By Wilson J Hormeguera
Representatives from the different local government units in Northern Mindanao attended in a training on adaptive leadership of the Governance and Leadership Institute (GLI) of Xavier University.
The training, held on August 17-20 at the VIP Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City, formed part of the second module of the Municipal Leadership and Governance Program (MLGP), a joint health leadership training program of the Department of Health - Regional Office X, Zuellig Family Foundation and Xavier University.
The participants came from the different local government units of Region X: Maramag, Bukidnon; Mambajao, Camiguin; Matungao, Poona Pigapo, and Tagoloan of Lanao del Norte; Bonifacio, Panaon, and Oroquieta City of Misamis Occidental; and Kinoguitan and Salay of Misamis Oriental.
MLGP aims to improve health outcomes through an empowering leadership and governance, enhanced local health systems, active community participation and effective delivery of basic services at the local level.
The program is also geared toward creating an immediate impact on achieving related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) such as the reduction of infant mortality rate (IMR) and improving maternal health in 609 identified priority municipalities nationwide that need to improve in their local health systems by the end of 2015.
Following the Bridging Leadership Framework, the mayors and their municipal health officers went through a series of workshops highlighting the health inequities in their locality.
Considering that a certain health inequity is a "systemic problem," the training emphasized on the importance of multistakeholders’ co-ownership approach in addressing it. Thus, the bridging leader together with the stakeholders, can craft innovative solutions to health problems in the locality.
Adaptive leadership emphasizes on how the leader works with people or groups to make decisions or change behavior for the greater good.
The participants were asked to reflect on their work performance and how these have personally changed them. Deepening the dialogue and understanding dynamics of stakeholders also formed part of the workshop.
“I said this before and I’m saying this again, that this training should have been given at the start of a mayor’s term. Much could have been done to achieve better health outcomes in the locality,” shared Mambajao Mayor Baby Romualdo.
MLGP participants are expected to have completed the leadership program before May 2016.