Budlaan wins best lupon anew

CEBU, Philippines —  Barangay Budlaan, a mountain barangay in Cebu City, established a back-to-back victory as the top barangay among highly-urbanized cities in the Philippines in the just-concluded Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards (LTIA).

Budlaan led by Barangay Captain Nerissa Antolihao pocketed another ?300,000 for their outstanding efforts in solving conflicts in the barangay, the same amount it got in 2023.

Budlaan managed to move up to the national level after winning the regional competition of LTIA 2024 against Mandaue City’s Barangay Subangdaku and Barangay Basak in Lapu-Lapu City.

After a careful scrutiny by the judges, Budlaan managed to defend its title as the top Lupong Tagapamayapa.

This time, Budlaan beat two barangays from Mindanao for the top spot. Barangay Balulang of Cagayan de Oro City wound up second while Barangay Tibungco in Davao City placed third among all highly-urbanized cities.

The other national finalists in the highly-urbanized cities category were Barangay Rio Hondo of Zamboanga City and Barangay Singcang-Airport of Bacolod City.

Prior to its back-to-back national title, Budlaan, under the leadership of then Barangay Captain Gino Antolihao, husband of the current barangay captain, finished second runner-up nationwide in 2021 and 2022.

DILG-7 officials led by Leocadio Trovela and Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia also attended the awarding ceremony of the LTIA 2024 in Manila last Thursday.

Three months prior to the national awarding of the LTIA, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the enhancement of the LTIA and the reorganization of its National Awards Committee.

Executive Order No. 68, signed on August 12, states that “there is a need to enhance the LTIA System through measures that further promote it as a competitive, transparent, fair, and performance-based reward system.”

The awarding body will also confer a Hall of Fame Award to a lupon that has already received the Outstanding Lupong Tagapamayapa Award under the same category for three consecutive years or for a period of five years.

The Hall of Fame awardee will then be awarded the Peace Champion Award.

With Budlaan’s victory this year, another challenging year ahead is up for the members of the Lupon with the Hall of Fame award expected of them.