Local Governance Mentoring School Launched
A six-month fellowship program for local government officials was launched on 4 May 2017. UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) opened the School Local Leadership and Governance (SLG) to 33 incumbent councilors and vice mayors, and engaged Kaya Natin! Champions who are former mayors, and are well acclaimed for best practices on local service delivery as mentors.
The school is intended to be a venue to exchange challenges experienced by local officials in their communities, as well as a collaborative platform to come up with innovative solutions to these issues.
The mentors from Kaya Natin! initially gave input on different areas of leadership and governance. Mayor Florante Gerdan talked about performance management system that was introduced in Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. Mayor Gloria Congco of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija presented her projects resulting from public-private partnership programs. Mayor Marivic Belena discussed organic agriculture and farmer’s entrepreneurship that improved livelihood in San Jose, Nueva Ecija.
The students are expected to come up with projects inspired by the presentations, and focusing on one of these fields: 1) youth and education, 2) entrepreneurship and agriculture, 3) environment and disaster risk reduction management, 4) public health, and 4) tourism, culture, and the arts. The group will gather again in July to submit and deliberate on their project proposals.
“The young generation of local government leaders should give us hope for real change – that which expands freedom and offers opportunity for all so that everyone is able to become productive members of society,” said FNF Country Director Wolfgang Heinze.
FNF supported the SLG as part of its efforts to promote best practices in local governance.
