The Newly Elected Officials Program

Department of the Interior and Local GovernmentLocal Government Academy

8/F Agustin I Bldg. F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City, PhilippinesTel#(632) 634-6416/634-1883; Fax# (632) 634-6567;Email: lgamail@lga.gov.ph Website: www.lga.gov.ph

“Maximizing Opportunities and Enhancing Resiliency

as Platform for Global Competitiveness”

NEO MENTORING PROGRAM

The NEO Program LOGO

The Newly Elected Officials (NEO) Program Logo makes use of minimalistic styling cues that highlight the aim and purpose of the Program. Elements include the following:

1. Colors – The logo bears the Philippine flag color mixed with prominent LGA Colors.

2. Text –the initials of the program are spelt out.

3. Additional Elements:

The letter “O” in the logo has several symbols pertinent to the program;

A globe insignia serves as a background element and symbolizes the goal of the program to produce a corps of “globally competitive local leaders”;

A silhouette of a person wearing a “salakot” symbolizes traditional Filipino imagery of local leadership as the “salakot” is believed to be worn by Cabezas or local chieftains during olden times;

A simplified image of a person with a necktie symbolizes “competent management” as the necktie is associated with the corporate workplace and general, mid and higher management.

4. Balangay on the water – The balangay serves as one of the first means of transportation of Filipinos during the pre-Hispanic era and iterations survive to this day in some parts of the country. The balangay in the NEO Program logo represents the relentless quest for better governance by the local leaders of the country alongside the national government.

This element further symbolizes the concept of “Byaheng Pinoy”, a term coined specifically for a Filipino brand of good governance that prioritizes morally upright (matino) and excellent (mahusay) governance.

The NEO Mentoring Program involves peer-based and face-to-face sessions for newly-elected local officials of 2016. The program aims to provide a space where the newly-elected officials can discuss issues or challenges in local governance with their mentors, who could be past or present local executives. It is envisioned to build confidence and trust between the mentors and the newly-elected officials that will pave the way for significant transition in knowledge, work or thinking. The expected outcome would be an enhanced performance management and empowerment of the Local Chief Executives.

Sharpening the Saw provides for training and capacity development interventions mapped out from the LGUs Capacity Development Agenda that is Competency Based. This is a market driven program wherein the LGUs can match their requirements with the existing capacity development services and training packages available. This allows LGUs to choose, negotiate and work in partnership with Local Resource Institutions, National Government Agencies, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other stakeholders in the delivery of capacity development services.

B. LGU Guide to Action

A Webinar Series that covers the following: Localizing the Development Contract of the New Administration, Governance Challenges 101 and Strategic Management with emphasis on a Local Development Strategy. The different modules are categorized as foundation and elective modules.

The NEO Program aims to build strategic leaders out of newly-elected officials who would lead their local governments in becoming competitive, efficient and responsive institutions for development.

Program Objective

Component 1: Ensuring Smooth Transition

Component 3: Looking Forward to Better

Governance

Component 4: Sharpening the Saw

Component 5: Enhancing LGU

Performance

Component 2: Jumpstarting Local Governance

This component allows the local officials to be immersed on the actual challenges confronted by the local community in terms of governance, climate change and disaster resiliency, competitiveness and social protection. It has three parts. The (1) Formulation of LGU Plans is expected to result in the LGU’s development plans (i.e. CDP and CLUP), Executive-Legislative Agenda (ELA), and Capacity Development Agenda. The elected officials’ knowledge on different governance issues shall be enhanced through the (2) Executive Sessions with renowned governance experts as resource persons and (3) the Building Alliance part shall bring together the provincial government and the city/municipal governments to draw up a Provincial Physical Framework Plan. In addition, it is during this part that partnerships with CSOs, LRIs and the private sector are established.

1. Foundation Modules –These are modules on the New Administration’s Development Contract on the Ground and Strategic Management (Local Development Strategy)

2. Elective Modules –These modules focus on the following outcome areas:

- Accountable, Transparent, Participative and Effective Local Governance

- Business-Friendly and Competitive LGUs- Environment-Protective, Disaster-Resilient and Climate

Change-Adaptive LGUs- Socially-Protective and Safe LGUs

Modules include Health Governance, Local Economic Development, Education Governance, Regulatory Simplification, Environmental Governance, Strategic Management, Public Safety, Resource Mobilization and Financial Management and Analysis, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, Bridging Leadership and Urban Governance among others.

THE NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS PROGRAM

This metric-centered evaluation and recognition of LGUs aims to standardize and instill a more disciplined approach in encouraging better LGU performance. Assessment tools such as Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), Balanced Score Card etc. will be used to assess performance of LGUs. Incentives and awards will be conferred to deserving LGUs to encourage innovation in local governance.

This component focuses on enhancing LGU performance through performance assessment and incentives for exemplary performance.

A. Basic Orientation: First 100 Days

A venue where elected officials will be groomed as development managers and empowered word class leaders. It is a peer-based sharing of realistic, practical and innovative ways of doing their job. The basic orientation focuses on the following topics:

• Decentralization and governance• Duties and functions (including concerns on police

deputation and drugs)• Issues, challenges and solutions in governance• Dialogue with peers and select government agencies.

Component 2 provides a foundation to help local officials understand and think critically about the organizational, political, and constitutional environment of public service especially in local governments. This understanding is expected to direct them into crafting their Agenda for their First 100 Days and formulating a localized Development Agenda. It has two (2) main parts:

This component is intended to ensure smooth, effective and orderly transition to the incoming newly-elected officials. This involves the creation of a transition team in each LGU who shall take charge of preparing transition documents and developing briefing schedules for the turnover of LGU operations. The team’s tasks include taking an inventory of all LGU properties, organizing all documents and records of the LGU, managing the transfer of accountabilities, and organizing a turn-over ceremony that would include a briefing on the State of Local Governance in the LGU. This component will give the incoming elected officials a clear picture of the challenges and opportunities of the LGU, and guide them in coming up with informed plans and strategies to develop the LGU and deliver better services to their constituents.