It was a week of recognition for the Quezon City government as it received various international and local awards for its efficient service to its constituents through smart and innovative solutions and practices.
The city government’s Facebook page being managed by the Public Affairs and Information Services Department has bagged Gold as the Most Innovative Facebook Page in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, which is considered as the world’s premier business awards.
This is PAISD’s first international award.
The accolade was announced on the official website of Stevie Awards, which has been conferring recognition for achievement in the workplace over the past 21 years.
“Being recognized by an international award-giving body is a tremendous honor for our city. This is a part of our aim to provide timely and valuable information to our constituents through social media. This award is a testament of the quality of work that we provide our QCitizens,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 150 professionals around the world. Winners will be celebrated at a virtual ceremony on 27 June.
On March 30, the International Climate Development Institute and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability bestowed the Best Practice of Innovative Technology award to Quezon City’s recyclable waste trading program, “Trash to Cashback” for its outstanding performance in the 2022 Global Smart Solution Report.
City Architect Lucille Chua received the recognition during the 2023 SCSE Kaohsiung-Smart & Sustainable City Forum and ICLEI Member Assembly in Taipei City.
Since its launch in 2021, the Trash to Cashback program has collected over 124,000 kilograms of recyclable waste that the residents were able to exchange into environmental points that they used in buying their groceries or paying their utility bills.
“As we strive to becoming a smart city, the city ensures that every program and policy that we craft is sustainable, resilient, and environment-friendly. At the same time, we also put in mind that everything we do should always improve the lives of our residents by providing them efficient services that are responsive to their needs,” Mayor Belmonte said.
Further, the city also bagged four awards and citations from the Digital Governance Awards of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The city’s Automated Document Delivery System topped the award’s Business Empowerment (G2B) City Level category, while the QC Biz Easy: Online Unified Business Permit Application System placed second in the Government Internal Operations (G2G) City Level category. The QC E-Services ranked third under the Customer Empower (G2C) City Level classification.
QC also received the Special Citation Award for the city’s Automated Document Delivery System under the Transformational and Disruptive Solutions City Level category.
QC Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD) head Margarita Santos and QC Engineering Department head Atty. Dale Perral received the recognition last March 30 at the National Museum.
Meanwhile, urban farmer leaders of the city under the Grow QC program also accepted accolades during the Vietnam International Achiever Awards.
The Urban Farmers Federation, one of the accredited people’s organizations of the city led by Henry Giron, was named as Asia’s Most Innovative Urban Gardening of the New Millennium for their commitment to ensuring food security in support of the local government’s initiatives.
Mr. Lamberto Nolasco, one of the urban farmers’ representatives in the People’s Council of Quezon City, was the body’s Socio-Civic Leader and Advocate for Urban Development awardee.
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