By Rachel Magday
𝐁𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐆, 𝐍𝐮𝐞𝐯𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐳𝐜𝐚𝐲𝐚, Philippines — Nueva Vizcaya received two major awards from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), recognizing the provincial government’s efforts to expand renewable energy access in remote communities and strengthen infrastructure monitoring and project delivery.
The citations were presented during the “PARANGAL 2026 SubayBAYANI awarding ceremony cum Re-orientation on Advanced Navigation of Governance Portals, Accuracy, and Local Compliance” held on Sept. 8 at the Zen Hotel in Bayombong.
The province received a Plaque of Recognition for the Best Seal of Good Local Governance-Incentive Fund Project for “Silaw ti Umili,” a flagship program of Gov. Jose V. Gambito that provides solar-powered electricity to households in remote and mountainous communities not reached by the Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO).
Nueva Vizcaya was also named a Provincial SubayBAYANI Exemplar under the Provincial Government category in the 2026 Provincial SubayBAYANI Awards.
The recognition cited the provincial government’s implementation of the road concreting project along the CVR Batu–Magapuy–Paitan Road in Bayombong, funded through the DILG Conditional Matching Grant Program with a P44million budget covering a 1,951.08-meter stretch and a road width of 6.10 meters, which connects to Barangay Madiangat in Quezon.
The road serves as an alternate route for motorists seeking to avoid congestion along major thoroughfares in Solano and Bayombong. It has also helped farmers and gardeners transport agricultural products more quickly and efficiently to markets.
Gov. Gambito thanked the DILG for recognizing the province’s initiatives, saying that while the provincial government does not work merely to receive awards, such honors reinforce its commitment to serve the people better.
“We do not perform our duties merely to receive awards or recognition. We work because our foremost responsibility is to provide the kind of service that our people deserve,” Gambito said.
“But when our efforts are acknowledged, it gives us even greater motivation and inspiration to work harder and continue delivering responsive and meaningful services to every Novo Vizcayano,” he added.
Gambito also credited provincial department heads, employees and elected officials, whom he described as his teammates in the shared goal of delivering quality public service.
“This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to our department heads, our employees and our fellow provincial elected officials, who are my teammates in ensuring that we provide efficient, honest and compassionate service to the people of Nueva Vizcaya,” he said.
The DILG citations recognized the provincial government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, sustainable development, and the efficient implementation and monitoring of local government projects.
Provincial Planning and Development Officer, Engr. Edgardo Sabado, who received the awards on behalf of the provincial government, said Nueva Vizcaya will undergo validation for the Regional SubayBAYANI Awards on Friday, Sept. 11. A separate team of validators will subsequently assess the province for the National SubayBAYANI Awards.
For the third consecutive year, Nueva Vizcaya is undergoing assessment for the DILG’s National SubayBAYANI Awards, having been recognized as a national awardee in both 2024 and 2025.
The SubayBAYANI Award is a national DILG recognition program that honors local government units for excellence, transparency and accountability in local infrastructure governance. Its name combines the Filipino words “subaybay”, or monitor, and “bayani”, or hero, underscoring the role of local governments and communities as guardians of public funds in public works implementation.
