The pioneering batch of the CSO Academy in SOCCSKSARGEN, composed of leaders of multipurpose cooperatives, foundations, farmer federations, and religious and civic groups, graduated from the academy after a year of training. (Photo: Danilo E. Doguiles/PIA Region 12)
KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) — After a year-long training, 20 leaders of civil society organizations (CSO) in South Cotabato completed a course that will beef up their capability to effectively and efficiently involve themselves in local governance.
The course is being offered as a pioneering initiative of Region 12, the CSO Academy of SOCCSKSARGEN.
Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, DILG 12 regional director, said the CSO Academy of SOCCSKSARGEN, the first of its kind in the Philippines, offers a course that would empower civil society leaders to help them effectively engage and participate in governance.
“CSO Academy is a capacity development activity for our civil society partners in SOCCSKSARGEN,” Director Cabrido-Leysa said, emphasizing that participation of CSOs and people’s organizations in governance is mandated in the Constitution, the Local Government Code, and many other issuances.
“Para naman magkaroon ng [so that there will be] meaningful and impactful participation ang mga CSOs, this is our intervention, the CSO Academy,” she said.
The CSO Academy course consists of two modules:
Component 1, called Lead to Serve and being handled by the Association of Foundations Phils., Inc., is focused on training the CSOs on improving their respective internal governance. This module hones the trainees on 10 competencies, namely: integrity, commitment to purpose, strategic management, consensus building, communication, governance support, talent management, financial management, project/program management, and administrative management.
Component 2, which is being managed by DILG and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), prepares CSOs to engage with the government and pursue genuine local autonomy and local governance.
SOCCSKSARGEN Region’s CSO Academy is a year-long course intended to strengthen the internal governance of civil society organizations, people’s organizations, and cooperatives and prepare them to effectively engage with local governance. (Photo: Danilo E. Doguiles/PIA Region 12)
The second module, according to Director Leysa, educates the CSO leaders on technicalities of governance that would prepare them in case they will be involved with local governments in such policy-making bodies as local health boards, peace and order council, local development councils, and others.
“We also share with them the planning process of the local government units, budgeting, project implementation at napakaimportante, monitoring, and evaluation,” she added.
CSO Academy’s operation is a collaboration between the DILG and DBM on the government side and the Mahintana Foundation, Inc. and the Association of Foundations Phils., Inc. on the part of the private sector. CSO Academy is implemented in partnership with local government units that fund the conduct of training for CSOs, people’s organizations, and cooperatives within their respective jurisdictions.
South Cotabato, the only province in the Philippines to join the international organization Open Government Partnership (OGP), is the first province in the Philippines to implement the CSO Academy.
Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. earmarked P5.4 million to fund the CSO Academy training, thus piloting the CSO Academy in the Philippines.
The course was launched in the province on September 27, 2022, with training sessions for the 12-month course starting in November of the same year.
DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Marlo L. Iringan was the keynote speaker during the CSO Academy graduation rites in Koronadal City on November 29, 2023. (Photo: Danilo E. Doguiles/PIA Region 12)
The pioneering batch of CSO Academy of SOCCSKSARGEN scholars, who called themselves the “Pertama Batch,” an Indonesian term that means “first,” was recognized in a graduation ceremony at The Farm@Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City, on November 29, with DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Marlo Iringan as the keynote speaker.
The CSO Academy of SOCCSKSARGEN’s Pertama Batch is composed of the leaders from different groups, organizations, and cooperatives in South Cotabato who are committed and actively participating in the development processes of local governments for the betterment of their respective communities.
Director Leysa confirmed that South Cotabato has already selected the second batch of CSO Academy trainees, whose course sessions are expected to begin in December 2023.
The city government of General Santos and the provincial government of Cotabato are also expected to follow suit soon, she added.
Leysa quoted Usec. Iringan and Gov. Tamayo regarding attempts to replicate the CSO Academy in other regions. (DED – PIA SOCCSKSARGEN)
