By I. Inojales | 12:49 PM January 26, 2026
ALBURQUERQUE, Bohol — Mayor Don Ritchie Buates has publicly declined an award recognizing him as Top Mayor in Bohol’s 1st District, citing concerns over the credibility and process behind the recognition.
Buates had earlier been named Top Mayor in the 1st District of Bohol by the Civic Accountability Council, which gave him a performance rating of 9.8 out of 10. The group commended him for initiatives that reportedly boosted tourism and improved infrastructure in Alburquerque, describing his leadership as setting a high standard for governance in the province.
In a Facebook post, Buates said he was returning the award to its organizers, stressing that he would not accept any recognition that does not involve government oversight agencies.
“Sorry, iuli nako ninyo ni ug kinsa mo nagpa-siugda ani nga award. Back to sender ni nako,” Buates wrote.
He added that awards should not be given without the participation of government agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which he said serves as the overseer of local government unit (LGU) transactions and activities.
The mayor also cautioned against what he described as misleading awards, saying that legitimate recognitions must be based on clear indicators and criteria jointly set with concerned government agencies.
Buates further shared his past experiences with award-giving groups, claiming that some recognitions in the past allegedly involved monetary considerations. He said this was an issue he had already raised publicly during the 2022 campaign period, citing previous communications from organizers that allegedly indicated requested amounts in exchange for awards.
The Civic Accountability Council said its assessment was based on governance, service delivery, and development initiatives, and concluded its post by thanking the mayor for his “tapat at mahusay na pamumuno” (honest and effective leadership).
Buates, however, maintained that genuine recognition should come from transparent, institution-based evaluation processes rather than from private award-giving bodies.
