In commemoration of the 3rd Death Anniversary of Jesse M. Robredo this August 18, 2015, the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation, in partnership with the University of the Philippines – National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, Philippines (FNF), will be having the first ever Tsinelas Leadership Awards 2015.
Click here to read know more about the Tsinelas Leadership Awards 2015.

As part of the continuing partnership efforts of the Innovative Technologies for Open Government Partnership Coalition (ITOGP), the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government Unit – Bureau of Local Government Development (DILG-BLGD), Department of Science and Technology Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in collaboration with Ayala Foundation, Inc. (AFI), USAID E-PESO, and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), conducted the LGU ICT Forum Mindanao Leg, with this year’s theme: Strengthening LGU Capacities through ICT: “Innovation, Competitiveness and Transparency” in Cagayan De Oro City on September 3, 2015. The first of the three island-wide fora welcomed around 250 participants from different LGUs in Mindanao who were able to complete the streamlining of business permits processes, comply with the Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS) standards and were deemed one of the E-ready LGUs by the DOST-ICTO.
With the support of various companies including Microsoft Philippines, Canon, PLDT Alpha, Felta, Ng Khai, WSI, DBP-DCI, Bizbox, Syntactics and American Technologies the ICT Forum generally promotes the importance and use of technology in the local government units’ system and operations as they address the demand and deliver the needs of their constituents. This event also aims to strengthen LGU practices on transparency and accountability. Specifically, it offers an avenue to:
Update LGUs on the current programs and policies of national government in creating a business enabling environment through the use of technology.
Showcase LGUs best practices in maximizing the use of technology in their operations, system and structure for better performance.
Apprise LGUs on the different and available system application that they can be used and adopt to create innovation and transparency in their operations and effective delivery of services.
Enable LGUs to choose superior technology that fits their needs and meet the demand of their constituents especially in making and doing business.
Various private companies exhibited and showcased innovative technology solutions to the participants. Interested LGUs were given the opportunity to discuss the technology and sign up with the exhibitors follow through. These companies also gave away raffle items to the attendees.
During the lightning talks portion of the program, ULAP Executive Director Czarina Medina-Guce gave an overview of the Open Government Partnership and the Third OGP Action Plan Commitment. Mayor Oscar Moreno of Cagayan De Oro City, ULAP’s third Vice-President, and Councilor Kirk Asis of Bayugan City, current ULAP Assistant Secretary General, were also among the speakers during the event. The former presented CDO’s Text2Teach Project experience while the latter represented the LGUs in his Call to Action speech.
The LGU ICT Fora for Luzon and Visayas are scheduled on September 16 and 22 respectively. The Luzon leg will be held at the Makati Palace Hotel, Makati City and the Visayas leg at Punta Villa Resort, Santo Niño Sur, Villa Arevalo District, Iloilo City, Iloilo. For more information and for those who want to register, you may visit www.lguictforum.org.

The Samahan para sa Tunay na Eleksyon sa Pilipinas (STEP), of which the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), launched the 100-day countdown to 31 October 2015, the last day for voters to register or validate their registration on July 22, 2015.
STEP is a multi-stakeholder coalition that aims to ensure anyone eligible to vote gets to do so in the 2016 Elections, considered one of the most crucial electoral events in the country. STEP Coalition envisions a Philippines where empowered citizens influence the country’s future by making informed choices in a fair and truthful elections. STEP wants Filipinos to realize how important every vote is, and that together we could influence the direction our country moves toward.
If you are willing and able to contribute to this campaign, you may find the voter’s registration and validation campaign toolkit here bit.ly/STEPRequestForMaterials.

The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) with Galing Pook Foundation, national government agencies, local government units and its leagues, civil soceity organizations, academe, and private companies have come together for the conduct of the Governance Fair 2015, with the theme “Mamamayan, Mamamayani”, last August 30 to September 1, 2015 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. The objectives of the fair are to (1) recognize the invaluable engagement of civil society in aiding various LGUs to achieve sustainable social, economic, technological, political and institutional development; (2) strengthen the capacity of local government units to provide opportunities for inclusive and effective citizen participation in local governance; and (3) inspire the larger population to enjoin themselves in the crusade for good governance.
During the fair, various sectors showcased their programs and products in the booth exhibits. LGUs were also in attendance to introduce local products and best practices during the 3-day affair. Majority of them are Galing Pook awardees from the previous years.
On Day 1, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Steering Committee, in which ULAP is also a member, conducted a townhall meeting on “Meaningful Devolution and People Empowermment” at the open stage. ULAP assisted in facilitating the sectoral worshop which focused on the impact of government programs on the family/community/sector. DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman and DBM Secretary Florencio Abad were also present in the dialogue.
On August 31, during the second day of the Governance Fair, ULAP once again partnered with the OGP Steercom in the Launching of the 3rd Country OGP Action Plan. Present during the event were ULAP Assistant Secretary General Hon. Kirk A. Asis, who gave the welcoming address, and Sec. Florencio Abad, who discussed the OGP and how citizen participation contributes to sustainability of open government initiatives. Messages were also given by members from the OGP international community including Mr. Clay Epperson, Acting Mission Director of USAID and His Excellency Ambassador Julio Villaseñor, Embassy of Mexico. Testimonials were also given from the members of the OGP Steering Committee and the Academe. Kirtham Novriel N. Dumpa from UP-NCPAG touched on the involvement of students and the academe in the push for good governance. Lastly, the the Revamped Governance Cluster Website was launched and unveiled by Usec. Richard E. Moya of DBM. LGUs, CSOs and other sectors in attendance were briefed on the OGP and its importance in providing avenues for active participation of all stakeholders.
The Governance Fair is part of the continuing partnership efforts of the Open Government Partnership Innovative Technologies Coalition.

The Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines conducted a Lessons Learned and Monitoring Session for evidence-informed policymaking (EIPM) in education in Catbalogan, Samar on September 1, 2015.
The monitoring session served as a follow-through of the capacity building for EIPM conducted together with the Ateneo de Manila University last May 6-8. Mayor Melchor Nacario, Mayor Francisco Langi Sr., Vice-mayor Aldwin Langi, and DepEd School Governance and Operation Division Chief Claire Menda are among the 19 participants from the Provincial Government of Samar, municipalities of Calbiga, Motiong, and Pagsanghan, and the Division and District Offices of the DepEd who attended the monitoring session. Participants shared the milestones they achieved, as well as the challenges and ways forward in continuing their practice of EIPM.
This event is part of the project, "Capacity Development for Evidence-Informed Education Policy Making in Sub-national Government Level in the Philippines”, implemented together with the Ateneo de Manila University- Political Science Department, with a grant support from the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP).