CapDev the LGSP Way - LGRC DILG 10

trekkingthe good local governance terrain:the lgsp capacity development way

Trekking the Good Local Governance Terrain:The LGSP Capacity Development WayPrincipal WriterRed BatarioWritersBasile GilbertPeter BracegirdleMyn GarciaEditorial and Creative DirectionMyn GarciaEditorial TeamBasile GilbertMarion Maceda VillanuevaAtty. Evelyn Camposano- JizPeter BracegirdleContributorsAtty. Evelyn Camposano- JizJing LopezMags Z. MaglanaRizal BarandinoAntonio TantiocoFe SalcedoGemma BorrerosCecille IsubalSef Alba CarandangDennis MendiolaArt Direction and LayoutJet Hermida, creativejetTechnical and Editorial AssistantSef Alba CarandangPhotographyBasile Gilbert

trekking the good local governance terrain:the lgsp capacity development way

Trekking the Good Local Governance Terrain:The LGSP Capacity Development WayCopyright ©2006 Philippines-Canada LocalGovernment Support Program (LGSP)All rights reserved.The Philippines-Canada Local Government SupportProgram encourages the use, translation, adaptationand copying of this material for non-commercialuse, with appropriate credit given to LGSP.Although reasonable care has been taken in thepreparation of this primer, neither the publisherand/or contributor, and/or writer can accept anyliability for any consequence arising from the usethereof or from any information contained herein.ISBN 978-971-92902-2-3Printed and bound in Manila, PhilippinesPublished by:Philippines-Canada Local GovernmentSupport Program (LGSP)Unit 1507 Jollibee PlazaF. Ortigas Jr. Road (formerly Emerald Ave.),1600 Pasig City, PhilippinesTel. Nos. (632) 637 3511 to13www.lgsp.org.phCenter for Community Journalismand Development (CCJD)No. 30 Quezon Ave., Phase 4, Bankers Village III1870 Antipolo City, PhilippinesTel. No. (632) 644-9928This project was undertaken with the financialsupport of the Government of Canada providedthrough the Canadian International DevelopmentAgency (CIDA).

contentsforewordprologueacronymspart 1introductionlgsp capacity development frameworknew ways of thinking around cdpart 27 critical strategiesstrategy 1strategy 2strategy 3strategy 4strategy 5strategy 6strategy 7part 3use yesterday’s lessonsmoving forwardfaith in capacity for transformation79111315192327293036435159667377798489references90

to all those who journeyed with uswith resilience, commitment and integrity,may this book bring furtherinspiration

forewordIn many ways, the work in the arena oflocal governance being done by the Departmentof the Interior and Local Governmentand the Philippines-Canada LocalGovernment Support Program reflects aconvergence of development vision and a commondesire for change within governance structures, systemsand institutions.It is important to note that the program prioritiesof LGSP were closely aligned with theprovisions of the Local Government Codeof 1991 that guides the thrusts and programsof DILG. This alignment of thinkingand ideals has led to many successful initiativesbetween DILG and LGSP in capacitydevelopment. It has in turn influenced theDepartment’s policies and programs withregards to local governance.DILG is thankful to LGSP for contributingimmensely to changed thinking and attitudeamong many local governments andcommunities in the Philippines. As a jointundertaking of the Governments of thePhilippines and Canada to support thePhilippine Government’s agenda for equitablegrowth and poverty reduction, LGSPhas helped transform the local governancelandscape of the country.By coming out with Trekking the GoodLocal Governance Terrain: The LGSPCapacity Development Way, the longrunning program has demonstratedonce more its bias for knowledge buildingand sharing. The publication is alsoan affirmation of the program’s commitmentto evolving ever newer tracks inlocal governance.

The DILG believes that through this latestLGSP knowledge tool achieving excellencein local governance will be a more concretereality in many, if not all, of our communitiesaround the country.This book is an expression of not only whatwas done to develop capacities but alsowhat can be done further, in practicaland bite-sized pieces. It is an invaluableresource to kindle the spirit oftransformation. And presents a challengefor others to take up the chantfor change.My heartfelt congratulations to LGSP!Hon. Ronaldo PunoSecretaryDepartment of the Interior and LocalGovernment

prologueTrekking the Good Local Governance Terrain:the LGSP capacity development wayis inspired by the results of the work ofthe Philippines-Canada Local GovernmentSupport Program (LGSP II) in working intensivelywith over 200 local governmentspromoting efficient, responsive, transparentand accountable governance in targeted regionsof Western Visayas and Mindanao inthe Philippines. It crystallizes the strategiesthat proved effective, the insights and experiencesof partners and other stakeholders,and the lessons learned in implementing amulti-year, multi-faceted capacity developmentprogram.This publication provides a roadmap for localgovernment units, community leaders,government agencies, development workersand others who are interested in furtherunderstanding and pursuing capacity developmentin local governance. It is meant toencourage leaders and citizens alike to thinkcreatively about shaping a better future.Trekking the Good Local Governance Terrainis written in three parts. The first partexplains the context and evolution of capacitydevelopment in the program. Thesecond describes the thinking, approachesand strategies that worked for LGSP, andhow readers can use these to pursue theirown capacity development programs orinitiatives. And the final section discussesthe gains and opportunities for further institutionalization.Sometimes capacity development is seen ina narrow sense as only equivalent to stafftraining. This reference book endeavoursto expand this thinking to include the developmentof public organizations and theenabling environment, apart from buildingindividual capacities and developing leadershipcapacities in local governance.In the last six years, LGSP II focused onstrengthening organizational capacities inlocal governance that contribute to resultdrivenlocal and national institutions, policiesand programs. It also supported the

1capacity developmentfor changepart

introductionIn 1986, Filipinos toppled a dictatorship in a peaceful revolt.The urban uprising triggered significant political and social reforms,one of which is the extensive decentralization of nationalpowers, responsibilities and resources to local governmentunits through the enactment of the Local Government Code(LGC) in 1991.The revolt sparked new approaches and thinking on the conceptof governance and the Code opened new avenues for civilsociety participation in public affairs and management.Government vs. GovernanceThe Philippines has a long history of indigenous local governanceand traditional forms of local leadership. But over threecenturies of Spanish rule, 50 years of US domination and martiallaw under Marcos left a legacy of central public administration.The devolution of central powers to local governmentsin the 1990s left new, indelible marks on local governance inthe Philippines.The Local Government Code set outto redefine the role of local governmentfrom atradition of centralized administration.The Code refers to Local government as a “politicalsubdivision of a nation or state constituted by law, whichhas substantial control over local affairs including the powerto impose taxes, the governing body of which is elected or appointed....a municipal corporation which is a public corporationcreated by government for political purposes and havingsubordinate and local powers of legislation.” 1“The context of governancearises from the understandingthat sovereignty resides in thepeople and that public officialswhom citizens elect and towhom they delegate power andresponsibility are merely stewardsof this power and are thereforeaccountable to them”Institute of Politics andGovernance as cited in the bookInvestigating Local Governments:A Handbook for Reporters15

While government is an institution that is structuredand bureaucratic, governance is an act of directing theaffairs of a state or institution involving various governancestakeholders including citizen groups. “Theright and responsibility to govern are shared by thosewho govern and those who are governed. Both the representativesof the State and civil society share the initiativeto better governance. The government and thegoverned take collective responsibility for the welfareof the society.” 2Major global themes in the public discourse at thetime the Code was prepared –gender equality, sustainabledevelopment, and capacity development, forexample – became part of public management in thePhilippines.Great Expectations and MissingCapacitiesPeople’s expectations about government and governancehave changed since the early years of the LocalGovernment Code implementation.Before the Code, people saw themselves as recipientsof government services and programs, not as activeparticipants in the process of governance. As opportunitiesopened for civil society participation in mandatedspecial bodies like health and school boards,local development and peace and order councils, citizensbegan to better understand the workings of theirlocal government units. They started to expect localofficials to perform more development functions giventhe latter’s new authority to mobilize resources andgenerate revenue.People waited to see how LGU officials would respondto their new mandates. Some cities and municipalitiesshowed success in implementing reforminitiatives in the early 1990s. But many local governmentswere much less successful. In fact, many localchief executives expressed apprehension about theircapacity to fulfill their new mandates in the LocalGovernment Code.Most LGUs lacked the required capacity to carryout their new responsibilities. They were missing theadministrative and management skills and personnel,the service delivery systems, the mechanisms andprocedures for carrying out their new mandates andinteracting with their newly empowered constituents.Indeed, citizens themselves were often unable to participatemeaningfully in the new special bodies andcontribute to their communities.LGUs explored partnerships with other LGUs, nationalgovernment agencies, the private sector, andcommunity groups to address their service deliverychallenges. Others beat new paths to innovative governancepractices to serve as their models.As the demand for excellence in local governancegrew among citizens, LGU officials increased their demandfor assistance. Capacity development becamethe central strategy for building the needed skills andsystems, and for meeting the challenges of local governmentmanagement and delivering services in theface of insufficient resources and revenue generationconstraints.16

LGSP and the Long Road to CapacityDevelopmentLGSP came at a time when people, exhilarated bythe success with which they brought down a despoticgovernment and restored democracy, were testingand expanding the boundaries of their engagementwith the state. The program was designed to buildthe capacities of local governments empoweredby the groundbreaking legislation that drasticallychanged the local governance arena and transformedthe roles played by local government leadersand functionaries.To respond to the need to build capacities for goodgovernance, the Governments of the Philippinesand Canada signed a Memorandum of Agreementin 1991 to implement the Philippines-Canada LocalGovernment Support Program (LGSP). LGSPbecame the flagship capacity development programof the Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA) in the Philippines geared towards developingcapacities of targeted local governments forefficient, responsive, transparent and accountablegovernance.LGSP began in 1991 in three regions but soon grewin scope to cover seven regions in Mindanao andWestern Visayas. In the spanof fifteen years, LGSPworked with about 25% ofall LGUs in the country.The Philippines-CanadaLocal Government Support Program (LGSP)LGSP is a joint undertaking of the Governments of the Philippinesand Canada with the goal of supporting the Government of the Philippinesin its agenda for equitable growth and poverty reductionthrough effective local governance. It is a PHP 1 Billion program inpartnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government(DILG) and the National Economic and Development Authority(NEDA).During its first phase from 1991 to 1998, LGSP supported 315 localgovernment units in seven regions of Western Visayas and Mindanao.The second phase of the program from 1999 to 2005 covered205 local government units.In March 2005, LGSP II was extended with activities until August2006 focusing on consolidating the achievements of LGSP andstrengthening the enabling environment in local governance.In the same period, the Local Governance Support Program in theAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (LGSPA) was started tobuild on the achievements of LGSP II and expand its scope to includethe whole of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao(ARMM).LGSP is guided by the understanding that local governmentsplay an important role in fostering multistakeholdercollaboration for sustainable social and17

economic development, equitable sharing of powerand responsibilities, and peace and security in theircommunities. LGUs work with a range of non-governmentalorganizations, community groups, private sectorcompanies, and other government agencies.LGSP strengthened LGU capacity in four “outcome”areas. These are local leadership and management,services delivery, the generation and utilization of resources,and the participation of individuals, theprivate sector and civil society organizations in localgovernance.The LGSP outcome areas are closelyaligned with four key features of the LocalGovernment Code.Four Features of the Local GovernmentCode1.Reinforces power of local government in regulatingand managing development.2. Devolves to local government units theresponsibility for the delivery of basic services3. Increases financial resources available to localgovernments through increased revenue allotmentsfrom national wealth and the granting of authorityto mobilize resources through taxation, creditfinancing and other public and private sources4. Recognizes and encourages the active participationof the private sector, non-governmentorganizations and people’s organizations in theprocess of governanceDuring its 15 years, LGSP helped shape the capacitydevelopment landscape of the Philippines. Theprogram made deliberate efforts to move beyond traditionalmethods of assistance for more effective andsustained learning and change.The program has several unique features to promoteand facilitate LGU capacity development. It supportsthe priorities of local authorities to ensure ‘local ownership’of the initiatives and other capacity developmentefforts at the local, regional and national levels.LGSP used in-depth system analysis and comprehensiveframeworks to guide its design and implementation.The frameworks articulate the principles ofgood governance, multi-stakeholder participation andprovide clear, easy-to-follow strategies for implementation.As a capacity development program, LGSP used innovativetechniques like peer-to-peer mentoring andon-site coaching to facilitate LGU capacity development.Its size, scope and longevity have allowed LGSPand its partners to test, refine and replicate best practicesin local governance even beyond areas coveredby LGSP.Many of the LGSP-assisted efforts have played a rolein influencing local and national governance effortsand can shed light on facilitating sustainable change.The range of LGSP support to local governmentsincluded development of a people’s agenda in localgovernance through the Executive Agenda (EA) andthe Executive and Legislative Agenda or ELA, creatingLGU alliances, organizing DILG Municipal Local18

Government Operations Officers (MLGOOs) to coachLGUs, creating LGU teams and offices to coordinatepublic economic enterprises and strengthening the roleof LGUs as facilitators and hubs of development effortssuch as local economic development, to name a few.The program also strongly supported initiatives thatled to the Department of the Interior and Local Government(DILG) taking a leadership role in coordinatingsupport for the local governance sector, establisheda system for benchmarking LGU performance throughthe development of the Local Governance PerformanceManagement System (LGPMS) and equipping LGUleagues such as the League of Cities of the Philippines(LCP) and League of Municipalities of the Philippines(LMP) in the area of policy development and advocacy.LGSP also developed a wide array of knowledge toolsand resources on local governance, covering a wholerange of knowledge areas that it has worked in. As partof its contributions to building a culture of learningin the sector, LGSP has also strengthened capacitiesand network of local resource partners in the countryas knowledge brokers and facilitators of change. Theprogram also helped establish the DILG Local GovernanceResource Centers in the country towards buildingDILG as a knowledge-centric organization andconnecting learning communities that pursue localgovernance excellence through knowledge sharing andinnovation.“Capacity is a condition of a system that emerges outof a combination of attributes. It refers to collectivecapabilities to act and survive, generate developmentresults, relate, adapt and self-renew, and achievecoherence.Peter MorganEuropean Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), May 2006The ability to perform tasks and produce outputs,to define and solve problems, and make informedchoices.European CommissionCapacity is the power to achieve one’s goal.Real Lavergne, CIDALGSP’s Capacity DevelopmentFrameworkWhat is capacity and capacity development?According to Alix Yule, LGSP II Program Director,capacity development encompasses training,organizational development, and efforts tostrengthen the enabling institutions that are relevantto local governance. She points out that “everytask of the LGSP management teamand every interaction betweenthe team and partners is a capacitydevelopmentopportunity.””19

“Capacity development is the process of changewhereby individuals, organizations, institutions andsystems develop their abilities to perform functions, solveproblems and set and achieve their goals.UNDP”LGSP’s capacity development framework describes anopen system that defines the stakeholders that shouldbe involved in capacity development and what capacitiesare needed. The framework considers capacitydevelopment as a complex process involving differentstakeholders.The key stakeholders in the local government sector includeLGUs, LGU leagues, DILG and other national governmentagencies like the Department of Finance thatare involved with LGUs, the civil service, the key universitiesand institutes working in the sector, the variouscivil society organizations at national and local levels,and the hundreds of local resource partners offeringCapacity Development services to LGUs in the country.These stakeholders develop policy and plans, mobilizeresources, perform administrative functions, deliveressential services, provide oversight in governance,and implement local programs. Capacity developmentstrengthens their abilities to perform effectively and responsiblyas individuals and as a group or sector.According to Yule, capacity development “is a complexprocess at various ‘levels’ within a system, for exampleat the local level, at the provincial and regionallevel, and at the sector, system and national level.It also considers the interconnectedness and linkagesbetween the levels and among the stakeholders.Within this framework,capacity is an inputto, or leads to, performance andLGU performance is an inputto, or leads to, local social andeconomic development.”Capacity development promotes excellence in localgovernance by enhancing the ability of people toimprove processes, maximize opportunities, harnessand manage resources, and develop potentials forsustainable growth.Mainstreaming CrosscuttingThemes in LGSPIn every society and government, there is a“mainstream” where choices are considered anddecisions are made that affect the economic, politicaland social position and options of citizens.Mainstreaming is a strategy to ensure that concerns,related to a specific issue or theme, are consideredwithin the central decision-making arena. It is anapproach to governance that makes mainstreamedconsiderations an integral part of planning, budgeting,programming and evaluation.20

LGSP is committed to mainstreaming the program’s fourcross-cutting themes: gender equality, environmental sustainability,poverty reduction, and peace and unity, aswell as integrating participatory processes in programmingat all levels.The goal of mainstreaming in LGSP is two-fold:• To ensure that the four cross-cutting themes are integrated inall LGSP capacity development initiatives and mainstreamedwithin the LGSP decision-making processes• To increase the capacity of LGUs to mainstream the fourcross-cutting themes within their policies, programs andplansMainstreaming contributes to more responsive governmentand better service provision because it takes into accountspecial issues that “cut across” various governmentdepartments and impact on all sectors.Mainstreaming is a long-term process that requires changesin awareness, attitudes, policies, plans and programs.The end goal of mainstreaming is to ensure that LGSPinitiatives to address cross-cutting issues have been woveninto the fabric of transparent, accountable, efficient andresponsive local governance in a way that contributes tosustainable development.Excellence in Local GovernanceExcellence in local governance creates conditionsunder which citizens enjoy improvedquality of life through secure, equitable development.It means LGUs meet their performance expectationsand provide a better future for communitymembers. People want their LGUs toensure they have shelter and employment,they live in peace and security, and they haveaccess to quality basic services. They expecttheir local government to communicate andcollaborate with local communities in thegovernance process. They want their LGUsto be transparent and accountable.Excellence in local governance can only happenwhen the government and the publichave the underlying capacity to perform thevision, aptitudes, skills, knowledge, systemsand resources. This includes an enabling legislativeand policy framework, and legal systemensuring consistent rule-of-law. Moreand more, the underlying capacity to performanceincludes the ability of the local governmentsector to learn and improve itselfand its talent base.Excellence in local governance is the collectivelong-term objective of mayors, other electedofficials, government bureaucrats, nationalgovernment agencies, civil society organizations,development workers, members of theacademe, and local citizens.21

New Ways of Thinkingon Capacity Developmenthas evolved in recent years. After decades of discussionsabout human resources development and institutionaldevelopment in the south, the large development organizationslike the World Bank started writing aboutcapacity development in the late 1980s.The thinking now sees capacity development (CD) as acomprehensive approach involving all necessary stakeholdersin a change process aimed at improved performanceof organizations within a system or sector.Since the introduction of CD in the local governancecontext, development work in the Philippines and elsewherehave tried to harness and apply this new thinkingin program design and implementation. LGSP andother programs have tested and reshaped the principlesand characteristics that underlie successful CDinitiatives.Based on the experience of promoting sustainable developmentthrough excellence in local governance inPhase II of the program, LGSP capacity developmenthas 10 essential characteristics. They are offered hereto guide local chief executives and planners, LGU officialsand staff, and community organizations in theirongoing development work.10 essential characteristics of LGSPcapacity developmentHolistic – Capacity development builds a visionof a well-functioning local government sec-1tor and takes a multi-sector, multi-stakeholderapproach to development. This enables local governmentsto enlarge the development framework to includethe aspirations of their partners in development.It allows local governments to build on their strengthsand address their weaknesses by focusing on their expectedperformance and results. The development ofthe Executive Agenda and later the Executive and Legis-new ways of thinking on capacity developmentElementChange unitMethodDesign basisEmphasisAnalysisInterventionBeneficiariesExpertiseScopePrincipleOld ThinkingIndividualBuild knowledge and skillsIndividual needsLearner’s abilitiesStrengths and weaknessesSeries of activitiesBeneficiary participationExternal solutionsOrganization specificConsultationNew ThinkingIndividual, organization and systemApply knowledge and skillsOrganizational and system prioritiesLearning environmentPerformance and resultsChange processBeneficiary ownershipLocal solutionsSector specificCoordination and collaboration23

lative Agenda by local governments supported by LGSPis an example of a holistic process in developing a planof action that is needs-based, action-oriented and witha broad-based support from critical stakeholders.2Participatory – Capacity development requiresthe participation of a full range of stakeholdersin local governance. These include communityleaders, national government and oversight agencies,civil society organizations, academe, and non-governmentorganizations. Ensuring wide participation leadsto shared “ownership” of capacity development initiatives,which helps the participants learn and use thenew systems, procedures and service delivery mechanismsin the LGU.“Capacity Development is about change– change in mindsets and desired change to do thingsand perform differently- it is not an end in itself but apath to a shared vision of the future”Priorities-based – Capacity development respondsto local partners’ priorities and en-3courages local ownership of development. It isbased on the consensus reached through assessmentsof needs and local development plans. It also relies onlocal “champions” to facilitate the integration and applicationof new capacity into LGU systems and culture.Champions are people who have a strong bias for capacitydevelopment as an effective change process.They may be the mayor, a planning officer, an NGOleader, or community members who command respectand influence.4Culturally-situated – Capacity developmentrespects the predominant values, culture andincentive systems of the organizations andpeoples involved in the process. It takes into considerationthe motivation and desire for improvementin LGUs and capitalizes on indigenous knowledge ofcommunities. There is no set prescription except forwhat works in particular contexts.5Results-based – Capacity development encouragespositive change that is articulated,planned and measurable. It promotes accountability,learning and improvement in the sectorthrough monitoring and evaluation. And it describessets of concrete results linked in development processesthat are unfolding over time.6Collaborative – Capacity development requiresthe coordination of efforts by governments,NGOs, the private sector and internationalagencies working in the sector. This ensures that effortsare harmonized, resources are maximized andinitiatives complement and build on the needs of thesector. This also leads to the development of partnershipsthat are essential in building LGU alliances.24

7Analytical – Capacity development requiresanalytical thinking in the preparation of strategiesfor development. LGSP managementrelied on conceptual frameworks and system analysesfor program planning and monitoring. The programdeveloped a comprehensive Performance InformationSystem (PIS) to house LGU performance data in the“outcome” areas. The PIS influenced the way LGSP,LGUs, DILG and NGOs thought about their supportto local government and performance improvement.8Staged sequencing – Capacity developmentsupports an on-going change and improvementprocess. The process is seldom linear, and oftenunpredictable, but it does evolve through recognizablestages. In order to internalize changes, the LGSPmodel for capacity development describes a four-stageprocess: consensus building, capacity building, capacityapplication, and institutionalization.9Practical – Capacity development initiativesneed to be practical and modest. Whateverthe activity – whether training, technical assistance,coaching, learning-by-doing, peer-to-peerlearning, or the dissemination of knowledge products– the successful initiatives were those that gave theLGUs new tools to use. For instance, LGSP tried toensure the practical nature of its interventions throughon-site coaching at frequent intervals and user-friendlylearning tools.10“Mayors are politicians during electionsbut they should be leaders and managers whendoing their work…mayors are developmentmanagers…”Mayor Isabelo MaquinoMunicipality of Sta. Barbara, Province of IloiloIterative – Capacity development requiresflexibility and creativity as well as allowancefor trial and error to determine the best waysto achieve one’s objectives. It is through continued yetincremental guided practice that the partners graduallyappreciate how the innovations being introducedcan help them be more effective in delivering their programsand achieving their goals. For this approach tosucceed, it requires an open and trusting relationshipbetween partners.ENDNOTES:1Red Batario in Investigating Local Governments: A Manual forReporters, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, 2001.2LGSP VI and PhilDRHRRA, Strengthening of LSBs and CSOs TowardParticipatory Governance, as quoted in Creating Inroads in ForgingPartnerships: A Practical Guide for Civil Society Organizations,Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program (LGSP),2004.25

part2capacity developmentthe LGSPWay

7critical strategies for effectingchange through CDMany of the lessons and insights of the Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program on capacitydevelopment were drawn from years of workingclosely with local governments, civil society organizations,national government offices and oversight agencieslike the DILG, the academe and other sectors inlocal governance.These lessons and insights provide the foundation fordeveloping useful and effective frameworks and strategiesfor capacity development. From many of theseprocesses, seven strategies for CD haveemerged and are being presentedhere as guides for local governmentunits, local resource partnersand others working on capacity developmentin local governance.These seven strategies may be used individually or inparts for specific capacity development projects or takenas a whole for more comprehensive undertakings.LGSP focused its main strategy not solely on developingcapacities but on how to build a culture of continuouslearning in the local governance sector.Strategy 1: Mapping the SystemStrategy 2: Planning for ChangeStrategy 3: Building LocalOwnershipStrategy 4: Learning to ChangeStrategy 5: Managing KnowledgeStrategy 6: Monitoring ProgressStrategy 7: Strengthening theEnabling Environment29

1mappingthe systemKnow the Terrain You TravelKnowing and appreciating the environment you willwork in is fundamental to any capacity developmentinitiative.When LGSP was launched, the program adapted a localgovernance system framework from the Federationof Canadian Municipalities (FCM) describing an opensystem comprised of a governed area and two entities:the local government and the community. The modelillustrates the various elements of the system in thePhilippines and guided the program in planning, definingand categorizing the different project initiatives.It also helped identify the major players of the opensystem in the Philippine context.An Open Systems Model was adapted andrefined to:• Analyze the context within which the projectswill operate• Identify the strengths and weaknesses ofexisting structures, relationships and capacities• Define areas that need support within agiven municipality• Target where its interventions should bestbe placed and approached within an appropriatecontext (municipal, regional, nationaland/or global).The LGSP Capacity Development Framework, basedon an open systems conceptual model, takes into accounta complex series of relationships, and processescomprising a multitude of individuals and organizationsinvolved in or affecting local governance, eitherpositively or negatively. It considers both internal andexternal forces affecting local government units and acknowledgesa variety of factors that can influence thelevel of effectiveness and efficiency attained by localgovernments in their mandated task of serving citizens.The framework describes the local governance stakeholderterrain at the individual, organizational andinstitutional levels. It offers a view of capacity developmentas a complex, holistic process that takesplace at different levels of the system in a web ofinterconnectedness.The framework breaks down local government functionsand operations in the Philippines, such asstrategic leadership, management and service delivery,at the center of the system and emphasizes therelationships with the local government’s main client,its citizens.It further characterizes the community identifying differentsegments that relate to the local government indifferent ways. It then situates this local interactionin an “enabling environment” of national policies andprograms, legislation as well as the interaction withorganizations such as national government agencies,national associations of LGUs, civil society organizations,academe and the private sector.30

LGSP also acknowledged that it would need to experimentwith various capacity development initiatives locallyto better appreciate whether there were limitingfactors in national policy targeted to LGUs or how otherorganizations could contribute to strengthen localgovernance.Right at its inception, LGSPrecognized that the programwould need to intervene atdifferent levels ofthe system to positivelyaffect local governance.Know the People You’ll MeetKnowing the stakeholders of the public sector is veryimportant.Based on the framework, LGSP identified the maingroups of stakeholders it should work with in the Philippines.LGUs and Their Communities.Although citizens were the main beneficiaries, localgovernment units (LGUs) were the strategic and officialchannels of interaction for the program. LGSP IIidentified 205 LGUs it could work with over the wholeduration of the 2001-2004 local officials’ term of office.These were mainly municipalities but also includedsome cities and provincial government units.Based on criteria determining the needs and readinessof LGUs, LGSP helped LGUs identify their developmentpriorities among four main program outcomeareas: local government management, service delivery,resource generation and management, and participatorygovernance, integrating four cross-cuttingthemes: poverty reduction, peace and unity, genderequality and environmental soundness.Stakeholders within the system communicate,cooperate and make choices through a system ofrelationships and mechanisms referred to as “governancelinks.” Participatory governance facilitates thedevelopment and nurturing of linkages of and rapportbetween the LGU and various elements of thecommunity.From a community perspective, the main groupsinteracting with the LGU are individual citizens, theprivate sector and civil society organizations suchas church groups, women’s or professional associations.In the Philippines, the Local Government Codeprescribed local special bodies such as school boards,health boards and local development councils asvenues for members of civil society to meaningfullyand strategically participate in local governance processes.The Enabling Environment and Its Institutions.For LGSP, the enabling environment is comprised ofthe legal and regulatory framework within which LGUsoperate as well as the enabling institutions that affectLGUs through their program and activities.31

governance guideposts:MAP FOR EASY NAVIGATIONThe LGSP mapped the system through three different typesof exercises:1. Research – review of the Local Government Code,research into local government issues like finance, etc.and background analysis of how the different parts of thesystem are meant to perform.2. Baseline exercises – baseline studies of LGUs, readinesscriteria, assessments of the DILG and the leagues ofLGUs, and citizen satisfaction surveys.3. Priority-setting exercises – LGUs Executive Agenda andExecutive and Legislative Agenda.This mapping determined legislated mandates, existingcapabilities, priorities for development, and a wholerange of insights into the environment for learning anddevelopment.The Department of the Interior and Local Government(DILG), with its oversight role over local governmentunits, has been a key partner of LGSP. DILG representativesfrom its local operations (regional, provincial,city and municipal) took part in all LGSP capacitydevelopment activities for LGUs. In addition, LGSPsupported the DILG through a process aimed atstrengthening the Department’s capacity for effectivepolicy and program development in support of localgovernments.Enabling institutions also included other national governmentagencies such as the National Economic andDevelopment Authority (NEDA), the Department ofFinance, and other agencies with devolved responsibilitiesto LGUs as prescribed by the Local GovernmentCode. Although LGSP did not work intensively with allof them, the program recognized these, as well as thelegislative and other bodies, as part of a broad groupof enabling institutions affecting local governance.The local government associations, representing thefour main categories of LGUs in the country such asthe League of Provinces of the Philippines, the Leagueof Cities and the League of Municipalities of thePhilippines, and the Liga ng mga Barangay (Leagueof Barangays), are also significant players in the LGUenabling environment. They can play a strong role inrepresenting the interests of LGUs, influencing nationalpolicy, promoting networking, facilitating peer-to-peersharing, etc. Other professional groups such as theLeague of Planners and the League of City Administratorsof the Philippines also play an important role andwere supported by LGSP in various ways.Local resource partners operating at the national orlocal level are also a crucial part of the enabling environmentfor effective local governance. They maybe academic institutions, NGOs or individual consultantswho provide services to help capacitate LGUs.Strengthening their ability to support the local governmentunits and other stakeholders of the sector isan important part of LGSP’s overall capacity developmentstrategy.Finally, LGSP recognized that some of its peers andpartners in the international donor community alsocontribute to influence local governance and must beconsulted for better coordination, synergy of respectiveefforts and increased impact.32

1mappingthe systemexperiences onthe groundBuilding Trust and Gaining BetterPerspectivesWhen LGSP launched its program, it knewit was going to partner with the DILG insupporting the local government sector. Duringthe first two years of the program, LGSP invitedDILG representatives from all levels of the organizationto participate in planning and capacitydevelopment activities targeted to LGUs. TheAssistant Secretary responsible for LGU capacitydevelopment participated in LGSP strategicplanning sessions. The Municipal Local GovernmentOperations Officers (MLGOO) working inLGSP municipalities took part in the capacitydevelopment activities LGSP supported in theirLGUs. The Local Government Academy of theDILG was tapped for building the coaching andmentoring skills of key DILG field officers andthereby facilitated the shift in the Officers’ orientationto that of coach.Through an inclusive and consultative approach,LGSP built a trusting relationship with the Departmentand gained a better appreciation of theDILG’s organizational culture, program implementationrealities and organizational processes.Mid-way through its 5-year program, when LGSPwas ready to implement a more systematic DILGCapacity Enhancement Project, the programgained a more in-depth appreciation of DILGinstitutional strengths and weaknesses. Astrategic review was conducted to better assessDILG’s role in the local government sector.The review took into account existingenabling laws such the Local GovernmentCode, various Presidential Executive Ordersas well as the Constitution. The process wasconsultative and involved individuals from alllevels of the organization, as well as representativesof other organizations of the sector interactingwith both LGUs and DILG.The study revealed there was tremendousagreement on the need for organizationalchange but there was little consensus on whatchanges were needed. The review shaped LG-SP’s future assistance to DILG and to otherenabling organizations such as the leagues ofLGUs. Recommendations emerging from thereview became a significant input into DILG’sown organizational rationalization process.It was a fundamental step in better appreciatingDILG as a critical component of the localgovernment system.33

LGSP has assisted many LGUs explore ways inwhich they can assist local communities toengage in alternative sources of livelihood.Kalibo in Aklan and Pandan in Antique,both on the island of Panay, together with six otherLGUs (San Joaquin, Ajuy and Concepion in Iloilo Provinceand Tangalan, Malay and Nabas in Aklan Province)were assisted to develop community-based eco-tourismsites. LGSP assisted the LGUs to maximize their tourismpotential and create local employment, while maintainingecological balance and preserving local culture.With LGSP support, sites were identified, plans developed,communities organized, legislation enacted, tourismoffices strengthened, tourism products developedand packaged, and the sites “launched.” LGSP facilitateda partnership between SMART Communicationsand the LGUs dubbed “Ocho-ocho: 8 Ecotours, 8 Destinationsin Iloilo, Aklan and Antique” to improve communicationsbetween the community tourism sites, thetourism office and tourism agencies.The LGUs have shifted from a tourism strategy basedsolely on big business and big resorts. Participation andcooperation among community members and groupshas improved and increases in incomes for participatingcommunity members and small local businesses arebeing realized. Moreover, Pandan is now sharing its experienceand learning in community-based eco-tourismwith neighboring towns like Libertad, Sebaste and Culasito develop a more diversified set of community-basedourism attractions in the area.Kalibo’s sites include a miniAti-Atihan Festival, a piñaweaving village and a mangrovereforestation & wildlifeproject. Pandan’s packageincludes hiking, birdwatching,boating and swimmingalong the Bugang Rive

2planning for changeChange Is Nothing to FearIt’s easier to think about change than to bring itabout.Some people say change is inevitable. It sometimescomes unbidden and in different forms and hues.Some people resist change because they fear the unknown.Others simply refuse to see the bigger pictureor think outside the box. Capacity development facesthe same challenges and difficulties because it is allabout change.Planning for change reduces our apprehensions andfear. This includes strategic analysis of appropriate capacitydevelopment initiative, mapping the differentstages to undertake the process, structuring the variouscomponents, preparing the stakeholders, designing theapproaches and taking the time to do it right.The path of change can be predicted in broad terms.In LGSP’s experience, the process ofchange and development includes four generalstages: consensus building, capacity building,application and institutionalization.LGUs go through this dynamic four-stagecapacity development process that takes place overtime, each step or stage building on the one before andthe steps repeating themselves in a cyclical, upwardlyspiraling manner in response to internal and externalinfluences. Remember, capacity development is an iterativeprocess.Engage in the Four Stages of CapacityDevelopmentCapacity development initiativesthat follow the fourstages will most likelyresult in sustainedorganizational change.STAGE 1- BUILDING CONSENSUS.LGUs and their governance stakeholders like citizens,civil society, and the private sector, need to agree ontheir priorities for improvements in the LGU; improvingbasic health services and natural resourcesmanagement, for example. They also need to agreeon the existing capacity in relevant areas in the localgovernment system – the capacity for service planning,consultation, service delivery, leadership, managementand resource generation, and the abilitiesof key people such as the Mayor, Vice Mayor, councilmembers, and department heads.36

Building consensus amongkey governance stakeholderson the priorities and plans forcapacity development iscritical for encouraging localownership of the process.This stage seeks consensus among development partnerson what capacity is needed by whom, for whatpurpose, and how these partners will develop and exercisethis capacity over time.Participation of LGUs and other stakeholders must bevoluntary as a pre-condition for Stage 1 since consensuson the need for change begins with the LGUs andother stakeholders willingly joining the program.Stage 2 – Building Capacity.This stage examines how individual and organizationalcapacities can be enhanced through improved knowledge,personnel competencies and organizational processes,structures and systems.It assists partners in acquiring the knowledge requiredto better design and implement systems, programsand services at the individual, organizational and institutionallevels.A key component of this stage is human resource developmentto enhance the skills of elected officials andLGU staff to ensure the availability of appropriate andsustainable leadership, and managerial, technical, andprofessional expertise within the LGU. This stage alsoFlerinia Barayoga, more popularly known as Manang Cacay, is a member of the SanJose Vendors Association and is the Coordinator for the vegetable Section of the San JoseTrade Center. She plays the important role of a spokesperson, articulating market issuesand promoting good rapport between the vendors and the LGU.“participation…”Mayor Fernando Corvera,Municipality of San Jose de Buenavista, Province of AntiqueIt was very difficult to engage market vendors.LGSP helped us strategize and guided us in engagingthe vendors themselves and legitimizing their37

integrates knowledge of organizational developmentthat includes plans, systems, technologies and institutionalstrengthening such as developing alliances andencouraging community participation and partnerships.In LGSP, knowledge and skills building activitiesstrengthened a broad range of technical areas correspondingto the functions mandated to LGUs by theLGC includingstrengthening the competenciesrequired to functionas effective governing bodies, publicentrepreneurs, managers of change, andadvocates for peace, gender equality, social equityand sustainable development. LGSP activitieswere also implemented to strengthen community-basedstructures and peoples’ organizations andimprove the communication and links between thesemechanisms and government officials.Stage 3 - Application.The application stage provides the connection betweenknowledge acquired during the previous stageof building capacities in the local government unit andstrengthened capacities for improved performance.This involves helping LGUs apply their enhancedknowledge, skills, systems and procedures to implementnew development programs and improve theirperformance.This stage is regarded by some as the most difficult toconceptualize and support, particularly since the variousapproaches in this stage may address a whole gam-ut of needs and priorities. These may involve shifts incultures and ways of thinking, changes in work systemsand procedures and enhancing management styles,among others. As a result, LGUs supported by LGSPappreciated this stage because it gave them the supportneeded to overcome areas of weakness.Some of the strategies and approaches that can beused in this stage include on-site coaching, follow-onactivities, peer-to-peer learning, provision of knowledgetools, structured replication processes, smallfunds for pilot or “demo” projects and assistance tomobilize resources. At this stage as well, the identificationof policy issues and support for policy developmentand advocacy are facilitated and may involveinter-governmental relations and donor coordination.Stage 4 – Institutionalization.This stage guides individuals and organizations to internalizechanges and processes for on-going performanceassessment and capacity development. It alsoensures the establishment and nurturing of a supportiveenabling environment.Institutionalization requires the establishment ofregulatory support for the new systems to ensure that“a culture of sustainability and continuous improvementis internalized.” This helps LGUs craft ordinances,resolutions, and Executive Orders and establishparticipatory systems for monitoring and improvementsuch as a revitalized Local Development Council.Regular allocation of budgets for new structuresand mechanisms is one concrete demonstration ofinstitutionalization.38

2planning for changegovernance guidepostsUse the Gains of the Four Stages asBuilding BlocksEnlisting the participation of the local bureaucracyand other stakeholders will build consensus and establishbetter relationships, too! Remember that differentLGU leaders have different needs, capacitiesand governance perspectives so it is important tostudy the local governance terrain first.In developing their Executive Agenda, mayors realizedthey could strengthen their LGU by building strongerrelationships with other governance stakeholders.They enlisted the participation of the local bureaucracyand other stakeholders. The Executive Agenda processserved as a foundation for building consensus andhelped the LGU identify development priorities withthe members of the community.The participatory process of the Executive Agenda,and later the Executive and Legislative Agenda, did notsimply include LGU staff and community stakeholdersin the planning; it also facilitated the “ownership” ofthe local development plans.Mayors are very influential in their localities and canchampion participatory processes geared to bring andbuild consensus.Appreciating how individual capacity building is supportedby organizational change and institutionalcommitment is crucial to ensuring that new capacitiesare applied.Many capacity development initiatives that failed didnot provide support beyond Stage 2. When no follow-throughsupport is provided to training or whenthere is a strong bias for traditional training methodsinstead of appropriate adult-learning methodologies,new technologies or new or enhanced knowledge andskills end up not being applied to the job, to real situations,or even adapted to respond to local needs. It isimportant to remember that there should always be alink between individual and organizational capacities.Ensuring that assessments are focused on its visionand on what the LGU is doing well rather than onwhat its doing wrong prevents the LGU from beingdiscouraged and “losing face” in front of peers andstaff.This principle guided the LGSP facilitators and on-sitecoaches in providing support to the development andimplementation of an Executive Agenda in each localgovernment unit. Each LGU was assisted by LGSP inidentifying the development priorities during the 3-year term of office of elected officials in a participatoryand positive process involving the staff and communitystakeholders.39

Strengthening participatory mechanisms like the LocalDevelopment Councils and other local specialbodies improves communication and links betweencommunity-based structures and local governmentofficials.“With LGSP support, more LGUs (179 in 2000; 200 in 2004)reported that they met the prescribed membership of the six CodemandatedLocal Special Bodies”The program harnessed both the Local GovernmentCode-mandated and indigenous and locally situatedvenues and mechanisms for people’s participation. Itmaximized the strengths of the LGU, building on existinglinkages and forging new partnerships. For example,in 2001, Mayor Alexander Tomawis of Barira, Maguindanaoworked for the reconstitution of the MunicipalPeace and Order Council (MPOC) composed of LGUofficials, the chief of police, Muslim religious leaders,11 barangay chairs, representatives from the militaryand five other ulamas (religious scholars).Eventually becoming the Joint MPOC-Ulama PeaceCouncil, it now serves as a conflict resolution body, defacto jury and mediator of land disputes and clan conflictsusing traditional methods of conflict resolution.On the other hand, Mayor Romulo Tapgos of Arakan,Cotabato organized the CSO desk in the LGU, institutionalizedbarangay consultations and created themunicipal multi-sectoral advisory council to engagethe community meaningfully in decision-making.Comparing LGU performance in thebaseline year against the fourth yearof LGSP, 60 more LGUs reported thatthey had gained the necessary abilitiesto formulate communication strategiesand information dissemination plansMotivating LGUs to continue improving governmentfunctions can lead to institutionalized capacitieswithin the system and among personnel.LGSP encouraged participating LGUs to host recognitionconferences where improvements in LGU capacityand performance were presented and discussed bypeers. Accomplishments of LGUs and individual LCEswere acknowledged during these conferences, encouragingnewly elected officials and incumbents to workfor improved government performance. Such a processpromotes accountability, transparency and citizenship.The Stages do not always happen in sequence.The LGSP experience shows that LGUs learn more effectivelyas they do things. Many times, applicationtakes place while learning new skills.40

2planning for changeexperiences onthe groundTaking People on Board the Same TrainCitizen participation in Upi, Cotabato has for along time been very limited because of the town’sunstable peace and security situation.When Ramon Piang was elected mayor of Upi, hereconstituted the local special bodies and createdspaces for the participation of the civil societygroups. Mayor Piang, drawing from his experienceas a Vice-Mayor, realized the indispensable roleof citizens in “keeping our plans on track and ourprograms cost effective.” When he assumed office,he recognized the need to strengthen people’sparticipation and build the skills and confidenceof LGU officials and staff.He formed the Mayor’s Advisory Council composedof representatives of the Tri-people thatmake up the community for a more accountableand transparent conflict resolution mechanism.“Our town’s most pressing concern was peace andorder,” Mayor Piang says. Upi’s 2001-2004 ComprehensiveDevelopment Plan identified this as atop priority and soon became the rallying pointfor people within the LGU and local citizens towork together on various peace initiatives.The community-based radio in Upi is a venue for increased dialogue between thecommunity and the LGU.By getting people of diverse persuasions and ideasto board the same train, Mayor Piang had less difficultyintroducing new ways of thinking towardsbuilding a culture of peace. The town’s civil societygroups came up with the idea of holding a Kapihanng Sambayanan as a popular venue not only to discusspeace but also what the local government isdoing by way of programs.41

Comparing LGU performance in thebaseline year against the fourth year ofLGSP, 60 more LGUs reported that theyhad gained the necessary abilities toformulate communication strategies andinformation dissemination plans.In 2000, only 136 LGUs had devices forinforming the population. By 2004, 32new LGUs (or a total of 172) had bulletinboards, newsletters and other means ofkeeping their citizenry updated.“The kapihan helped keep the people in the LGUtransparent while at the same time popularized ourExecutive Agenda,” says Paul Cagara, MunicipalPlanning and Development Coordinator of Upi.But Mayor Piang felt they needed to replicate the kapihanconcept through radio to effectively reach morepeople, especially those in remote barangays whosevoices are rarely heard in governance processes.He lost no time in facilitating the formation of themulti-sectoral Community Media Education Councilchaired by the Vice-Mayor. He felt that there shouldbe a more interactive venue for addressing communityconcerns and gaining popular support for thelocal government’s programs.The Council sets policy guidelines for the operationof the town’s “Peace Radio” that directly links theLGU with the multicultural community and serves asthe people’s “voice” and the LGU’s “ears.”Thus was born a mechanism for sharing and learningbetween town officials and local citizens through acommunity-owned radio.42

3building local ownershipOpen Doors Wide to Meaningful LocalParticipation and OwnershipFor systems to be effective, they must be owned bythe individuals and entities that make them work.Many capacity development efforts have been designedby external experts and offered without strategic considerationand meaningful recognition of the needsand priorities of partners and beneficiaries. Buildingownership in capacity development ensures that individuals,organizations or institutions being “capacitated”are highly involved in the process of change andwant and understand the changes that need to takeplace as well as the resulting benefits.In local government capacity development efforts,new institutional capacities should result in the establishmentof systems and procedures for managingmore effectively, generating resources, delivering servicesand collaborating with citizens, among others.Within the LGSP capacity development framework,LGU capacities are defined in reference to people(elected officials, professional, technical and administrativestaff), the organization (department andstaffing structure and systems), institutions (policies,mechanisms for public dialogue) and social interactions(political dynamics, processes and mechanismsfor public dialogue and participation). Depending onthe nature of the capacity development initiative andthe targeted results, building ownership may requirethe involvement of several of these entities working inter-dependentlytowards a common goal.Get Partners on Board EarlyThis philosophy of partnership determined thestrategy to embed LGSP programs in the local context.In Phase I, the Philippine Government managedthe program through a National Program ManagementCommittee. It worked in the regionsthrough the Regional Management Committeecreated by the Regional Development Councilswith membership from the NEDA, DILG, DBM,NGOs and the private sector. This ensured thatprogram activities supported the priorities of governmentas well as the development agenda of civilsociety and the private sector.In Phase II, with a Canadian Executing Agencycontracted to manage the project, the Nationaland Regional Steering Committees continued tobe in the hands of these multi-stakeholder groups.Participatory governance was made a crosscuttingtheme, ensuring wide-ranging participation atpolicy and implementation levels. This ensured43

that program components were grounded on local realitiesand were responsive to the needs and prioritiesof partners. Local Resource Partners, engaged by theprogram to work with and provide technical assistanceto partner communities, were crucial in facilitating theprocess of building local ownership.A Participatory PerformanceMeasurement SystemAt project start-up, LGSP II developed its PerformanceInformation System (PIS) to measure program performance.This consisted of 49 output indicators developedand validated with the participation of selectedrepresentatives of LGUs, Local Resource Partners (LRPs)and LGSP Program Officers and Managers.Program Officers (POs) then met with a group of officialsand personnel in each LGU in a focused group toassess LGU’s status on each indicator. This formed thebaseline information on the LGUs. The informationenabled the program and LGUpartners to arrive at a consensus onthe capabilities and needs of LGUs and identifiedareas for capacity enhancement.This information was updated twice a year by assignedPOs with information generated from LGU partners,LRPs and CSO representatives. The PIS was a systematictool for capacity assessment and program planning.Because this was done with partners, the latterlearned the value of self-assessment and provided theimpetus for them to “own” the process.The Executive Agenda: A Consensus-Building ProcessBuilding local ownership asan LGSP strategy is integratedat every stage of capacitydevelopment. It is imperative at the initialstage of building consensus among partners in orderto understand the situation or problem, what solutionsare appropriate, what capacities are required,whose capacities would be developed and how initiativeswill be conducted to develop these capacities.The LGSP Performance Information System and theExecutive Agenda and later the Executive and LegislativeAgenda were important sources of baseline informationand stakeholders’ priorities.The Executive Agenda (EA) process itself wasan important key in building consensus as aparticipatory approach to planning. The Mayororganizes an Executive Agenda team composed ofheads of major LGU departments and CSO/privatesector representative with a mandate to conductconsultations on community vision, mission andpriorities. The draft EA is then validated through theLocal Development Council and submitted to theSanggunian (Local Legislative Council).The capacity development plan, a companion plan tothe EA which has been incorporated into the Executiveand Legislative Agenda (ELA), spells out the capacityneeds to support the plan and undergoes the sameparticipatory process. This became the basis for LGSPassistance. This consensus building process helpeddevelop not only LGUs’ ownership of the capacity developmentinitiatives but also their readiness to undertakethem, given the self-assessed needs and priorities.44

Identify Local ChampionsIn Philippine LGUs, the mayor is the single most influentialperson who can influence the success or failureof a local program, including capacity development.Recognizing this, LGSP invested at the start in enhancingthe leadership and management capacity ofthe Mayor through the Local Chief Executives DevelopmentManagement Program (LDMP) in partnershipwith the Asian Institute of Management, AteneoSchool of Government, Development Academy ofthe Philippines and University of the Philippines, Collegeof Public Administration, in conjunction with thedrafting of the Executive Agenda.The mayor, exposed to recent trends ingovernance and management, thenbecomes a majorchampion inimplementing EApriorities in his/her LGU.Other strategic individuals such as vice mayors, planners,department heads, councilors and communityleaders are also brought into the EA team and potentiallybecome champions and advocates of local development.Through constant and regular interactionswith the assigned LGSP Program Officer, they becomethe focal team in the implementation of the program.Because of these regular exchanges, LGU partners areable to guide the capacity development process, andeven integrate the activities in their own work. LGSPthus became a true partner of local governments, ratherthan one of the usual “external experts” providingassistance to local governments.When some of the success factorsare missing, it is wiseto look for other ways ofinitiating change through CD.When one or more success factors were missing, LGSP createdthe “right” conditions for change.• Sometimes LGSP invested in the development of the mayorby inspiring him/her to address challenges and invitingher/him to join study tours to other LGUs with exemplarygovernance practices that are simple, cost-effective, andeasy to replicate.• Other times LGSP provided comprehensive team buildingactivities during the consensus-building stage by bringingtogether the mayor, the municipal legislative council andLGU staff in undertaking enjoyable but productive activities,promoting harmonious relationships.• LGSP developed rapport with the mayor and other LGU staffby focusing initial activities on her/his interest while subtlyintroducing capacity and performance improvements.• The program also built community capacity for dialogue,advocacy and cooperative efforts so that demand for bettergovernance from civil society organizations and citizens willnot be construed as a threat to the local chief executive.• It ensured that initial activities lead to quick, observable resultsand benefits because politicians need to demonstrateresults and benefits as quickly as possible or risk losing thenext elections and support from the local bureaucracy.45

Being primarily agricultural economies, mostof LGSP partner LGUs in Regions XI and XIIrequested for technical assistance to improveagricultural services and local economic development,as articulated in their respective ExecutiveAgendas. Capacity building initiatives included supportto food security planning and implementation andpromotion of sustainable agriculture technologies.In Maysaysay, Davao del Sur, LGSP supported the formulationand implementation of the Executive Agenda,

which included a strategy of promoting Diversified Organic FarmingSystems (DOFS). The LGU partnered with civil society organizationsand cooperatives for the implementation of DOFS, whichprovided services ranging from land preparation, to harvestingand marketing. One of the major successes of the DOFS in Magsaysayis the production, packaging and marketing of “Mag Rice”in Davao City and other niche markets.

governance guidepostsLook for Success Factors in DeterminingLGU Readiness for ChangeLGUs need to take action for capacity development totake place. Their receptivity to and readiness for changewill determine if the CD process achieves its desired results.This is a lesson in building local ownership forLGUs, and for CSOs and government agencies engagingLGUs in the development process. Over time, someLGUs supported by LGSP showed a significant increasein capacity and improvement in performance while othersdid not. In its analysis of the facilitating factors,LGSP identified a set of conditions that were reliable indicatorsof success in enabling development and changeto take place in the LGU. These success factors for LGUcapacity development are leadership, teamwork, communityparticipation, and peace and order.Leadership. When a mayor is open to change and innovation,capacity development can readily gain a footholdin the local government unit. LGSP found that theattitude and approach of the mayor was the single mostimportant factor in determining an LGU’s approach toCD. Local chief executives who have a governance anddevelopment perspective will be more inclined towardthe LGSP capacity development approach than thosemayors who are preoccupied with shoring up their politicalpower and clout.Local leadership is also exercised by vice-mayors, localplanning and development coordinators and local governmentoperations officers. These officials also can influencehow the LGU takes on the CD challenge. Whenthese officials have good planning, management andhuman relations skills, CD activities are more likely to besupported and lead to benefits in terms of Human Re-source Development, Organizational Development andimproved LGU performance.Teamwork. The quality of teamwork is another influencingfactor within the LGU. In local government unitswhere the mayor and vice-mayor or the executive and legislativebranches enjoy good working relationships, overallsupport and enthusiasm for CD will be more evident.Teamwork among the department heads, interdepartmentalcooperation and a concerted effort by the mayorto involve department heads and other LGU staff in planningand decision-making was also evident in the LGUsthat were actively involved in CD.Community Participation. LGUs that have open lines ofcommunication with constituents and engage communitygroups, NGOs, and the private sector are most likely tobe receptive to capacity development the LGSP way.Local governments that are open to multi-sectoral consultationare more acutely aware of citizens’ needs and willlikely be more committed to improving service delivery.These LGUs have more cooperative, rather than confrontational,relationships with different sectors and are proactivein engaging citizens in local governance processes.Peace and Order. LGUs in a state of crisis due to armedconflict, natural and man-made disasters and massive displacementof people often find it difficult to participatemeaningfully in any sustainable capacity development effort.Local officials in these areas are frequently too overwhelmedwith post conflict and post disaster challengesto think about capacity development. The absence of stabilityand security makes normal government functioningand cooperation between government and the communityalmost impossible.48

3buildinglocal ownershipexperiences onthe groundThe Mayor as Consensus ChampIt was a nothing short of a major shift in careersand way of thinking when Jaime Mahimpit,a former heavy equipment operatorin President Roxas, Cotabato became mayorof the town. Voters had pinned their hopeson the new mayor. And he did not disappointthem.Shortly after his election, Mayor Mahimpitjoined the Local Chief Executive DevelopmentManagement Program of LGSP. Oneof the things he learned was that consensusbuilding often leads to untold dividends suchas encouraging more participation from thecommunity in pursuing a local project.The LGU had identified a number of prioritiesin their Executive Agenda but was hamperedby scant resources. It worked to theLGU’s advantage to have had officials, staffand civil society groups participating in theEA formulation early on.Building on the rapport and trust generatedby team effort, Mayor Mahimpit saw the criticalimportance of information managementand communications to keep everyone inthe loop and utilize data for the LGU’s programs.Thus was born the town’s InformationSystems Plan that later paved the wayfor the establishment of the President Roxaswebsite and Internet Café.pix hereAn innovative idea for generating revenue and opening the information technology age to its youngconstituents: an LGU-based Internet Cafe. This project of the local government of PresidentRoxas provides computer lessons to highschool and elementary students, in partnership with theTechnical Education and Skills Development or TESDA.Because of its IT facilities, the town was chosen as a pilotfor the establishment of a community communicationcenter in the province of Cotabato. But more thanthat, the President Roxas Internet Café not only beganbringing in revenues but it had become a learninghub. Students and professionals, who used to travel toKidapawan City to get onto the information highway,soon became the café’s regular clients.To maximize the Internet Café’s potentials, Mayor Mahimpitintroduced free computer literacy classes for49

out-of-school youth and people who want to explorenew information and education horizons.The information management and communicationsprogram of President Roxas was just one in a long listof innovations that the LGU had undertaken withinthe local officials’ term of office. It was not surprisingat all when it became the recipient of LGSP’s KaagapaySeal of Excellence in Local Governance in 2004.Willing and Ready for CD“When I assumed office I didn’t know where to gofrom here. I was asking myself what is governance exactly,”says Mayor Roberto Sualog of Sigma, Capiz.What Mayor Sualog knew was that the LGU neededto do something about the poverty situation of thetown…and fast. “But to do that we needed to firstbuild our financial capability,” he says, “since it wouldsupport our development direction.”He believed that to revitalize Sigma, he must buildthe capacity of the LGU. “Our development agenda isthe people’s agenda and our development direction ispoverty alleviation,” the mayor says “but I was not exactlysure how to go about it.”With LGSP support, the LGU staff and officials underwenta series of Human Resource Development trainingthat assisted them in focusing on key performanceareas that merited immediate action.LGU staff and officials then worked with Mayor Sualogin crafting the Executive Agenda (EA) with the participationof local civil society organizations. The EAidentified solid waste management (SWM) as a problemand opportunity.With the Sigmahanon Foundation, a local NGO, asits partner, Sigma launched KASAMA KA, its EcologicalResource Management program with support fromLGSP. The LGU created a Solid Waste ManagementBoard and engaged citizens to oversee the town’s solidwaste management program that included SWM planning,advocacy campaigns, collection and disposal.Sigma manufactured its own shredder that is cheaperthan other models and now sells compost to traders.Another example of a successful solid waste management program is that of San Jose inAntique Province. Market wastes are transformed into fertilizer for seedlings, which areeither sold or given away to civic groups for tree-planting activities.“The LGSP approach to build on what exists, to encouragelocal ownership and to consider local knowledgewas appreciated by everyone. Now we have theconfidence to handle conferences and review our ELAon our own,” Mayor Sualog says.50

4learning to changeThink Outside the BoxCreative adult learning approaches to capacity developmentwork well in the local government contextbecause of the willingness of LGU officials to learnfrom the experiences of their peers.In her study, Inventory and Assessment of Local GovernmentCapacity Building Programs, Dr. Milwida Guevara of Synergeianoted “successful experiences of LGSP-CIDAattest to the effectiveness of non-traditional methodssuch as on-the-job learning.” She observed that “theinfluence of peer-leaders on behavior can be strongerthan that made by national government officials, academicsand external consultants.”Dr. Guevara also cited management school surveysthat pointed out the importance of non-traditionalmethods of training managers. These methods mayinclude learning-by-doing, on-site coaching, and peerto-peermentoring, as practiced by LGSP.Many of these methods have proved useful not onlyin generating positive results in various initiatives butalso in cultivating new attitudes and behavior towardsgovernance among different local government units inthe Philippines.Local resource partners of LGSP have said that learningfrom each other was “simply electrifying because ofthe synergy it generated.” They observed that the CDprocess allowed both individuals and community “torealize where their strengths and weaknesses lie.”Adopt Adult Learning ApproachesIn LGSP’s experience, the adult learning approachleads to better and more concrete results thantraditional training methods. This is especially trueat both the Capacity Building and the ApplicationStages of the CD process. Even in classroom typetrainings and workshops, LGSP uses hands-onexercises, peer-to-peer sharing, audio-video toolsand a wide range of structured learning exercisesfor more interactive and dynamic learning.At program start up, 143 LGUs hadsolid waste management (SWM) plans.Twenty-six other LGUs successfullyformulated their plans by 2004The number of LGUs that significantlyresponded to the challenges of solidwaste management changed from sevenLGUs in 2000 to 25 in 2004Thirteen more LGUs claimed that theyhad developed the necessary abilityto meet the standards for garbagecollection and disposal51

LGSP uses the following three learning methodsthat proved effective not only in generating widerparticipation but also in helping develop a process forreplication.Learning By DoingThe approach implies integrating technical assistancein the implementation of the partners’ programs.Learning By Doing involves proposing innovation andchanges to the LGU’s or a partner’s operational processesthrough the latter’s own structures and decision-makingpoints that may often involve paradigmshifts. Some of these shifts may be easier than othersto realize depending on the nature of the organizationalstrengthening being pursued. Learning by doingmay require getting a few progressive and receptive individualswithin the LGU to convince other more “traditional”individuals to open up to new ideas and setthe change process in motion.Although this approach takes time and is often difficultto predict, learning by doing as a strategy hasgenerally led to stronger results than say, trainingby outside experts. It has proven effective and betteradapted to the realities of government operations.It involves a close and trusting relationshipbetween the LGSP staff and his/hercounterparts in the LGU or other partnerorganizations.It requires creativity as well astrial and error to determinethe best ways to achieveone’s objectives.It is through continued guided practice that the partnersgradually appreciate how the innovations beingintroduced can help them become more effective indelivering their programs and achieving their goals.With such an approach to capacity development,the achievement of results is often exponential. Withtime, one overcomes bottlenecks and achieves suddenbreakthroughs, often much more important thanexpected.For example, the implementation of the Local GovernancePerformance Management System (LGPMS)as a national government initiative encountered manyroadblocks. LGSP supported the Department of theInterior and Local Government (DILG) in resolvingthese problems one after the other. Partners of thePhilippines Development Forum (PDF) have recognizedLGPMS as the foundation for the local governmentperformance benchmarking in the country. Thisis now being substantiated with commitments fromseveral important donors to continue supporting thesystem.Peer-to-Peer MentoringBeing mentored or tutored by one’s peers sits wellwith local chief executives and other local governmentofficials because they find “host demonstrations”easier to believe and understand.In Stage 2 of the CD process, enhancing the knowledgeand skills of both elected officials and LGUpersonnel is necessary to ensure that appropriate andsustainable capacities including managerial and technicalexpertise will be available.52

Much of the technical assistance provided by local resourcepartners contracted by the program centeredon providing technical exchanges between local governmentunits and peer mentoring from colleagues inother cities and municipalities. Other LGU officialsalso participated in mentoring activities in counterpartmunicipalities in Canada through what is knownas Lakbay Aral activities.The program also developed the abilities of localgovernment units to serve as host and model site fordemonstrating replicable exemplary practices. TheseLGUs became very effective mentors for visiting counterparts.Mentoring enables LGUs and other programpartners to better apply their new capacities while implementingprograms and monitoring and evaluatingprogress.Peer-to-Peer Mentoring is supported by the developmentof manuals and tools especially for documentingand replicating good practices in local governance.Many of these tools were used during the Lakbay Aralfor local chief executives, other elected officials andLGU personnel.The LGSP Framework for the Dissemination and Replicationof Exemplary Practices is based on the principlethat seeing is believing. The replication strategydeveloped and implemented by LGSP includes structuredstudy tours involving preparation (exchange ofinformation, reflection on lessons learned, participationof stakeholders) and follow-through (assessmentand adaptation of lessons learned and action plans forimplementation) so that both the host and the replicatingLGUs maximize the exchange of knowledge andensure that the visit leads to actual replication andtangible results.On-Site CoachingMuch like peer-to-peer mentoring, on-site coachingas an adult learning methodology was used by theprogram extensively through the Program Officersand Local Resource Partners who were contractedto provide technical assistance to participating localgovernment units.Using this approach enabled the program to buildthe confidence of the LGU by working side by sidewith the mayors and other LGU officials and staff.“LGSP coaching made a difference. It built goodrelations with LGUs and resulted in improved confidenceon the part of the LGU…it also facilitated teamwork…”Willy Flores, Sangguniang Bayan Member,Municipality of President Roxas, Province of CotabatoOn-site coaches, composed of program advisors,staff or contracted local resource partners, often employeda “personal touch”, characterized by one-ononecoaching and interactions with the LGUs at theactual learning environment or workplace with less ofthe formal learning methods. Personal touch meansgoing an extra mile, which may be more time-consuming,to help an LGU attain its development objectives.It involves sincerity and commitment that havenot failed to provide the needed boost and inspirationto partner LGUs of LGSP.53

governance guidepostsLearning from Each OtherCoaching LGUs to allow the participation of civilsociety organizations and other governance stakeholderscan result in locally owned plans and moreeffective service delivery.In its shelter program, for example, LGSP not onlylinked the GAWAD Kalinga (a church-based organizationpromoting sustainable community-basedsocial housing schemes) to the LGU but also sharedwith the organization its development and servicedelivery framework and tools, thus enabling it tosystematize further its socialized housing projects.The program supported the development of LGUshelter plans that became the basis for the LGU’sintegrated shelter programs. The local governmentunits in turn were able to maximize the financialand technical resources of GAWAD Kalinga and respondedto their housing backlogs benefiting thepoorest of the poor.Host LGUs provide more than just technical modelsto “learning” local government unitsThe experience of a host LGU on a replicable SolidWaste Management practice for example providesconceptual models, practical lessons andactual examples such as a policy instrument thatworked, participation of a barangay, successful citizenawareness campaigns, and effective champions,among others.Study tours or Lakbay Aral should not be consideredas stand-alone activities but rather integratedin the learning process.The LGU-initiated and LGSP-supported Gawad Kalinga communities of President Roxas,Cotabato, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao and Butuan City, Agusan del Norte are celebratedas successful initiatives that mobilized multi-stakeholder support for marginalized groups,including indigenous peoples and the internally displaced.Given that the Lakbay Aral methodology has beenconsidered by mayors and LGU staff to be effectiveas a capacity development approach, it is importantto remember that it would be most beneficialif LGUs clearly determine who among the LGU officialsand staff would be the best people to invite tothe Lakbay Aral. Learning areas should be matchedwith specific capacity development needs.54

4learning to changeBeing sensitive to the needs of LGUs and demonstratingsincerity, commitment and willingness to gothe extra mile often makes the difference in successfulcoaching.Personal touch can sometimes go a long way in ensuringthat relationships with LGUs, local resource partnersand other stakeholders are nurtured overtime. This involves active listening and a sincere desireto help build the capacities of the local governmentunit and the community. This will also serve as afoundation for mutual trust that often leads to LGUsharnessing a pool of local resource partners to buildon the gains of earlier CD initiatives.Because the on-site coaches were from area, they wereable to facilitate more meaningful and active participationof civil society organizations and organize consultationsand meetings more effectively. BALAODMindanao tapped their local network and conductedfollow through sessions to arrive at an Executive Agendathat is truly a people’s agenda. In the experienceof LGSP, coaches who are not from the area and notas knowledgeable of the local dynamics are not as effective.Selecting on-site coaches who are from the localityand are well versed with the local situation prove veryeffective.When coaches selected are truly local -- meaning theyare from the community and are themselves stakeholdersin local governance and development -- thereis more interest and commitment in providing supportto LGUs, in building local ownership and makingthings happen in a genuinely participatory manner.For example, BALAOD Mindanao, a Cagayan de Orobased LRP of LGSP, organized a group of locally basedon-site coaches to help LGSP partner LGUs in Region10 in their EA formulation.For many LGSP-assisted LGUs, on-site coaching spelled the differencebecause it imparted both guidance and technical expertise towards theachievement of targeted results.55

The San Jose Trade Center is an example of a successful public economic enterprise managed by thelocal government “in partnership” with the San Jose Trade Center Vendors’ Association. LGSP providedcapacity building on business planning, market management and organizing the vendors aspart of the program’s focus on local public economic enterprisesThe Trade Center has different sections such as meat, fish, dry goods, vegetable, grains, handicraft, etc.The association developed a market monitoring board, which provides updated information on the prevailingprices of goods sold in the market promoting transparency and better consumer protection.

experiences onthe groundThe Unlikely Town4learning to changeMayors, researchers, donor agencies, development workersand NGOs have been visiting the town of Barira, Maguindanaoin a steady stream and going away awed by what theyhad observed. LGU officials who have gone to Barira goback to their municipalities eager to apply what they sawand learned. People who visited Barira 20 years ago wouldprobably not have given it a ghost of a chance to transcendits notoriety as a rebel stronghold and no-man’s land.Mayor Alexander Tomawis, who was first elected in 2001,described Barira as bereft of houses and people. “Therewas nothing at all but we felt that if don’t do somethingabout the peace situation then our town will never prosper,”he says. It was a tall order for a newly elected mayor giventhe devastating cost of conflict that is measured not onlyin terms of lives and properties lost but also in terms of thegrinding poverty and social dislocation it spawns.Mayor Tomawis knew he could not do it alone. The communitymust work with him.When LGSP initiated in 2002 a participatory governanceproject that built on the gains of earlier peace-building initiativesin partnership with Saligan and Community OrganizingMultiversity, Mayor Tomawis wasted no time in participatingin the program. But the project wasn’t just about peace,it was about letting the local government and the communityharness their age-old traditions of conflict transformationto address modern-day conflict issues. It helped thatthe mayor had a progressive view of governance and waswilling to introduce innovative ways of improving operationalprocesses and new ways of thinking about pursuing thepeace process.58A community-based radio in Barira was launched in 2004 as part of theLGU’s participatory governance and peace-building program.Assisted by the LGSP Program Officer and other partnersfrom civil society organizations, the LGU relied on itsgood relations with different stakeholders to enhance itspeace-building efforts as a foundation for strengtheningits other performance areas. Thus evolved the Joint MunicipalPeace and Order Council (MPOC)-Ulama PeaceCouncil, a fusion of religion-based and modern systemsof political leadership. It is composed of LGU officials,Muslim religious, the chief of police, barangay captains,and five other ulama representing other communities.Through the years of on-site coaching and learning by doing,the Joint MPOC-Ulama Peace Council now serves asa “learning” site for other LGUs with Mayor Tomawis andother key LGU staff serving as mentors and coaches.

Many exemplary practices have been documented andinformation about them is disseminated through websites and publications. But to replicate an experiencein a new context usually requires a systematic and organizedapproach. Although some great ideas may beadapted and applied in new contexts, most governanceand management processes in a local government environmentare multi-dimensional. They may combinepolitical, administrative, technical and managerial dimensions,and thus must be carefully planned and implementedif they are to be effectively transferred.LGSP has gained experience with a variety of practices(methods, mechanisms, tools) that may be suitablefor replication, and has structured these methods toconstitute a more strategic approach to organized replicationprocesses.Envision Communities that Learn!Given the demands of the times and a rapidly changingenvironment, people are in need of a vision and acompass. Steven Covey said: “We often don’t knowwhat the terrain ahead will be like or what we will needto go through it; much will depend on our judgmentat the time. But an inner compass will always give usdirection.”In much the same way, acquiring, sharing and utilizingknowledge in the sphere of capacity developmententails internalizing much of the learning so that it becomessome sort of a compass to guide decision-makingand action.Create, Share and Use KnowledgeLocal government units, from within and withoutLGSP, implement projects using a variety of methodsand mechanisms, some of which were more successfulthan others. In order to adopt new practices, LGUauthorities and LGSP partners and managers mustbe made aware of recent studies, latest frameworks,relevant exemplary practices and applicable replicablepractices through strategic dissemination of informationabout them. Knowledge of local governance isshared in LGSP internally, with its partners and beyondthrough the annual assessment and planning process,workshops and meetings, websites, local resourcepartners and through a responsive and systematic disseminationstrategy for each of its knowledge assets.Replicate Exemplary PracticesLearning from a municipality that demonstrates simple,cost-effective, and easy-to-do-back-home governancepractices often encourages other LGUs withsimilar concerns to apply all or some of the lessons.The key to replicating a practice, in whole or in part,is to understand how it was implemented and whatconditions led to its success in that context. It is alsoimportant to have the determination of achievingsimilar results inspired by the success of that practice.From a program perspective, the promotion of replicationhas been an important factor in developingsolutions in a cost effective manner.The replication process involves a series of ongoing,interlocking steps – from the initial identification ofpractices that are considered “exemplary,” to the final60

decision of LGUs that some of these practices are “relevant”and applicable to their particular situations. Insome cases, a relevant practice will be replicated assuch. For others, a new initiative may emerge basedon the lessons learned and knowledge generated by adocumented exemplary practice.For replicating LGUs, it offers wide-ranging opportunitiesfor connecting with other local government unitsand is an effective and innovative way of building theirown capacities whether it is in the area of governmentmanagement, service delivery, resource generation orparticipatory governance.Replication also serves as a motivation for the hostLGU to further excel since it is being looked up to as amodel by its peer LGUs. For the learning LGU, replicationprovides an informal, though structured, learningprocess that involves interaction with the host, sharingof insights and reflection.Recognizing that the capacity within the enabling environmentto document, disseminate and support thereplication of locally initiated practices was limited,LGSP worked with the DILG, the League of Municipalitiesand the League of Cities of the Philippines todevelop simple replication systems and strategies thatincluded the popular Lakbay Aral.Consciously integrating the development and use ofknowledge products through the four CD stages, focusingon the four outcome areas of governance,strengthened the program’s replication strategy. Themanuals, sourcebooks, training modules and toolkitsthat were developed made it easier for local resourcepartners from the academe and civil society who were“Replication – a systematic and supportive process thatinvolves learning from, and sharing with others, practicesthat are proven to be effective solutions to common localgovernance problems. It makes learning and capacitydevelopment more interesting and exciting because the processis highly personal and participatory…you get to see the practiceand its benefits firsthand.”Learning from Peers for Good Governance:A Guidebook on Establishing a Program forReplicating Exemplary Practices for Local Governmentcontracted by LGUs to provide technical assistance, totap into a readily available wealth of CD materials andtools.Strengthen Local Resource PartnersLocal Resource Partners (LRPs) are very importantcogs in the enabling environment. Contracted by theLGSP as consultants and resource persons with specificareas of expertise, the LRPs served as direct linksto LGUs by providing technical assistance throughon-site coaching and other adult-learning methods.The LRPs’ intimate knowledge of the local area, its culture,social and political fabric and interrelationshipsmake them effective “learning bridges” between LGUsand capacity development programs.61

From 182 in 2000, the number ofLGUs that had plans for improving LGUinitiatedagricultural support servicesgrew to 199 in 2004Five more LGUs were able to providenew agricultural services to theirfarming communitiesThe number of LGUs that claimedsignificant improvement in clientsatisfaction with agricultural servicesrose from three to 36 over a span offour yearsMr, Hipolito Himedo of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur is applying what he haslearned form the Don Bosco Diocesan Youth Center, Inc., a partner of theLGU that provided agricultural technology on bio-dynamic farming techniques.In the nurturing process, that has been one of the value-ladenfeatures of LGSP, the program guides LRPsin maximizing the framework, strategies and toolsdeveloped with them through the different stages ofcapacity development. They also participated in thedevelopment of the knowledge products.The LRPs themselves went through a learning processthat enhanced their individual and organizationalcapacities by participating in various capacity developmentactivities and working closely with local governmentunits through their specific engagements.LGSP has assisted 85LRPs to develop their capacityto offer effective trainingand technical assistanceto LGUs. LGSP workshops for LRPs havehelped them improve their capacities in the areas ofcoaching and facilitation, responsive, accountableand participatory governance, results-based projectmanagement, mainstreaming gender equality and environment,local development and poverty reductionplanning, building a culture of peace, peace and conflictimpact assessment, local economic developmentand enhanced service delivery among others.Some LRPs that have extended technical assistanceand coaching support to LGUs continue to do soin the formulation of the Executive and LegislativeAgenda beyond LGSP. There are also others likeIloilo-Code, Green Forum and Integral DevelopmentServices (IDS) that have become part of the resourcenetwork in their respective areas and fields of specialization.62

5 managing knowledgegovernance guidepostsNurture LearningStrengthening an LGU’s ability to network allows itto maximize learning opportunities within the enablingenvironment.LGSP provided mayors who had few links with donoragencies, NGOs and academic institutions withresource kits listing potential service providers andresource partners. The program also helped themidentify critical areas on which to focus their capacitydevelopment efforts. In some instances, the LGUs andlocal agencies providing technical support developedlasting relationships that resulted in the LGU fundingCD activities well beyond the program.Taking care that LRP consultants are not perceivedas getting more attention from the LGU leadershipin favor of other personnel could nip emerging problemsin the bud before these become serious.In one municipality, the Municipal Local GovernmentOperations Officer reacted strongly to the engagementof a local resource partner because he felt that informationabout the CD initiative in the LGU was not gettingto him and if at all, he was often the last to know.As facilitators, mentors and coaches, LRPs should bemindful not to give signals that they have taken overthe roles of key LGU personnel. Instead they shouldensure that consultations, good relations and camaraderieare in place.Applying creative, adult learning processes in tandemwith more formal methods often results in more concretechanges such as an LGU working with citizensand other community stakeholders to develop simplebut meaningful projects.Local chief executives and other LGU officials appreciateand easily warm up to ideas that are simple, straightforwardand practical. One mayor has said that LGSPtaught his LGU how to tap foreign assistance througha resource kit that has a comprehensive list of potentialresource partners.The combination of on-site coaching and the participatoryand team approaches of the Executive Agenda andthe Executive and Legislative Agenda helped LGUs identifypeople’s priorities and reach consensus that werepursued through action plans and proposals.Learning is at times best achieved through bite-sizedpackages used alongside learning activities.The assessment of the knowledge products developedby LGSP revealed that local chief executives preferknowledge tools that come in small, user-friendly packagesthat are easy to refer to. Learning, particularly ahighly technical subject matter, also takes place effectivelywhen the knowledge tools are readily applied inworkshops, training sessions, roundtable discussionsand on-site coaching.63

experiences onthe groundThe Little Town That CouldThe small town of Naawan in Misamis Oriental neverthought it would become a learning site for other localgovernment units. All it wanted to do was addresspoverty problems through simple projects like goatraising, that could provide alternative sources of livelihoodfor local folks.But small beginnings have a way of leading to largedividends, such as support from international agenciesand recognition from peers.Working with the LGSP in a project called PromotingAgricultural Development for Poverty Reduction, theNaawan LGU formulated its Municipal AgriculturalDevelopment Plan that included the establishment ofa demonstration site for its dairy goat project.The program and the local resource partner contractedto provide technical assistance to the LGU encouragedlocal civil society organizations to work closelywith the government. It facilitated dialogues with theLGU that led to the formation of a multi-stakeholdercommittee to help in the different project stages, likeresource assessment and planning, and monitoringand evaluation.Mayor Dennis Roa was open to the idea of communityparticipation and had always believed that the LGUalone could not address all the concerns of the town.He encouraged feedback and dialogue and welcomedopportunities for enhancing the ability of the LGU tofulfill its mandates.Through the committee, the LGU developed its PublicEconomic Enterprise (PEE) plan through which itcreated the Municipal Economic Enterprise DevelopmentOffice (MEEDO) to oversee and manage thetown’s economic development projects. What sets theNaawan MEEDO apart is the fact that it is not underthe Mayor’s Office but rather, it is an independentbody with a multi-stakeholder composition.The MEEDO helped map out the economic enterprisedevelopment and revenue generation strategies of theLGU, like the establishment of the Agricultural DevelopmentCenter, and the computerization of its realproperty tax system and issuance of business permits.The result was a 95 percent increase in tax collection!The PEE workshops conducted by the LRP createdlearning spaces for the LGU and the multi-stakeholdercommittee to acquire and practice facilitation skillsthat slowly but subtly built their confidence in whatthey would later take pride in doing: hosting the studytours of other LGUs who want to know what they didright and how they made things work.The Ripples of Responsive LocalGovernanceA Galing Pook finalist, the LGU of Magsaysay in Davaodel Sur produced a pamphlet documenting its experiencein implementing the Paglilingkod Abot-Kamay(PAK) service delivery project, a simple, straightforwardLGU initiative that brings government servicescloser to citizens.64

5 managing knowledgePAK brings to the barangay all regular goverment servicesnormally available only in the municipal hall. Itlater integrated a tax collection scheme that allowedresidents to pay their taxes without having to go tothe town hall. The innovation allowed the LGU to increaseits revenues, thus addressing its limited budgetfor basic services.Mayor Arthur Davin later incorporated the PAK in hisExecutive Agenda after a series of consultations withaccredited civil society organizations, barangay andmunicipal officials and town employees. The MagsaysayEA was developed with the help of hands-oncoaching by a local resource partner who worked withthe LGU throughout the project.Magsaysay, which has established links with nearbytowns in Davao del Sur for information sharing andexchange through a Lakbay Aral program, has encouragedother LGUs to undertake similar projects. CompostelaValley has invited Magsaysay officials to assistthem in developing a project patterned after PAK.The PAK project has also been replicated through theKaakbay Program of the DILG, League of Municipalitiesand League of Cities of the Philippines with supportfrom LGSP. Three areas in Mindanao have alreadyreplicated PAK.Winners and LearnersJon Gales, City Administrator of the Island Garden Cityof Samal (IGaCoS), never sits still. He can be demonstratingthe city’s interactive website one moment andbe attending a workshop on Solid Waste ManagementPlanning and Advocacy the next.Like Gales, the Samal LGU is in constant flux. Afterworking to gain city-hood status, it focused on developingits Executive Agenda that listed as a priority acomprehensive Coastal Resources and Marine WaterZoning Plan. Thereafter, the LGU crafted a communitybasedapproach to tourism through a partnership withthe town of Ladysmith in Canada, facilitated by LGSPand the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).It hasn’t paused for a breath since then, taking on newerchallenges such as advocating for the establishmentof multi-LGU landfill to address solid waste disposal,increasing revenues through tax computerization, supportingthe efforts of its barangays in protecting marineresources through the replication of one of its successfulexperiences, and forging partnerships through variousdevelopment programs.A recipient of several recognitions, including LGSP’sKaagapay Seal of Excellence in Local Governance, thecity government believes in developing its capacitieseven further.Recognizing its limitations in delivering basic servicesto the poorest barangays of the city, Samal participatedin the Kaakbay program of DILG and LGSP. Samalwent to Magsaysay, Davao del Sur to learn all it couldabout its Paglilingkod Abot-Kamay (PAK), an approachto providing better access to the city government’sservices to the more remote barangays.Samal was soon enough replicating PAK and servingits poorest barangays.65

6monitoring progressWhat Gets Measured Gets Done“Organizations that measure the results of their work – even ifthey do not link funding or rewards to those results – find thatthe information transforms them”David Osborne and Ted Gaebler in their 1992 book Reinventing Government.With citizens clamoring for better governance in thecountry, a set of new words appeared in the public discourse.Words like participation, partnership, transparencyand accountability gained currency followingthe enactment of the Local Government Code in 1991.With these new words came the new language of “results”and results-based management.Results-based management is a way of managing performanceand change. LGU performance measurementhad always been an important aspect of LGSP.Beginning in 2000, LGSP II Program Managers developedtheir own measurement system called the PerformanceInformation System (PIS). The system was builtwith an existing DILG national information system asits foundation and was used to help ensure successfulimplementation of LGSP activities.The program also supported the development of aperformance measurement system for all LGUs in thecountry, the DILG-administered Local GovernancePerformance Management System (LGPMS). Throughthe use of the PIS and LGPMS, the program encouragesLGUs to adopt a culture of self-assessment andperformance analysis in their operations and services.Although LGSP Program Managers believe in a results-basedapproach to programming, measuring theresults of capacity development initiatives is alwayschallenging. The information must be reliable anduseful, which implies a good grasp of technical issuesfor measurement. The performance data needs to relateto issues that can be acted upon. Many differentfactors can affect program performance, and some ofthese factors are beyond one’s control.Despite the challenges, more andmore local governments are usingresults-based management thinkingand practices in their work.They want to know whether theyare meeting their objectives fordelivering quality services to constituents.Many LGUs have set performancetargets for services or administration, measured theirprogress against these targets, and generated discussionand analysis of their performance in definedareas.66

As Osborne and Gaebler observe, results-based managementthinking can transform an organization.When a local government collects trash, provideshealth care services, connects the community to awater system, ensures peace and security, and buildsroads and day care centers, the results of its performanceare clear to all. In the new thinking,LGUs should measure performanceas a necessary stepto making improvements, ratherthan ignore performance or deny anyshortcomings. What getsmeasured, gets done!Build a Culture of Self-AssessmentIt is better to use a measurement system to plan andguide performance than to audit and report performance.Results-Based Management and the LGSPPISThe Local Government Support Program developedthe Performance Information System to help in programplanning. The PIS allowed LGSP to establish abaseline of LGU capacity in key areas, and to measureprogress in the program against this baseline.The PIS took into consideration existing informationsystems for measuring LGU performance. This includedthe DILG’s Local Productivity and PerformanceMeasurement System (LPPMS), which was coordinatedby Municipal Local Government Operations Officers(MLGOO) in each of the LGUs throughout thecountry. To ensure consistency, the program built itsPIS on the LPPMS foundation by incorporating LPPMSindicators into its own framework.The LPPMS allowed DILG to monitor LGU’s compliancewith the provisions of the Local GovernmentCode. The PIS allowed LGSP to go one step further.The information system became a decision-makingtool organized around capacity development andperformance. The PIS helped LGSP and its partnerLGUs develop a common understanding of what theprogram was trying to achieve together. The systemserved management and development purposes, notsimply oversight and compliance.This approach helped DILG rethink its own measurementsystem. With technical assistance from LGSP,LGSP-assisted LGUs that assessed theirabilities to run public economic enterprisesas sufficient grew from two in 2000 to 36 in2004, a growth of 1700 %Comparing the years 2000 and 2004, 15other LGSP partner LGUs developed plansfor providing more or better services to theirconstituents, bringing the total to 18567

it refined the LPPMS to create the Local GovernancePerformance Management System (LGPMS), which isbetter tailored to the principles of good governance.Where there are expectations, there is accountability.The LGPMSSimple Measures, Great ResultsThe Local Governance Performance ManagementSystem (LGPMS) is a self-assessment tool for LGUsto use in identifying their performance and pinpointingareas for improvement. As a national monitoringsystem, theLGPMS provides DILG withinformation about service andperformance areasin which it may wish to focusCD support through its ownprogramming and by bringing areas of needto the attention of other CD enablers and providers.The LGPMS measures LGU performance in governanceand administration, as well as in providingsocial services, economic development and environmentalmanagement.pix hereLGSP, in partnership with FCM, initiated linkages between municipalitiesin the Philippines and towns in Canada, and consequently establishedlocal government-to-local government relationships. The partners, sharingsimilar mandates and goals, eventually worked together to find solutionsto the problems and challenges they faced.“Our mindsets were changed. We are nowperformance and results-oriented in the way wemanage our programs and priorities…”Elmer Montales, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator,Municipality of Arakan, Province of CotabatoLGSP worked closely with the DILG to increase theparticipation of LGUs in the development, testingand further refinement of the LGPMS. As a result,DILG integrated LGSP thinking on results-basedmanagement into the overall concept of the LGPMS,which emphasizes self-assessment, learning andimprovement in local government management andperformance, more than auditing and compliance.68

6monitoring progressMeasure Performance, Build CapacityGetting the support of leaders is necessary for the successfuldevelopment and use of results-based managementby the organization.As many LGUs have discovered, the move to resultsbasedmanagement is a complex process that takes timeand resources. It requires the active support of leadersfor success. The leaders need to express their vision of awell-performing organization and present results managementas a tool for achieving this vision. They need tocommunicate the purpose and use of the system amongLGU personnel and stakeholders.Working with a partner organization over the longterm helps build the trust and rapport necessary foradopting the results-based management approach.Through knowledge sharing and coaching, LGSP helpeda national oversight agency like the Department of theInterior and Local Government transform a government-basedinformation system to an LGU-based managementtool for self assessment, thus introducing anew culture of performance at the local level.Broadening “ownership” of the system beyond onenational agency or organization can encourage itswidespread adoption and use.governance guidepostsThe program was able to encourage more stakeholdersto use the information produced by LGPMS bypromoting partnerships between DILG and LGU representatives,like the League of Cities and the League ofMunicipalities of the Philippines.Building on existing knowledge and platforms is thebest path to innovation and lasting use of an informationsystem.The program built on the previous work on the LPPMSand learned from the experience of Canada hrough expertsfrom the Federation of Canadian Municipalitiesand Agriteam Canada to develop the LGSP PerformanceInformation System. When DILG decided to upgrade tothe LGPMS, the department worked from a base of experiencewith performance measurement that stretchedback over a decade. No one ever starts from scratchin developing results-based management systems. Theystart by building on what exists.Eliciting broad community participation in performancemeasurement motivates local chief executivesto do better.Mayors often say that the role of their constituents inperformance management is crucial. They respond positivelyto citizen demands for participation and accountability.If citizens believe the LGU is not responding totheir needs, or the local chief executive is not performingwell, they will make their displeasure known at the ballotbox. Performance measurement brings focus to thisjudgment. It establishes the areas and levels of performancefor which LGUs will be held accountable.69

With technical assistance from LGSP to improve alternative sources of local revenues, the municipality ofPresident Roxas conceptualized the Kaunlaran sa Kabuhayan Program (KPP). A low interest micro-creditprogram initiated by the LGU to promote household level enterprises including agri-aqua production,livestock raising and other small businesses, KPP since 2002 has helped more than 400 beneficiaries. From a seedcapital from the LGU amounting to P2.0 million in 2002, the credit fund has so far released more than P16 million.

experiences onthe groundI.T. Investment Pays Off for UpiWhen LGPMS was first introduced to the LGU of Upi,Maguindanao, Mayor Ramon Piang was hesitant touse the system. He thought it was no different from theLPPMS which rated the performance of local governmentunits. It took some convincing from Paul Cagara,the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator,that the Local Governance Performance ManagementSystem is an on-line system that tracks not only performancebut also results, to turn around the Mayor’sthinking.LGPMS actually dovetailed nicely with Upi’s informationtechnology investments. By entering validated dataon-line into the LGPMS, the LGU was able to review itsperformance report via the Internet. Mayor Piang wasimpressed by the presentation of reports that rangedfrom summaries of individual indicator reports to serviceand performance area averages.Color-coded performance summaries for each indicator,service and performance area, and the overall indexreport guides the mayor in interpreting the data. In aninstant, Mayor Piang could tell, for example, that on average,Upi’s capacity as an LGU is relatively high whenits performance index is colored green. He knows thatproductivity is only average when the color is yellow anddevelopment conditions are low when orange is shown.To Mayor Piang, the LGPMS colors provide chief executiveslike him handy and simple guides to help them prioritizeactivities and investments in a given year. As aself-assessment tool, the LGPMS shows the LGU’s strongand weak areas and leaves it to the latter to decide ontheir priorities based on the information presented.6monitoring progress72According to Mayor Piang, with LGPMS, he realizedthat environmental management was his LGU’s weakarea because it had no environmental code and solidwaste management program in 2003.Self-Assessment and Improving LGUPerformanceIn the municipality of Jordan in Guimaras province,Mayor Felipe H. Nava says the LGPMS “wheel report”allowed the LGU to easily determine its overall performanceon capacity, performance, and development.He says “the priority area we pinpointed was economicdevelopment because this was where our overall performancewas orange and red.”Mayor Nava believes that the LGPMS is an invaluabledecision-making tool for LCEs. He says that it isuser-friendly and does not require an LGU to developits own database, but rather it complements existingones. Since it is Internet-based, LGPMS reports can beaccessed anytime, anywhere.In the cities of Calbayog in Samar and the Island GardenCity of Samal (IGaCoS) in Davao Norte, LGPMSprovided a framework for strengthening the operationalprocedures of the city governments. Both citieshave organized their operating systems around thefive performance areas of LGPMS. Operations wereclustered around governance, administration, socialservices, economic development, and environmentalmanagement.

7strengthening theenabling environmentExplore the Different LevelsThe previous sections illustrate various ways in whichthe local government unit interacts with, and oftendepends on, a wide variety of stakeholders, processesand policies comprising an enabling environment toeffectively fulfill its mandate.It is important for capacity development initiatives totake into account the various aspects of the enablingenvironment for them to be effective and sustainable.The enabling environment in the Philippines is composedof the following main parts:The broad legal and regulatory framework includesthe major legal instruments that define the roles andfunctions of local governments in the country, i.e. theConstitution, the 1991 Local Government Code, andseveral Republic Acts and Executive Orders affectingLGUs, etc.Other national and local enabling institutionssuch as universities and other academic bodies,financial institutions, networks of NGOs,leagues of LGUs and specialized professional associations,private sector firms involved in infrastructuredevelopment, systems development ortraining initiatives, as well as other LGUs.International partners and other influences inthe global context are also part of the enablingenvironment.Relations with national departments and agencies:these include the major oversight and other nationalagencies with devolved functions, all of which issue anumber Executive Orders and other issuances relatedto service delivery goals and objectives, frameworks forsectoral service delivery, regulations, programs, guidelinesand training initiatives targeting LGUs, etc.73

governance guidepostsBe Inclusive, Not ExclusiveLocal government units alone cannot do everythingespecially when confronted with externalfactors beyond their control such as poorly designedregulations and requirements from thenational government.LGUs may be well intentioned but they need tohave the support of other stakeholders to be moreeffective. LGSP deliberately engaged some of thestakeholders of the enabling environment to address,for example, policy issues relating to deficienciesin the system influenced to some extentby external factors. This also helped ensure that abroad range of stakeholders would help strengthenand sustain the program. Applying deliberatestrategies to strengthen the enabling environmentallows enabling institutions, relations with nationaldepartments and agencies, the legal and regulatoryframework, and international developmentpartners to more effectively contribute to the sustainabilityof capacity development programs orinitiatives.Enabling Institutions.Strengthening local resource partners can createa stronger resource pool that can be tapped byLGUs for continuous improvement. For example,LGSP supported groups and individuals from existinglocal institutions such as the academe,private sector, NGOs and CSOs to develop mechanismsfor interaction with local government unitsand build their ability to design stronger capacitydevelopment initiatives. The local resource partnerswere involved in knowledge-based activitiessuch as conferences, focus group discussions andeffective coaching in their areas of expertise or incross-cutting themes like poverty reduction, gendermainstreaming, peacebuilding, environmentalprotection and participatory governancde.On the other hand, leagues of LGUs were involvedin coordinating capacity development strategies,in disseminating knowledge products and in helpingLGUs appreciate and adopt tools such as theLGPMS and replicating good practices.Relations with National Departments andAgencies.Over the last five years, LGSP supported the Departmentof the Interior and Local Government(DILG) in shifting its orientation from complianceto developmental approaches, from control to facilitation,from merely supervising to coaching andmentoring. The program also helped the departmentfoster a new culture of performance in localgovernance in the form of the LGPMS and adoptmethodologies for replicating and disseminatinggood practices such as the Governance Facility forAdaptation and Replication (GO-FAR). EngagingMunicipal Local Government Operations Officers74

7strengthening theenabling environment(MLGOO) of the DILG in all capacity development activitiesfrom the very start of the program contributedin a major way in ensuring that relevant and meaningfulchange takes place. By identifying weaknesses inroles and improving effectiveness, LGSP helped DILGdevelop strategies and approaches that began a processof change and recognition of performance withinthe department.Legal and Regulatory Framework.Assisting DILG review its core functions and mandatein relation to local government affairs and undertakinga rationalization exercise contributed to changethe way it related with LGUs and national governmentagencies. The strategic review analyzed the department’smandate, functions and operations in relationto the main legal instruments regulating the affairs oflocal government such as the Local Government Code,constitutional provisions, and other presidential ExecutiveOrders. The review suggested that the departmentplay a stronger role in addressing the issues ofincomplete devolution and decentralization. This ledto the issuance of an Executive Order advancing devolutionthrough executive means.International Development PartnersThe LGSP-supported LGUs were often also assisted byother development partners in various areas. The programpursued convergence and coordination of donorefforts and willingly worked with other donor-fundedprograms for increased effectiveness and to eliminatecostly and counter productive duplication of initiatives.LGSP helped coordinate the support comingfrom different sources and often helped LGUs identifyother sources of funding.Because of the breadth and spread of LGSP’s involvementat the LGU level across Mindanao, the programwas recognized by international development partnersas an important player in donor coordination effortsin southern Philippines. For example, LGSP wastapped for its experience in capacity development inlocal governance when the World Bank started a programin the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao(ARMM) to address urgent poverty, peace and governanceissues. The LGSP experience was integrated intoa multi-donor effort targeting ARMM. The programwas later invited to share its experience as part of thePhilippines Development Forum (PDF), a governmentand international partners forum that harmonizes effortsof national government agencies and donor assistanceto achieve common national developmentgoals.LGSP’s support to DILG over the years also providedinsights for DILG to play a leadership role in coordinatingdonor assistance to LGUs, as well as proposinginnovative methods of capacity development.75

partinsights for3transformation

Use Yesterday’s Lessonsto InstitutionalizeChangeFrom the different initiatives and projects developedby the Philippines-Canada Local Government SupportProgram with local government units in variousmunicipalities and cities around the Philippines, interestingand valuable lessons have been captured froman experiential point of view. These experiences weretempered by realities on the ground and provide importantguideposts for both capacity developmentpractitioners and those who would benefit from theresults of CD initiatives.In putting together some of the important lessonslearned from LGSP, this publication proceeds from astrategic perspective by taking into account insightsthat can take future CD initiatives through variouspathways. Some of these lessons are about capacitydevelopment in the local government sector. Othersare about partner organizations and program interventions.At the same time, this publication hopes to contributemeaningfully to the discourse on capacity developmentas an evolving process and paradigm whileoffering opportunities for building on the program’sgains and learning from some of its pitfalls.Here are 12 lessons gatheredfrom the LGSP experience:1Capacity development means changeover the long term.Using a comprehensive approach and longtermtimeframe is critical to successfulcapacity development. The direction, speedand acceptance of change in a complexsocial system are difficult to predict. Everyinteraction between the LGSP team and itspartners offered opportunities for capacitydevelopment.Capacity development is an ongoing processin which the development of certain capacitiesgives rise to the emergence of the needfor further CD. Many international developmentpartners are now recognizing this andare planning longer interventions for moremeaningful interaction with local partnersand beneficiaries, leading to better results.79

2Capacity development is more successful instrengthening local governance when usingcomprehensive, strategic and coordinated CDapproaches based on analysis at the system, organizationand individual levels.CD programs may often require the combination ofa range of approaches: research and development,training, technical assistance, coaching, demonstration/pilotprojects and funds provision. To be successful,capacity development interventions must addressindividual needs and consider how the individual skillsand abilities materialize in organizational or institutionalprocesses. Organizational structures and processesare often influenced by system-wide issues.Most CD beneficiaries already receive CD supportfrom various sources. One of the capacities they oftenlack is coordinating this support and integrating it intotheir core work.3Expanding the capacity development frameworkfrom strengthening local government tostrengthening local governance influences thethinking, as well as, the demand for excellencein local governance.A government perspective tends to focus on the governmentstructure itself while a local governance perspectiveexpands the notion to include the criticalinteraction with citizens, CSOs, NGOs and the privatesector. The interaction and involvement of the communityin the governance process gives rise to bettercooperation and understanding, transparency, synergyand a broader perspective on what the LGU canand should do.Capacity development helps build needed skills andsystems of several stakeholders to meet local developmentchallenges as LGUs respond to the demands forbetter governance.4More than 53% of LGSP-supportedLGUs or 99 LGUs have significantlyimproved their capacity in localgovernment managementCapacity development requires leadership, localownership and commitment to progress.Local partners need to play a leadership role in determiningand articulating the capacities they wantdeveloped and the effective approaches to be taken.They need to be patient and confident in their development.External programs can strengthen localownership by helping LGUs reach consensus on theirneeds, priorities and plans for capacity development,rather than imposing outside analyses and intentions.5Capacity development requires formal mechanismsfor knowledge sharing among local governmentswith common concerns and interests.LGUs are often eager to learn effective and provenways to improve their operations and they have a lotto gain from their peers. The mechanisms throughwhich they can share experiences range from LGU associationsor alliances, resource centers, partnerships,80

technical exchanges and approaches to replicatinggood local practices. Continuous improvement in thesector requires a permanent, dynamic and creative setof national and local level mechanisms where informationis easily accessible and interaction with peersfacilitated.6Capacity development in local governance requiresa healthy enabling environment.A strong enabling environment is critical for continuousimprovement, replication, institutionalization andsustainability. The enabling environment is comprisedof the legal and regulatory framework within whichLGUs operate as well as the enabling institutions thataffect LGUs through interaction. It is therefore criticalto also strengthen institutions such as nationalgovernment agencies, LGU leagues and local resourcepartners that can help enhance sustainability, disseminationand institutionalization of good local governance.7Capacity development requires strong and effectivelocal resource partners.Investing in those who deliver CD assistance such asconsultants, private firms, NGOs, and the academe,is necessary to ensure quality and consistency. Localresource partners (LRP) need to be strong and effectivein the local governance system. Their involvementbrings about innovation and cross-fertilization. LRPswith strengthened capacities ensure support to LGUsbeyond donor assistance.8Many of the LGUs’ inability to meet their challengesdo not stem only from a lack of capacitybut also from a lack of readiness, fiscal resourcesand policy support.Capacity development occurs more successfully inLGUs where internal conditions and factors includereadiness or receptivity for the process. These readinessand receptivity conditions are related to leadership,clear priorities, teamwork, transparency,community participation, and peace and order.Availability of resources for effective and continuousimprovement makes a difference in ensuring resultsare sustained. It is also difficult for LGUs to enhancetheir capacity to meet the requirements of nationalpolicies and programs when the latter may be unrealisticand poorly adapted to local conditions.9Capacity development means customizing supportfor LGUs.In capacity development, one size does not fit all. Thehighest degree of change can be observed when CDprojects are based on the LGU’s own assessment ofits most pressing capacity needs. It is indeed importantto take into consideration the cultural contextand particularities of one, or a diversity of severaltarget organizations and institutions requiring additionalcapacity.In local governance capacity development for example,the change in political leadership in the Philippines atelection time is a factor which can significantly impact81

on efficiency, continuity and results. One must try toplan capacity development initiatives within a specificterm of office, identify permanent positions and politicalappointments, and emphasize communication ofsustainability measures.10Capacity development means avoiding shortcuts.A number of external and internal factors can affectan LGU’s ability to successfully participate in a capacitydevelopment project. This in turn could affectthe local resource partner’s (LRP) ability to meet contractdeliverables. Effective capacity development involvesfollowing through the process and, if necessary,adapting one’s approach until successfully reachingthe target objectives, rather than cutting corners tomeet deadlines at the expense of the capacity developmentobjectives.11Adult learning approaches such as learningby doing, peer-to-peer mentoring and onsitecoaching leading to application of newknowledge and skills in LGU operations areoften better adapted to LGUs than traditionaltrainings and workshops.likely have longer lasting impact and will be able to addressinstitutional weaknesses. Furthermore, when capacitydevelopment entails coaching an LGU up untilactual implementation through the establishment ofnew procedures and systems, sustainability is almostalways guaranteed.12Complementing capacity development initiativeswith demonstration projects allowsfor immediate, practical and sustained applicationof new or enhanced capacities.For as long as demonstration or pilot projects are realisticallyfeasible and owned by the partner LGU, therange of capacity development approaches and initiativescan be greatly enhanced when they strategicallyinclude such projects. The experience of LGSP pointsto another important lesson however, of avoidingexpensive and artificial demonstration/pilot projectsthat may be difficult and costly to follow through andreplicate.Service delivery capacities improved ina total of 82 LGSP-supported LGUsLGU teams tend to be practical and focused on implementation.They often need solutions to real situationsand problems they are facing. Although perhaps moredifficult to implement and time consuming, capacitydevelopment approaches which focus on addressingreal challenges, while still including proper knowledgeand skills-building, tend to be more effective. They will82

With technical assistance from LGSP, the localgovernment of Kalibo developed a TrafficCode and is now implementing a successfulTraffic Management Program.Prior to this, the high number of tricycles (localtaxis), particularly those coming from outside thetown, was causing congestion along the municipality’smain roads. A Transport and Traffic ManagementUnit (TTMU) was established to implementthe new Traffic Code through a phase-by-phaseprocess which gave the various stakeholders, suchas tricycle drivers and passengers, ample time toadjust to the changes being made. With a colorcodingscheme for tricycles now in place, the volumeof tricycles is evenly distributed so that no onearea is congested.

Moving ForwardOpportunities for Institutionalizingthe GainsThe Philippines, much like other countries particularlyin the South, is in the process of reforming its governmentand political system to enhance the functionsand responsibilities of local governments. Togetherwith local and international development partners,the country is intensifying efforts to further decentralizeand strengthen local governance. In this context,the conditions are ripe and right to leverage and buildon the foundation established by LGSP in the last 15years.Learning from a New Breed of LocalLeadersLGSP has witnessed the emergence of a new wave ofenthusiastic and dynamic local leaders giving theirbest to address the needs of citizens throughout thecountry. They form a critical mass of local teams eagerto institute sound administrative and managementprocesses, and more effective approaches to deliveringservices. They are proactive in transforming the waythey do things and relate with their constituents.This new wave of local authorities runs in tandem withthe emergence of a culture of self- improvement andthe expansion of networks and opportunities to shareknowledge and practices. LGUs increasingly learnfrom one another and choose peer-to-peer approachesto make improvements in their operations. Localand external networks of support are also contributingto maximize this trend.Enriching Capacity Development withLocal Resource PartnersLGSP’s investment in building a pool and networkof local resource providers and positioning them asstrong partners of LGUs is now reaping its fruits.Local resource partners (LRPs) continue to play asignificant role in support of local governance. At theend of LGSP II in 2006, LGUs were starting to hireLRPs directly to strengthen their systems and operations.International development partners continuedto engage them in various local government strengtheningactivities.The capacities and experiences that the LRPs havegained are now being harnessed through their continuedinvolvement with LGUs. They are integratingnew capacity development concepts into their worksuch as peer-to-peer learning and coaching, replicatingand improving technical assistance initiativesthey experienced during the program, developing newpartnerships with LGUs and international donors,and networking with other local partners.Improving the Policy Environment forEffective Local GovernanceAppropriate national policy is a foundation for effectiveand autonomous local governance. The results ofcapacity development initiatives with local authoritiesmay have limited effects if the regulatory environmentwithin which LGUs operate does not clearly delineateroles and responsibilities and create synergy betweenthe different levels of the system. For example, inthe Philippines, the mandated functions of LGUs are84

among the most diversified in the world and a vast majorityof LGUs cannot generate enough resources tomeet these challenges.Additional financial resources are required to provideadequate services to constituents, to develop infrastructureand the appropriate conditions for localeconomic development, and to hire and develop morequalified human and technical resources. For manyLGUs, at least part of the problem lies in an ineffectivenational policy on fiscal and resource generation. Fora large segment of small LGUs with a limited taxationbase, a more adequate division of national resourcesmay be required, as well as various incentives andmodels of resource generation better adapted to theirconditions. The current fragmentation of responsibilityfor local government finance issues involving severalnational government departments does not facilitatethe resolution of such issues.LGSP has contributed to efforts to clarify the inadequaciesof some national policy and program issuesaffecting local governments and has advocated theneed to recognize national policy improvement as a necessityto strengthen local governance. With improvedlocal development as their goal, major internationaldevelopment partners are now designing new sectorwide capacity development initiatives that addressboth national policy and local government strengtheningat the same time. By the end of the LGSP programin 2006, LGSP had demonstrated that given the righttools and support, LGUs could make a very meaningfulcontribution to local development. But many effortsare still required to build a policy environmentmore supportive of LGU efforts.From 0 (zero) LGUs in theProgram’s baseline year, 37 LGUshave greatly enhanced theircapacities in resource generation andmanagement at the end of LGSPWorking with the Leagues on GoodGovernance AdvocacyLGU leagues make an important part of the enablingenvironment and can play a significant role in supportof effective local governance. With LGU membershipspread throughout the country, the leagueshave the potential to unite LGUs on common issuesand advocate their needs with one strong voice.Leagues are well positioned to consult their membersand articulate positions on national policies andprograms. They can also effectively pool resourcesto achieve common goals. LGU leagues can act as anetwork to share and disseminate valuable knowledgeon common interests and concerns and share experiencesand good practices to improve local governance.LGSP has recognized this potential and involved theleagues in some of its broad-based initiatives withnational scope such as implementing the Local GovernancePerformance Management System (LGPMS),developing methodologies for the effective85

sharing and replication of exemplary practices and indisseminating LGSP knowledge products. The programhas generally fostered a stronger dialogue between theleagues and certain national government agencies,particularly the DILG. More specifically, LGSP partneredwith the league’s Canadian counterpart, theFederation of Canadian Municipalities, to implementa project focusing on LGU representation, policy developmentand institutional strengthening.As a result of this and other cooperative relationshipswith external partners, the leagues have now becomemore conscious of the important role they can play bystrengthening their policy development and advocacycapacity and organizational structure. Although stillvery political in nature, they have initiated the process ofchange to play a much broader, supportive and meaningfulrole for their member LGUs. The leagues are definitelybecoming stronger advocates for LGU needs, aswell as partners of the national government in addressingthe myriad challenges of local development.66 LGUs or 36% of partner LGUsof LGSP greatly enhanced theirparticipatory governance processesInternational Donor Community and CDin Local Governance in the PhilippinesAt the end of LGSP, it was apparent that there stillremains a space for more significant improvementsin local governance in the Philippines. And internationaldevelopment partners have pledged to continueproviding substantial support for at least anotherdecade.With diverse partners working towards commongoals, the need for coordination and dialoguecannot be undermined. In 2005, this need wasaddressed through the Philippines DevelopmentForum (PDF) uniting multi-sectoral partners toaddress national government development goals.Given the importance of the efforts targetinglocal government, a strong working group onDecentralization and Local Governance, chairedby the DILG, has started harmonizing capacitydevelopment efforts in the local government sector.The PDF is a unique venue to help leverage and maximizesome of the gains achieved in LGSP. Specificinitiatives developed in LGSP are now being sustainedthrough continued cooperation between the governmentand its partners. For example, the Local GovernancePerformance Management System (LGPMS),developed with support from LGSP, has been recognizedas a common platform around which otherperformance measurement needs and tools may becoordinated. Major donors have recognized the valueof LGPMS and have committed to provide support toimprove local governance performance management.86

The technical assistance provided by LGSP to the Officeof the President in the issuance of Presidential ExecutiveOrder 444 on the advancement of devolutionand decentralization will be a basis for the DILG toengage others potential partners in providing technicalassistance to achieve meaningful devolution ofservices from national agencies to local governments.Similarly, members of the PDF have shown much interestin the innovative capacity development methodologiesimplemented by LGSP and are adopting manyof the lessons learned in the program experience overthe past 15 years.The LGSPA Closes the LoopTo say that the Local Governance Support Program inthe Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (CIDA-LGSPA, 2004-2009) will build on and sustain theachievements of LGSP, and continue its approachesthat worked, is to merely scratch the surface of whatcould be another exciting chapter in the history of decentralizationin the Philippines.While LGSPA carries the same local governance visionarticulated in LGSP, it does so under conditions thatrequire further innovations in capacity development.It is widely acknowledged that the Autonomous Regionin Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) needs to “catchup” with the rest of the country in improving the indicatorsof human development. ARMM LGUs will haveto work doubly hard to ensure that children are able togo to school, that women and the elderly can avail ofhealth services, that households have access to water,and families have more income.The fastest rate of LGU capacityimprovement was in Local GovernmentManagement at 53% while ServiceDelivery registered a rate of 44%.Local governments in the region will have to do so inan environment far different from those that exist innon-ARMM areas in at least two respects. For one,many ARMM areas are pummeled by armed conflict.Despite an ongoing peace process, violent inter-clanand community conflicts and other security issuescompound the region’s problems.Secondly, ARMM LGUs will have to significantly involveregional government agencies in service delivery.Inconsistencies and conflicts in ARMM governmentpolicies have caused confusion and widened communicationgaps, exacerbated by observations thatARMM agencies-LGU relations are generally weak.Can these compelling development expectations bedelivered by public institutions in a region that hasbeen described as “volatile and unstable” and wherefunctional local public administration, routinely expectedof LGUs in other parts of the country, is portrayedas discretionary and optional?Many initiatives have achieved a level of success inimproving capacities of ARMM LGUs in particularsectors such as development planning and environmentalmanagement.87

LGSPA continues LGSP’s programmaticapproach to capacitydevelopment by targeting all local governmentsin ARMM.It does so by using the perspective that over time, keychanges in a sufficient number of LGUs would buildthe “critical mass” that would, along with other positivechanges in the enabling environment, dramaticallytransform the local governance landscape and “jumpstart”local public administration in the region.LGSPA’s innovativeness will have to respond to the realitythat many people in the region still perceive thepolitical structures of local governance as alien to,and an imposition on, their traditional forms of governance.Such different, and sometimes competing, expressionsof authority and governance - constitutional,religious, traditional and revolutionary- in ARMM localitiesprovide LGSPA with challenges and material tobe relevant and creative.LGSPA further fleshes out what was pursued, but notcomprehensively, in LGSP due to programming limitations- that LGUs perform better when the institutional,regulatory and fiscal environment that govern theirwork is enabling and facilitating.The work in ARMM will have to include paying attentionto the autonomous regional government, to civilsociety organizations and to peace networks -- institu-tions that impact on LGU ability to lead and manage,deliver services, generate and manage resources, aswell as promote peace and participatory governance.LGSPA also confirms and pursues thetransformative agenda of the previousphases of LGSP. Excellence in local governanceis more than just making sure that the right proceduresare observed in the way plans and activities areapproved and budgets are utilized.Effectiveness and efficiency are to be expected frompublic organizations, no doubt. The bigger challengeis this: in the autonomous region, ethical behaviorand equitable choices by local governments affectpatterns of development and relationships.LGSP’s advocacy for improvedcoordination and collaborationamong development programswill find moreprogrammatic expression inLGSPA,with the program designed to complement the WorldBank-funded ARMM Social Fund Project (ASFP).These two programs provide financial and technicalresources for infrastructure development, social services,enterprise development and good governance– themes that will help ARMM communities as theyaspire for peace and development and an end to povertyand exclusion.88

Faith in Capacity forTransformationTrekking this kind of governance terrain is both a challengeand an expression of faith in the capacity ofpeople and institutions to transform themselves whengiven the opportunity to do so.It does not close a chapter in capacity development inthe Philippines. Rather, it opens otheravenues for evolving newthinking about good governanceor for reforming systemsand structures that no longerresonate with the needs anddemands of citizens. It is allabout change.And, as Mayor Cherlito Macas of Linamon, Lanao delNorte, once said, “LGSP affirmed what I believe in:that you should never be proud of your performancein terms of how nice your roads are … if a majorityof your people are still without slippers walking downthose nice roads.”89

ReferencesBatario, Red. “Investigating Local Governments: AManual for Reporters,” Philippine Center for InvestigativeJournalism, 2001.Guevara, Milwida. “Assessment of Capacity BuildingPrograms for Local Governments,” June 2006. Unpublishedstudy funded by the Canadian InternationalDevelopment Agency (CIDA) for the Working Groupon Decentralization and Local Governance of the PhilippineDevelopment Forum (PDF).Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program.“Creating Inroads in Forging Partnerships:A Practical Guide for Civil Society Organizations,”2004.Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program.“Learning from Peers for Good Governance: AGuidebook on Establishing a Program for ReplicatingExemplary Practices for Local Government,” 2004.Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program.“Communications Strategy,” February 2002.Unpublished technical document.Yule, Alix. “ECDPM Study for the DAC-OECD on Capacities,Change and Performance: A Case Study ofLocal Government Capacity Development in the Philippinesand the Philippines-Canada Local GovernmentSupport Program,” Paper prepared for the EuropeanCenter for Development and Policy Management(ECDPM), August 2005.90

LGSP II and Extension ProgramManagement and StaffAlix YuleProject Director, LGSP IIAlison RedfordProject Director, LGSP ExtensionMarion Maceda VillanuevaField Program Manager, LGSP IIBasile GilbertField Program Manager, LGSP ExtensionGovernance Advisor, LGSP IIRene “Bong” GarruchoNational Program Manager, LGSP IIArt MoneyFinance Manager, LGSP IIMyn GarciaCommunications Advisor,LGSP II and ExtensionJing LopezCSO & Local Planning Advisor,LGSP II and ExtensionAtty. Evelyn Camposano-JizNational Program Coordinator, LGSP ExtensionArea Manager – Region VI, IX and X, LGSP IITeresita GajoArea Manager – Region XI, XII and XIII,LGSP IIMerlinda HusseinArea Manager – Autonomous Region inMuslim Mindanao, LGSP IIPaz MonevaArea Manager – Region X and XIII, LGSP IIMa. Theresa SaronaRegional Manager – Region XI, LGSP IICaridad NasolRegional Manager – Region X, LGSP IIReynaldo NavacillaRegional Manager – Region XIII, LGSP IIAbe dela CalzadaReplication Coordinator, LGSP ExtensionRegional Manager – Region IX, LGSP IIVictor “Butch” OzarragaRegional Manager – Region XIII, LGSP IIMa. Victoria “Mags” Z. MaglanaNational Program Officer, LGSP IIRizal BarandinoLGPMS Coordinator, LGSP ExtensionProgram Officer, LGSP IIAntonio “Atsong” TantiocoProgram Officer, LGSP II and ExtensionFe SalcedoProgram Officer, LGSP II and ExtensionMildred CieloProgram Officer, LGSP II and ExtensionSef Alba CarandangProgram Officer, LGSP II and ExtensionRia AdaponProgram Officer, LGSP IIMike JuanProgram Officer, LGSP IIRicardo “Dicky” LimbagaProgram Officer, LGSP IICris TagupaProgram Officer, LGSP IIAmie AgbayaniProgram Officer, LGSP IICelso AbocejoProgram Officer, LGSP IIAser RealubitProgram Officer, LGSP IIJun AyensaProgram Officer, LGPS IIRoseller “Boy” BastilladaProgram Officer, LGSP IIEdgar CatalanProgram Officer, LGSP IIGemma BorrerosProgram Officer, LGSP IIVictor AlfaroProgram Officer, LGSP IIVicente “Tinty” IriberriProgram Officer, LGSP IICecille IsubalProgram Officer, LGSP IIAbduljim HassanProgram Officer, LGSP IIJavier RicoFinance Officer, LGSP ExtensionLigaya BarazonAdministrative and Finance Officer,LGSP II and ExtensionFatima Mending-AbasFinance Officer, LGSP IIJerry CompletanoFinance Officer, LGSP IIEunice PajoFinance Officer, LGSP IIArlene AvancenaAdministrative Officer, LGSP IIAngela UmaliAdministrative Officer, LGSP IIDennis MendiolaDatabase Officer, LGSP II and ExtensionRobert RaguroDatabase Officer, LGSP IIJessie BacalDatabase Officer, LGSP IIIan CubingDatabase Officer, LGSP II

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