As such, Bohol received a 3 Million peso cash prize, Cebu City with 2 Million pesos and Amlan as winner in the municipal category, the amount of 1 million pesos. The cash prizes together with their plaques of recognition were awarded to them by no less than His Excellency President Simeon Benigno C. Aquino III.

The GawadPamanangLahi Award accords government recognition to exemplary performance of a province, city or municipality in the areas of Administrative Governance, Social Governance, Economic Governance and Environmental Governance. The Awards criteria include the LGU’s LGPMS Overall Performance Index (80%), past inclusion in the Seal of Good housekeeping (10%), their innovations for three years prior to the award period (5%), and award or distinctions received from regional, national and international institutions either government or reputable private institutions/organizations for the past preceding year (5%).

After the shortlist of top three contenders in each category was finalized by the Regional Awards Committee, the Regional Team of Validators went for a three-day series of onsite validation on the Central Visayas contenders as part of the process in the selection of Regional winners. During the validation, the team reviewedthe source documents of SGH and LGPMS data, interviewed key

department heads relative to LGPMS results, SGH information, and assessedthe LGU innovations as well as the circumstances that brought the award previously received. Among the test of innovations are: it must be pioneering and strategic, effective and of high impact, and sustainable.