[Philippines] Bacolod Mayor shares governance practices in Cambodia

by Carolina A. Dionela

BACOLOD CITY, Aug.12 (PIA) -- Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and his project team returned recently from a three-day travel to Toule Sangke, Cambodia, on a Democratic Local Governance for Southeast Asia (DELGOSEA) funded study trip where they shared lessons on best practices with their host country, a press release from City Public Information Office said.

The DELGOSEA funded-trip was on the invitation extended by Toule Sangke officials to Mayor Leonardia and his project team members so they can exchange or share lessons in people participation in local governance.

Bacolod City has been chosen among 122 cities in the country as pilot area in the in the DELGOSEA transfer concept program.

Bacolod was found to have complied with the requirements for a pilot city that include good track records in exercising local government functions; solid potential of human resources; strong leadership quality of the mayor and senior local government officials; and capability of the city to successfully replicate the best practice chosen.

Leonardia said he has chosen to replicate the program on “people-public-private-partnership” after communicating with city officials and employees.

While in Cambodia, Leonardia and his project team paid a courtesy call on the Capital Governor who was represented by his Deputy Governor, Nuon Someth, who introduced some government officials and and gave them an overview of Cambodia’s political structure and policies. In return, Leonardia also gave them an overview of Bacolod City.

They also met with businessmen, interacted with communities and saw the proposed global city, the first in Phnom Penh.

The members of the project team of the Mayor were Sangguniang Panlungsod Member Councilor Em Ang, Human Resource Management Officer IV and Pilot Coordinator for the Project Gilda Luisma, SP Member Caesar Distrito, DSWD Head Sally Abelarde and Mrs. Elsa Leonardia. They were accompanied by the Cambodian National Coordinator, Muny Min, and Philippine National Coordinator for DELGOSEA, Antonio Avila and National Coach Yvette Yap. *(PIO/JSC/CAD-PIA6 Negros Occ.)