Self-designation meets all legal requirements for official recognition by self

The Award That Needed No Committee

CEBU CITY — The Cebu City local government officially declared itself the Philippines’ Best Managed City on Tuesday, citing an internal assessment conducted by the Mayor’s office, reviewed by the Mayor’s office, and approved by the Mayor, who is a big fan of the assessment.

The declaration was announced via a press release published on the city government’s own website, under the headline “Cebu City Recognized as Best City,” a formulation that technically describes what happened.

The Criteria

The assessment evaluated seven categories including “dynamism,” “resilience,” and “vision,” a word that, the report notes, Cebu City has had since it was founded in 1565 and which therefore gives it a 461-year head start on most competitors.

Deputy Mayor Alfredo Modesto said the designation reflects the city’s real achievements. “Our traffic is better than Manila’s,” he said. This is correct. “Our flooding is manageable,” he added. This is partially correct. “We have fewer invisible bridges,” he concluded, which is factually verifiable and a higher bar than it sounds.

Other Cities Respond

Davao City declined to comment. Quezon City issued a counter-declaration naming itself best city by the same methodology. Manila said it was “aware of the declaration” and left it there. The DILG confirmed it does not sanction self-issued city rankings but acknowledged there is no specific rule against them, an oversight it described as “noted.”

Cebu City plans to mount the declaration on the wall of the Mayor’s office, next to a photo of the Mayor receiving the declaration from the Mayor.

SOURCE: https://bohiney.com