DILG Camarines Sur initiated in the first quarter of 2019 interfacing activities with all the LGU officials and functionaries in the province to further strengthen its partnership in implementing the Department’s flagship programs to build synergy.  Anchored in the Department’s vision of sustaining peaceful, progressive, and resilient communities, the strategy was conceptualized to provide a more productive engagement with local government units on the implementation of the DILG PPAs. Dubbed as “Synergy Building: DILG and LGU Interfacing on Flagship Programs,” the collaborative activity was conducted to primarily serve as an avenue to update the LGUs with DILG flagship programs; secondly, it tried to solicit feedbacks on its implementation; and finally it paved way in identifying set of strategies to ensure coordinated efforts in sustaining success and overcoming challenges in the programs’ implementation.

The DILG Synergy Team per cluster composed of the Cluster Heads and staff, along with the program champions made rounds to all LGUs in February to March. During the interfacing, the LGU functionaries were apprised of the results of the 2018 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) – Governance Assessment Report (GAR), specifically on the LGU’s performance on the different governance areas. Focus was also given on the following DILG flagship programs: Peace and Order (POC) and Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) Audits, Disaster Risk Reduction – Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA), Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA), Gender and Development (GAD), and status of the Locally-Funded Projects (LFPs).  The challenges faced and the issues which confronted the LGUs were likewise discussed and possible courses of actions were thoroughly studied.

Given the receptiveness and willingness of the LGUs to adapt to the governance initiatives, DILG Camarines Sur is in high hopes for a more fruitful partnership with LGUs to ramp up good governance. As LGUs recognize the challenges which they confronted in the previous years’ performance assessment,  the Department stays committed and steadfast in ensuring that the thrust to further strengthen local government capacity remains a priority.

The activity affirmed that constant dialogues and interfacing activities between partners are extremely important in pursuing excellence in local governance.