DILG XI Conducts 3rd Quarter LGRC Multi-Stakeholders Advisory Council Meeting
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region XI successfully conducted the 3rd Quarter Local Governance Resource Center (LGRC) Multi-Stakeholders Advisory Council (MSAC) meeting today, August 26, 2025, at The Apo View Hotel, Davao City.
The highlight of the activity was the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) XI, formalizing the agency’s membership in the MSAC. The MOA was signed by OCD XI Regional Director Ednar Gempesaw Dayanghirang and DILG XI Regional Director Abdullah V. Matalam, strengthening collaboration in advancing good governance, disaster resilience, and local capacity development in the Davao Region.
The council also featured several important knowledge-sharing sessions. Mr. Jobe C. Tubigon, EnP, Executive Director of Kasilak Development Foundation, Inc., presented the Results of the Documentation of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Localization Program, highlighting innovative practices and lessons learned in fostering transparency, accountability, and citizen participation at the local level.
Another key feature of the activity was the presentation of the Strengthening Institutions and Empowering Localities against Discrimination (SHIELD) Program for Former Rebels, a capstone project for the DILG Provincial LGRC of Davao del Sur. The project was presented by students from the University of Mindanao (UM) Digos College—Neil Bryan Escaner, Gendrix Rollon, and Angelika Libanan—and focused on clusterized package interventions to support the reintegration and empowerment of former rebels.
The council meeting also marked another milestone with the MOA signing for two commissioned research studies with partner academic institutions. The first study, titled “Development of a Fiscal Governance Model among Local Government Units (LGUs) in Davao Region,” will be implemented by the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) – College of Development Management, Mintal Campus. Representing USeP were Dr. Merlina H. Jurmena, on behalf of USeP President, and Dean Aristeo Salapa of the College of Development Management. The second study, “Local Government Consolidation: A History and Process Study of the Island Garden City of Samal,” will be implemented by the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao, with Chancellor Prof. Lyre Anne E. Murao, PhD and Ar./EnP Ryan C. Songcayauon signing on behalf of the university.
The activity underscored the importance of knowledge sharing, research collaboration, and multi-sectoral engagement in addressing governance challenges in the region. With OCD XI’s entry into the MSAC, the presentation of OGP Localization results, and the commissioning of research partnerships with USeP and UP Mindanao, DILG XI reaffirms its commitment to making the LGRC a true convergence platform for innovation, policy development, and local governance excellence.
Source: DILG XI – Local Government Capacity Development Division