WHEREAS, local governments are integral part of the Philippine Administrative System which perform significant roles and responsibilities as partners of the national government in the delivery of basic services and the promotion of economic growth and social equity;

WHEREAS, there is a need to give recognition to and further encourage the invaluable support and contribution of the local government units towards national development;

WHEREAS, numerous awards for local government units have been established along various fields of endeavor;

WHEREAS, it is fitting that a distinguished national award be formally established for local government units that have excelled in various areas of local governance to enrich our heritage.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. CREATION OF THE GAWAD PAMANA NG LAHI. The Gawad Pamana ng Lahi or the Presidential Local Government Heritage Award is hereby created with the following categories:

Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, Provincial Governments Category;

Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, Highly Urbanized Cities Category;

Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, Component Cities Category;

Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, First to Third Class Municipalities Category;

Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, Fourth to Sixth Class Municipalities Category;

SEC. 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE AWARD. The Gawad Pamana ng Lahi, herein referred to as Gawad, aims to accord government recognition to provinces, cities and municipalities that have distinguished themselves in the performance of their roles and responsibilities not only on the basis of a single program performance but also on their significant and quantifiable achievements along major development initiatives in local governance.

SEC. 3. CREATION OF THE NATIONAL AWARDS COMMITTEE. There is hereby created a National Awards Committee (NAC) composed of the following:

Chairperson	Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government
Member	Secretary, Department of Budget and Management
	Secretary, Department of Finance
	Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources
	Secretary, Department of Agriculture
	Secretary, Department of Justice
	Secretary, Department of Education, Culture and Sports
	Director-General, National Economic and Development Authority
	Lead Convenor, Social Reform Council
	Head, Presidential Commission to Fight Poverty
	Head, Presidential Management Staff
	One (1) Private Sector Representative

The NAC may invite the Chairman of the Commission on Audit to participate as member of the NAC. The NAC may further expand its membership as deemed necessary. Representatives from the private sector shall be designated by the Chairman. Technical and secretariat support for the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi shall be provided by the Bureau of Local Government Supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

SEC. 4. FUNCTIONS OF THE NATIONAL AWARDS COMMITTEE. The National Awards Committee shall have the following functions:

a. Initiate and coordinate necessary activities for the successful implementation of the Gawad;

b. Set guidelines/criteria for the evaluation of LGU-contenders and the selection of the National Awardees for the Gawad;

c. Report to the President and give appropriate recommendations in the implementation of the Gawad; and

d. Undertake other tasks/functions that may be assigned by the President.

SEC. 5. SCOPE OF THE AWARD. The Gawad shall be conferred annually to local government units (LGUs) which have excelled most in the following key activities or areas of local governance, namely:

a. Implementation of Katarungang Pambarangay Program (Lupong Tagapamayapa Economic Incentives Awards);

b. Environmental Management/Clean and Green Program (Presidential Awards for the Cleanest and Greenest Local Government Units of the Philippines);

c. Innovations in Local Governance (Gantimpalang Panlingkod Pook or Galing-Pook);

d. Maintenance of Peace and Order (Peace and Order Award);

e. Sports Development Program (Siglakas Bayan Award);

f Population Management (Population Management Award);

g. Promotion and Implementation of Nutrition Program (National Nutrition Honor Award);

h. Poverty Alleviation Initiatives; and

i. Financial Resource Management.

Subject to the approval of the National Awards Committee, other programs which focus on basic public services may be included in the selection of winners, such as, but not limited to, LGU performance in personnel management, legislation, development planning, information technology, health, education, infrastructure services, agricultural services, LGU investments and economic enterprise management, welfare and community development, and LGU-NGO partnership for development.

SEC. 6. METHOD OF SELECTION. The winners shall be selected using a point-system for LGU awards indicated in Sec. 5 of this Executive Order. Each activity or area of local governance shall be assigned appropriate points according to the significance of the activity. There shall be assigned weights for every rank obtained by an LGU in an award system.

SEC. 7. GAWAD PAMANA NG LAHI COUNCIL OF FAME. A local government unit may be conferred the Gawad for two (2) consecutive years or three (3) non-consecutive years. After which, the LGU shall be elevated to the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi Council of Fame. An LGU-member of the Council of Fame which continues to excel in local governance may be conferred a special award.

The local chief executives of the members of the Council of Fame may serve as advisers to the National Awards Committee to further improve the awards system.

SEC. 8. FUNDING. The operational expenses and non-cash awards shall be charged to the budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

SEC. 9. TROPHY DESIGN. The National Awards Committee, in coordination with the National Historical Institute, shall prescribe the design specifications of the Presidential Trophies.

SEC. 10. AWARDS AND PRIZES. The Awards shall be conferred to each national awardee, through the local chief executive concerned, in the form of a Presidential Trophy and a grant of TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000) from the President ™s Social Fund to be used for development projects in the local government unit concerned.

Special awards for the members of the Council of Fame shall be determined by the National Awards Committee chargeable to the budget of the DILG.

SEC. 11. EFFECTIVITY. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 3rd  day of December, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.

(SGD.) FIDEL V. RAMOS
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(SGD.) RUBEN D. TORRES
Executive Secretary