DILG cites Quezon among CALABARZON’s top-performing provinces

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino Led by Acting Governor Anacleto “Third” Alcala III, Quezon officials display their Top Performing Province and E...

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino

Led by Acting Governor Anacleto “Third” Alcala III, Quezon officials display their Top Performing Province and Exemplar LGU honors at the 2026 CALABARZON SubayBayani Awards in Laurel, Batangas. (Quezon PIO)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon - Top-performing province honors placed Quezon alongside Cavite and Rizal at the Department of the Interior and Local Government's (DILG) 2026 CALABARZON SubayBayani Awards on October 28. The province also received an Exemplar Local Government Unit citation, while five Quezon municipalities and its DILG provincial director earned separate distinctions.

Acting Governor Anacleto “Third” Alcala III and Provincial Engineer Johnny Pasatiempo accepted the two provincial honors during the ceremony at Twin Lakes Hotel in Laurel, Batangas. They represented the provincial government led by Governor Angelina “Helen” Tan, which featured a typhoon-resilient school building in Sariaya among its development projects.

The DILG recognized 29 exemplar local government units across CALABARZON, with Quezon, Cavite, and Rizal named top-performing provinces without a particular ranking. The awards assessed project implementation, monitoring, and reporting through the SubayBAYAN System, the department's online platform for tracking locally funded infrastructure projects.

Quezon highlighted its two-storey, six-classroom school building in Sariaya, featuring solar power, complete furnishings, and a design intended to withstand typhoons. The project addresses inadequate learning facilities for more than 600 students, including those previously attending classes in temporary shelters exposed to noise and unfavorable weather.

DILG-Quezon Provincial Director Abigail N. Andres was also recognized as an Exemplar DILG Provincial Director and Top Performing Provincial Director during the regional ceremony. The distinctions acknowledged her office's performance in coordinating with local governments and supervising development projects across the province.

Dolores, General Nakar, Padre Burgos, Polillo, and Tiaong received Exemplar LGU citations for projects addressing transportation, water supply, and community access needs. Their initiatives included a solar-powered filtration system, bridge rehabilitation, and road improvements serving residential and agricultural communities.

Dolores was recognized for its solar-powered water filtration system intended to serve 65 households in Panapian, Barangay San Mateo, while General Nakar rehabilitated a hanging bridge and its road approaches. The projects addressed different community needs, from improving access to clean water to providing safer connections to schools, healthcare facilities, and neighboring settlements.

Padre Burgos improved a local access road in Barangay Tulay Buhangin, while Polillo developed a 460-meter farm-to-market road in Barangay Pamatdan serving 281 households. The Polillo project was designed to facilitate the transportation of agricultural and fishing products while improving access to nearby public facilities.

Tiaong received recognition for concreting a barangay road in Barangay Bula, providing a more reliable route for residents and motorists. The improvement also supports daily travel by students and workers who depend on local roads to reach schools, public services, and livelihood areas.

DILG-CALABARZON Regional Director Ariel O. Iglesias credited the achievements to the combined efforts of local executives, project implementers, monitoring personnel, and field officers. He emphasized that cooperation among government offices was essential to ensuring that publicly funded projects respond to the needs of their intended beneficiaries.

“This recognition is a testament to your hard work, dedication and commitment to good governance. You have shown that when transparency, accountability and teamwork become part of our culture, excellence in public service is achievable,” Iglesias said.

Iglesias also urged awardees to sustain their performance beyond the regional ceremony and maintain their commitment to improving public services. He reminded local officials that receiving recognition should encourage further accomplishments rather than mark the conclusion of their responsibilities to communities.

“And as we celebrate today's achievements, let us remember that an award is not the end of our journey. It is a renewed commitment to do more and serve better [and to continue serving with heart and compassion],” Iglesias said.

DILG Office of Project Development Services Director Rene V. Valera urged government personnel to verify reported accomplishments through inspections and address deficiencies identified during project implementation. He stressed that public scrutiny should encourage closer examination of government spending and greater responsibility among agencies handling infrastructure projects.

The ceremony also recognized outstanding project monitoring committees, DILG field officers, and provincial project development and management units across CALABARZON. Valera announced that the national SubayBayani awarding ceremony was scheduled for November 27.