The Regional Awards Committee (RAC) headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Region XIII successfully conducted the 2023 Local Legislative Award (LLA) Regional Evaluation on September 21, 22 and 25, 2023. The activity is composed of three parts - the table assessment of regional entry documents done on September 21, 2023 at the DILG Regional Office XIII, Butuan City; the Onsite Evaluation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Butuan conducted on September 22, 2023, and the Regional Exit Conference held on September 25, 2023, also at the DILG Regional Office XIII, Butuan City.

This Award Program has five categories, namely, the Outstanding Sanggunian in Highly Urbanized Cities Category, Outstanding Sanggunian in Component Cities Category, the Outstanding Sanggunian in 1st to 3rd Class Municipalities Category, and the Outstanding Sanggunian in 4th to 6th Class Municipalities Category. Since Caraga Region has no independent component cities, there is no entry for the Outstanding Sanggunian in Independent Component Cities Category.

There were 10 entries region-wide that underwent the tedious assessment of the Award Program. Nine of these entries that excludes the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Butuan City, had already undergone the provincial evaluation of the Provincial Awards Committees as the first level of assessment. The regional entries were gauged and assessed in accordance with the six major criteria set forth in the award guidelines, namely, 1) Responsiveness of the legislative Agenda, 2) Availability of legislative Documents, 3) Effectiveness of Performance of the Sanggunian, 4) Efficiency  of Performance of Sanggunian, 5) Legislative Citations and Awards, and 6) Capacity Development for Legislators and Staff. The LLA Regional Awards Committee (RAC) composed of DllG Regional Director Maria Loisella E. Lucino, CESO V as the Chairperson represented by LGOO VI Jason Ryan R. Lam, OM - LLA Regional Focal Person with Hon. Melchor P. Oemegillo of VMlP Regional Chapter and Ms. Myra C. Manjares of PCl Regional Chapter as Vice Chairpersons, and  Ms. Mo. Victoria G.  Monteclaro of DA, Mr. Geoffrey J. Abendcrio of OBM, Ms. Loi Marie O. Alacha of DENR,Ms. Reishel May O. Mentolaroc of DSWD, and Mr. Winston S. Salvador of Propegemus Foundation, Inc. as members take the responsibility in the region-wide evaluation. The regional winners will be announced during the Regional Awarding Ceremony in November 2023 in Butuan City.

Further, per DllG Memorandum Circular No. 2023-092 dated July 4, 2023 the award was established in 2006 by the Philippine Councilors league (PCl) in partnership with then Department of the Interior and Local Government (DllG). This year, it is to be conferred to a Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan which demonstrated exemplary performance for the period, July 1, 2019 to  June 30, 2022. It accords official recognition to a sanggunian that excels in the enactment of ordinances or resolutions that ultimately contribute to the attainment of desirable socio-economic and environmental outcomes.

By and large, the activity concluded with an exit conference, signing of accomplished evaluation forms and distribution of tokens and certificates of commendation to all the members of the RAC for their exemplary service and contribution. "I learned new things about these local sanggunians with my experience in the LLA evaluation and I am so thankful to DILG for the opportunity" Ms. Monteclaro of DA said during the exit conference. On behalf of DILG RD Lucino, LGCDD Chief Annabel F. Yangson officially closed the evaluation period with a culmination message and words of gratitude to the RAe. (LGOO VI Jason Ryan R. Lam, DM)