LEARN AND WORK MORE. In his message at the Local Legislative Enhancement Course, XU vice-president for academic affairs Fr Rene Tacastacas SJ tells our local legislators to keep on learning about governance and leadership to effectively make laws for their constituents. Supplied photo.
By Mary Ann Chiong
In a recently concluded Local Legislative Enhancement Course conducted by the Governance and Leadership Institute (GLI) of Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan in January, local legislators were able to sharpen their knowledge and skills on effective policymaking.
During his welcome remarks, XU vice-president for academic affairs Fr Rene Tacastacas SJ expressed his appreciation to the local legislators who attended the training. He said that learning should not stop after one has gotten his/her diploma, but it should be a lifelong process. Tacastacas also shared that by continuously learning, we will be able to love our work more and serve our constituents better.
Throughout the two-day training, participants learned from field experts on local legislation, the power of social media in engaging with the public in lawmaking, and the importance of a sound partnership between the executive and the legislative branches of government.
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Bukidnon provincial director Bruce A Colao shared his expertise on the Legislative Agenda; XU Development Communication Department chairperson Evans Yonson talked about social media as a tool for social change; LGU Opol’s Vice-Mayor Tatchie Mabulay-Ortigoza exchanged experiences with the participating Sangguniang Barangay members how she maintained her good relationship with her local chief executive; DILG Iligan City director Foster Anayron coached the participants on parliamentary procedure; and Cagayan de Oro City’s 2nd District Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya shared his experiences in ordinance-making and how laws should be responsive to the needs of the people.
Eleven municipalities from nine provinces of Mindanao attended the two-day training, namely, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur; Las Nieves and Rosario, Agusan del Norte; Kalilangan, Bukidnon; New Corilla, Davao del Norte; Tagum City, Davao del Sur; Iligan City, Lanao del Norte; Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat; Tagbina, Surigao del Sur; Labangan and Sibuco, Zamboanga del Norte. ∎