The Department of the Interior and Local Government urged the 103 newly elected municipal mayors of regions 1, 2, and Cordillera to continue to be champions of good governance to improve the lives of their constituents and lead their respective communities toward development and self-reliance during the orientation course for newly elected officials.
“As public servants, we must be both dreamers and doers. Because not everyone is given the opportunity to serve, we should build little heavens on Earth for our constituents. This is a responsibility that we all share, fuelled and inspired by leadership and dedication to public service,” said DILG Usec. Marlo Iringan, who also served as the keynote speaker during the two-day orientation course.
Iringan said the recently concluded election is a tool that has the potential to change people’s lives, necessitating a shared responsibility.
Asec. for Human Resource Development Florida Dijan said for LCEs to become transformational leaders, they need to be futures thinkers and strategic managers.
”Futures thinking is a mindset, and not just a method. The LCEs need to be conscious of the external as well as the internal environment, the processes, and direction. And that the action of today will have an impact in the near future,” Dijan said.
She also emphasized the importance of LCEs working with competent personnel that will support and guide them in the improvement of the structure of the LGU in promoting the culture of excellence.
“Our LCEs are not only political leaders but public managers and should be living with the mantra of good local governance,” Dijan said.
Asec. for Peace and Order Juabilly Racho encouraged the LCEs to continue to be innovative, client-centric, and persistent in solving crisis.
Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS) Director Odilon Pasaraba said the LGU is the backbone of service delivery with primacy in uplifting the lives of the poor.
“The LCEs should recognize commonalities in the area and use this as fulcrum in cooperating with other municipalities and provinces,” he said.
The orientation for newly elected officials is a regular program of the DILG that assists local officials in carrying out their duties and responsibilities as well as defining their development roadmap. – Pamela Geminiano