Participants in the Foundation Course on Local Governance and Legislation pose for a class picture together with DAP SVP for Programs Magdalena Mendoza (seated, center) and VP Imelda Caluen (standing, extreme right). (Photo by Michelle Belga)

Some 34 provincial vice governors and seven legislative staff members recently completed the Foundation Course on Local Governance and Legislation implemented by the Development Academy of the Philippines at the DAP Conference Center in Tagaytay City.

The training course, which is expected to enable the participants to discharge their functions effectively and efficiently, is a foundation course that aims to equip participants with knowledge on fundamental principles, concepts, and tools on local governance and legislation.   It was the first training intervention implemented under a memorandum of understanding signed last February 15 between the DAP and the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines, under which the latter’s member vice governors would be able to enhance their capability in those areas through a training and education program that would be designed and implemented by the DAP.

Wide coverage

The three-day training covered such subjects as evidence-based legislation; public policy process; quality management system concepts, principles, and benefits; the public-private partnership (PPP) program in the Philippines; linkage of planning and budgeting; fiscal administration and management; and public procurement.

The LVGP, in recognition of the need to continuously capacitate its member vice governors, especially those who are serving their first term in office, signed an MOU with the DAP through which priority intervention in the form of training and education would be provided by the government research and training institution to LVGP members to enhance their governance capabilities.  The program would be funded by the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2017, known as Republic Act No. 10924, which provides a P5 million subsidy to the DAP to deliver the Education and Training Capability Building Seminar for the LVGP.

Not the first time

DAP Senior Vice President for Programs Magdalena Mendoza stressed that this is not the first time that the LVGP and the DAP have partnered in capacitating the LVGP’s members.  Back in 2010, she said that the LVGP also signed a memorandum of agreement with the DAP for the conduct of a series of short-term training courses leading to a Diploma in Local Governance and Development.

In his closing message, meanwhile, DAP Senior Vice President for Services Bernardo Dizon, who was then the DAP officer in charge, said that leadership plays a crucial role in everything a person wants to do, quoting renowned leadership author John Maxwell’s statement “Everything rises and falls on leadership.”

Power and responsibility

Leaders, Dizon said, not only steer the ship but can also chart the course that they want to take.  Leaders of countries have the power and the responsibility to take their government and their people to where they see them thriving and prospering.  He expressed the hope that the training that the participants went through would truly be a defining moment for all of them, even as they aim to take their public servant-leadership to the next level: bringing service to the people, aiming for efficiency for the people, and creating impact felt by the people.

 Vice Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor, who also delivered a message on behalf of LVGP National President Antonio Albano, thanked Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III for the training fund provided to the LVGP for the capability enhancement of its member vice governors.  He also thanked the DAP team led by Ms. Mendoza and Center for Governance Managing Director Imelda Caluen for developing and implementing the training program.

Involvement

Dolor cited the key principles of a Chinese proverb that states, “If you tell me something, I will forget.  If you show me something, I may remember.  But if you involve me, I will understand.”  This is the reason, according to him, why most of the participants were engaged in the discussions led by the facilitators as it is only from these discussions and involvements that they truly learn.

Dolor also said he believes that every encounter with every institution is a learning process as it is impossible, he said, for any man to think that he would learn those things that he had already accepted he won’t if he does not learn from other institutions.  He said that the challenge to all the participants when they go back to their respective localities is to apply their learnings and to see changes in their local government units.  This, he stressed, is because their people deserve better public services.  He also said he looks forward to seeing more best practices being shared with future batches of participants in the training program. – Michelle Belga