“Gusto ko na sa pagsisimula ng aking termino bilang local chief executive, tama ang ating gagawin, at unti-unti ay maitatama natin ang anuman ang dapat itama.”
These words, spoken by Biñan City,Laguna Mayor Gel Alonte during his inauguration last June 27, sums up the goal of his own “Galing at Epektibong Lingkod” brand of leadership.
And in the past months, national government agencies as well as the private sector have given the first six months of the Alonte administration a “stamp of approval” of sorts – recognition that it is on the right direction towards that goal.
This November and December, the Biñan City LGU under Alonte once again received a string of awards recognizing the continuous push of the local government towards “Galing at Epektibong Lingkod.”
Some of these awards are affirmations that the LGU has continued on the path it has taken towards a just, accountable and transparent governance
Others, however, are new accolades – a recognition that the city government is ready and willing to adapt with the changing times and protect the welfare of all Biñanenses.
Consistent Awards
One of these “consistent awards” received by the Biñan City LGU include the Manila Bay Day Awards from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Calabarzon.
In a ceremony held at Lipa City, Batangas last December 9, the Biñan City LGU bagged the Platinum Award (Top Performing LGU), as well as 2nd place (LGU-CA Regional Awardee, City Category) and LGU Compliance Assessment Passer for the year 2024.
This award was given to Biñan City for its continuous efforts to contribute to the Supreme Court Mandamus for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
Last November 27, the city was also included among the 22 LGUs in Laguna province which qualified for the 2025 Seal of Child-friendly Local Governance (SCFLG), also from the DILG – a major victory for the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the City Gender and Development Office (GAD), which has consistently received this award since 2022.
The SCFLG Award is given to local government units who have proven consistent in upholding and protecting children’s rights.
Meanwhile, the city government, through the Biñan City Health Office I, was also recognized as the Outstanding LGU for Sustainable and Integrated Mental Health Services by the Department of Health – Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) CALABARZON during its 2025 Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence (PRAISE) Awarding Ceremony last December 10.
Biñan also ranked 3rd Top Performing City in the Implementation of the Local Government Unit Health Scorecard (LGUHSc) for fostering continuous innovation in local health governance.
“Sa patuloy na pagkakamit ng mga parangal na ito, isa lamang ang pinatutunayan nito: ang Lungsod ng Biñan ay patuloy na tumatahak sa tamang direksyon, hindi lumihis sa pagbabago ng administrasyon, bagkus ay pinabuti pa at pinalakas ang pagseserbisyo nito para sa lahat ng Lagunense,” Roman Carencia of the City Information Office told OpinYon Laguna.
Data privacy award
There is, however, one particular award Mayor Alonte has been proud of, as this marks the first such award that falls under his administration.
This is the 2025 ODPP Gawad Parangal Excellence Award from the Organization of Data Privacy Professionals, Inc. (ODPP), which was conferred to Mayor Gel Alonte during the Philippine Data Privacy Conference 2025 held at Biñan City last December 12.
The ODPP is an organization of data privacy experts and other concerned leaders aiming to provide the fullest support, guidance, and expert data privacy management programs and capacity building for various sectors in the Philippines.
“Actually po, dalawa po ang natanggap na award ng Biñan City from the ODPP; yung isa po ay para sa Data Privacy Committee ng ating lungsod. At ito po ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na nakatanggap tayo ng ganitong award,” Atty. JV Pedron, Biñan City’s Data Protection Officer, explained in an interview with OpinYon Laguna.
So what’s the relevance of this award for Biñanenses?
For Pedron, this meant that all data provided by Biñanenses and others to local government agencies, is safe from online threats.
“Ang importance po ng award na ito is yung reputational awareness and integrity – na pagdating sa data privacy, pinoprotektahan namin yung mga kababayan namin. And hindi namin hinahayaan na masira yung reputasyon ng Lungsod ng Biñan pagdating sa pangangalaga ng impormasyon,” he pointed out.
Safekeeping sensitive data
Through City Ordinance No. 25-A (2023) which institutionalized Republic Act No. 10179 (Data Privacy Act of 2012) in the City of Biñan, Pedron said the LGU has ensured that all personal data collected by local government agencies are safe from hackers, data mining and other threats.
“Halimbawa po, sa Local Civil Registry natin, o sa Biñan City Hospital, they collect all sorts of data – names, age, gender, blood type – and these are sensitive information. Kung hindi po iingatan ang mga impormasyong ito, vulnerable ang mga ito sa identity theft. Pwedeng magamit para sa criminal activities kapag nag-leak po ito,” he explained.
This also extends to other areas where citizens’ privacy and security are at risk – for example, videos captured by closed-circuit camera televisions, Pedron explained.
“So we ensure that the data of subjects or residents na nag-transact with the city are protected from unnecessary processing, at hindi ito napupunta sa mga maling tao.”
Through the city’s over 70 “compliance officers for privacy,” the city government has ensured that whatever “sensitive data” collected by the LGU will be limited for public consumption, in the interests of protecting the safety of others.
“Ang prinsipyo po ng Lungsod ng Biñan sa data privacy ay ito: mabuti nang maging mahigpit tayo kaysa naman yung mga kababayan natin yung mapahamak,” he added.
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