always build on what we have achieved,’ he told local officials, challenging them to let their successes inspire peer municipalities.
Winners received plaques of recognition, special Risk to Resilience Governance trophies, Galing Pook markers, and cash prizes amounting to 300,000 pesos each, courtesy of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Local Government Academy.
Established on October 21, 1993, the Galing Pook Awards serves as a pioneering institution identifying and celebrating local governance excellence. The initiative operates with backing from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Local Government Academy, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., and the Land Bank of the Philippines.