πππππππππ ππππ , ππ°πΆπ΅π© ππ°π΅π’π£π’π΅π°, ππ©πͺππͺπ±π±πͺπ―π¦π΄ | ππΆπ¨πΆπ΄π΅ 12, 2025 β South Cotabato once again proved its excellence in governance and public service after being named Best Provincial Local Government Unit in the Philippines by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The award was personally received today by Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. during the recognition rites, which honored outstanding LGUs and institutions for their exceptional contributions to maintaining peace, order, and public safety.
The recognition highlights South Cotabatoβs unwavering commitment to fostering a secure and peaceful environment for its constituents through close collaboration with law enforcement agencies. Under Governor Tamayoβs leadership, the provincial government has strengthened programs and initiatives that support crime prevention, community engagement, and efficient law enforcement operations.
βThis award is not just for the Provincial Government, but for every South CotabateΓ±o who values peace and works hand in hand with us and our police force,β Governor Tamayo said.
The PNPβs annual awards program acknowledges the efforts of local governments that demonstrate exemplary support to police operations and contribute significantly to public safety and order.
South Cotabatoβs latest accolade adds to its growing list of achievements in governance, public service, and community development, affirming its standing as a model province in the country.
Overall crime has declined in the Soccsksargen regionβincluding South Cotabatoβwith a 3.61% drop in recorded incidents from March 1 to June 15, 2025 (from 2,411 down to 2,324 cases).
Authorities in South Cotabato scored major victories in their anti-drug campaign with three high-profile operations in recent months. On March 3, 2025, police in Surallah intercepted two high-value drug suspects and confiscated around 300 grams of suspected shabu worth approximately β±2,040,000, according to The Mindanao Sentinel.
The following day, March 4, the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) recovered five jumbo sachets of suspected shabu hidden inside a vehicle during a traffic stop in the same town, leading to the immediate arrest of its occupants, South Cotabato News reported.
Most recently, on April 11, a buy-bust in Polomolok yielded β±1.5 million worth of suspected shabu from two suspects in an entrapment operation, further underscoring the provinceβs intensified crackdown on illegal drugs.
During his recent visit in South Cotabato last July as Tnalak Festival Anniversary guest speaker,Β PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas D. Torre III has called on the people of South Cotabato to actively support peace by cooperating with police initiatives, stressing that a quick emergency responseβtargeting a five-minute 911 call timeβis crucial in safeguarding communities and strengthening public trust.
Complementing this appeal, the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) recently launched a Serbisyo Caravan to bring government programs and services to far-flung and vulnerable areas, demonstrating the provinceβs whole-of-nation approach to sustaining peace and development.
