BUTUAN LEADERS. Xavier University - Governance and Leadership Institute director Dr Dixon Yasay leads the Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA) formulation for the local government unit of Butuan City. Supplied photo. 

By Alain Roy M Romero

"In parallel motion towards Caraga's sustainable growth and development, a socially-responsive, transparent, resilient, economically vibrant local government of Butuan driven by highly motivated and competent public servants, and empowered citizenry by 2020."

This is the new vision of the Executive and Legislative Agenda (ELA) team of the local government unit of Butuan City formulated during the Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) seminar-workshop from September 14 to 16, facilitated by the Governance and Leadership Institute (GLI) of Xavier University.

The three-day ELA formulation workshop featured discussions on the LGU’s sectoral issues and problems on social services, infrastructure, the environment, local economy, and institutional systems. From the latter, the ELA team defined the strategic goals per sector and discussed them with the city councilors for legislative measures.

XU-GLI director Dr Dixon Yasay led the ELA formulation anchored on the Five Disciplines of Learning Organizations, analysis of local challenges, and in parallel with the directions of the new mayor of Butuan on Real Change Leaders Strategy for Ensuring a Sustainable Good Future.

"The updating of the ELA is necessary as it is term-based along with the tenure of the new local chief executive," said Yasay. "There are different approaches to update; however, the Department of Interior and Local Government has set the local government framework based on the city's 'social contract.'"

Following the ELA formulation, LGU consultant Churchill Aguilar shared on Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM), a program that integrates and enhances the Personnel Management Assessment and Assistance Program (PMAAP) and the CSC Agency Accreditation Program (CSCAAP).  

Aguilar conducted a workshop to give further details on the different office’s targets and measures, and to align them to their mandates, guidelines, and strategies in order to achieve the goals of the LGU.

The public servants’ recent learning experience with XU-GLI is just the first step towards a more transparent, accountable and empowered city government of Butuan. ∎