Lupons of Caraga Region victoriously grabbed 2 out of the 4 categories of the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards (LTIA) this Calendar Year 2019. The Lupons of Barangay Doongan, Butuan City and Barangay Telaje, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur triumphantly shortlisted by the National Board of Judges (NBOJ) as the 2019 LTIA National Finalists for highly urbanized cities and component cities categories, respectively. The validation team composed of the LTIA NBOJ and LTIA Secretariat conducted an on-site validation to these Lupons on July 15-17, 2019.

The validation team scrutinized the Lupon documents, performance, accomplishments, and innovations based on the criteria stipulated in DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2016-58 dated April 29, 2016 titled ”Reiterating and Supplementing  DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2008-102 dated June 17, 2008 relative to the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards Enhanced Criteria and Guidelines”. Specifically, they looked into the a) Efficiency in Lupon Operations; b) Effectiveness in Securing the Settlement of Interpersonal Dispute Objective of the Katarungang Pambarangay (KP); c) Creativity and Resourcefulness of the Lupong Tagapamayapa; d) Area or Facility for KP Activities; and e) Financial or Non-financial Support provided by the government, non-government organizations, and private individuals.

Each of the National Awardee Lupon shall be conferred with a Presidential Trophy, while each of the National runners-up Lupon shall be conferred with a Plaque of Recognition. Moreover, each of the finalists in every category could possibly win the prize amounting to Php300,000.00 for the Outstanding Lupong Tagapamayapa (National Awardee), Php150,000.00 for the First Runners-up, and Php100,000.00 for the Second Runners-up. These prizes are to be utilized for Lupon related programs, projects and activities. 

Further, the Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards was established in 1997 as a mean to institutionalize a system of granting economic benefits and other incentives to the Lupong Tagapamayapa that demonstrates exemplary performance in settling disputes at the grassroots level pursuant to Republic Act 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991. 

The award has four categories, namely, Outstanding Lupong Tagapamayapa in Highly Urbanized Cities, Outstanding Lupong Tagapamayapa in Component Cities Category, Outstanding Lupong Tagapamayapa in 1^st to 3^rd Class Municipalities Category, and Outstanding Lupong Tagapamayapa in 4^th to 6^th Class Municipalities Category.

The announcement of winners and awarding ceremony for the 2019 Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards will be this October 2019.

By: LGOO V Jason Ryan R. Lam, DM