CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella left for Manila earlier today, July 9, to attend the good governance training organized by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for newly elected local chief executives scheduled from July 10 to 12.
He will be back in the city on Saturday, July 13.
While in Manila, Labella will be joining some 700 other newly elected chief executives coming from the different provinces, cities and municipalities in the country during the Newly-Elected Officials (NEO) training organized by the Local Government Academy, DILG’s training arm.
“For the first run of the course, all 81 provincial governors, all 145 city mayors, and 498 newly-minted or first-time municipal mayors will be prioritized as the DILG prepares to conduct a separate refresher orientation for the reelected municipal mayors,” said a DILG press statement released on Friday, July 5.
Lawyer Kenneth Lucero, officer in charge of the Cebu City DILG office, said that the three-day training will especially help local chief executives prepare a 100-day plan that will serve as guide in their governance. This will include the establishment of the local special bodies such as peace and order council, school board, and the local health board.
“This (the plan) will serve as their guide in what to do for the first 100 days of their term,” said Lucero.
Lucero said that the DILG training will help make the chief executives like Labella become effective leaders in their respective localities.
Topics for discussion during the three-day training will include their supposed Duties, Responsibilities and Accountabilities of Elected Officials; Disaster Preparedness Protocols for LGUs; The Role of Leaders in Building Peaceful, Secure and Developed Communities, and in Advancing the Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy; Retooled Community Support Program; Wielding Technology for the Enhancement of Local Governance; and Strategic Management.
Lucero said that Labella’s confirmation to attend the DILG training is an affirmation of his “service” that he is prepared to render the Cebuano community.
“Even if dugay na siyang city official, he is still willing to learn how to properly govern the Cebu City government for the interest of the people,” Lucero said. /dcb