By DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
The mayor of Catigbian town is raising red flags over unsolicited awards and surveys targeting local officials, warning colleagues not to fall into what he described as a growing trap.
Mayor Benjie Oliva said he was recently named among the top nine best-performing local chief executives in an unspecified survey — an accolade he is reluctant to fully accept.
“The ones behind the award or survey should present their data and make their methodology known,” Oliva said.
“Surveys that are less transparent are fake, and politicians should avoid getting into the trap.”
Oliva said he could not determine who conducted the survey or what criteria were used to include him in the rankings.
Without clear and thorough standards, he said, the integrity of any such recognition is questionable.
“It may just be all about popularity and not linked to governance metrics,” he said.
He cited awards conferred by the Department of the Interior and Local Government as a benchmark, noting that DILG recognition programs follow strict criteria before any local government unit can be declared outstanding.
Oliva urged public officials to demand full explanations from organizers of any survey or award before accepting recognition.
Transparency, he said, is also a matter of fairness to other mayors who may have been overlooked.
BOGUS SURVEYS, PAY-TO-WIN AWARDS
Oliva’s concern is not isolated.
Dubious awards and surveys targeting Philippine local government units have drawn repeated warnings from national authorities and good governance advocates.
In 2022, the Commission on Audit flagged several LGUs for disbursing public funds to participate in or register for awards from little-known organizations — some of which charged fees ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of pesos in exchange for plaques, certificates, and rankings.
COA noted that some of these expenditures lacked legal basis and proper documentation.
The DILG has likewise cautioned local officials against awards from unaccredited organizations that offer recognition in exchange for registration or participation fees, sometimes marketed as “summit fees” or “convention sponsorships.”
In circulars issued to LGUs, the department reminded officials that legitimate national awards — such as the Seal of Good Local Governance and the Gawad SGLG — do not require payment from applicants and are governed by published, verifiable criteria.
The Liga ng mga Barangay and several civil society groups have also documented cases where surveying firms with no established track record contacted local executives, offering top-ranked slots in published lists in exchange for advertising placements or paid features in newsletters and online publications.
Malacañang, through the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs, has warned that such schemes exploit the desire of local officials for legitimacy and public recognition, and may constitute misuse of public funds when LGUs pay to participate.
Governance watchdog groups advise LGUs to verify the accreditation status of any organization conferring awards, check whether the methodology is publicly available and peer-reviewed, and refuse any award that requires a fee as a condition of participation or listing.
“Public officials should demand the explanation behind the surveys,” Oliva said.
WARNING FROM DILG
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has warned local government units (LGUs), local officials, and political leaders against organizations and individuals offering so-called “awards,” “recognitions,” “leadership citations,” and “public opinion surveys” in exchange for registration fees, sponsorships, advertising payments, or other financial contributions.
The warning comes amid growing reports of private groups approaching local chief executives and elected officials with invitations to award ceremonies, rankings, and survey-based recognition programs that require payment or financial participation before an official can be included, nominated, or recognized.
DILG officials stressed that legitimate government performance assessments are conducted through established institutional mechanisms and not through privately organized schemes that require fees from participants.
According to the department, local officials should exercise caution when dealing with entities claiming to conduct nationwide governance rankings, political popularity surveys, or excellence awards, particularly when such activities involve solicitations for sponsorships, table reservations, registration fees, advertisements in commemorative publications, or mandatory attendance payments.
The DILG stressed that public service recognition should be based on measurable performance indicators, transparency, accountability, and independent evaluation rather than paid participation.
The department noted that various forms of scams and misrepresentation have previously targeted LGUs and local officials.
In past advisories, the DILG warned against individuals falsely claiming connections with senior government officials, promising expedited release of government funds in exchange for money, and using the department’s name or logo to solicit favors and payments.
Officials also cautioned that some organizations may attempt to leverage awards and survey results to create an appearance of legitimacy or political influence, particularly as local leaders prepare for future electoral contests and governance performance reviews.
Governance experts have long warned that pay-to-play awards can undermine public trust by blurring the distinction between genuine performance recognition and purchased publicity.
Such schemes may create misleading impressions among constituents and stakeholders regarding an official’s standing, accomplishments, or popularity.
The DILG urged LGUs to verify the credentials of organizations conducting surveys or conferring awards and to determine whether such activities have been endorsed by legitimate government agencies, academic institutions, or recognized professional organizations.
Local officials were likewise reminded to observe ethical standards in public service and avoid transactions that could create perceptions of favoritism, misuse of public funds, or conflicts of interest.
The department encouraged LGUs to report suspicious solicitations, unauthorized use of government names and logos, and any individual or organization claiming official government backing for awards, recognitions, surveys, or funding-related transactions without proper authority.
The DILG maintains that legitimate recognition of local governance performance should remain grounded in objective evaluation systems, transparency, and public accountability rather than financial contributions or paid endorsements.