Details

Seven new municipalities, the Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Oriental Department of Interior and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung partner, Local Government and Local Government Development Foundation (LOGODEF), signed a Memorandum of Agreement to formalize new partnerships under the Integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) Comprehensive Planning Training Program last July 26, 2010 at the Grand Ballroom of the Pryce Plaza Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City. The whole day forum clarified the roles and responsibilities, culminating in a Memorandum of Agreement signing among the involved parties.

The LOGODEF recently extended its Mindanao capacity building training program on Integrated GIS – Comprehensive Planning in the Province of Misamis Oriental. The municipalities of Initao-Laguindingan-Guitagum and Alubijid-Libertad-ElSalvador-Opol formally now compose the ILG and ALEO clusters after their respective local chief executives and members of the Sangguniang Bayan dissected and finally signed the Memorandum of Agreement.

During the discussion, the two clusters separately convened as pertinent issues on the partnership were discussed. Prof. Ed Tayao, Executive Director of the LOGODEF, lay down the concept of Inter-local Cooperation; Ms. Carissa Lacson, Program Officer of LOGODEF, ran through the actual MOA, stressing the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved; Department of Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Ponciano Caberte discussed the experiences of the three old clusters, featuring demonstrations from the Manticao-Lugait-Naawan (ManLuNa) cluster on the actual uses of the mapping system; and Ms. Cynthia Abanil, Provincial Planning and Development Officer of Misamis Oriental, clarified and assured the body the consistency of the training with the overall program direction of the Provincial Government. After the intense discourse, both clusters unilaterally confirmed the Memorandum of Agreement and drafted joint resolutions to formally adopt the agreement.

During the plenary, Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno talked about the macro benefits of inter-local cooperation and thanked the participants for seeing beyond political colors and affiliation. He, together with the seven local chief executives, Department of Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Caberte and LOGODEF’s Prof. Tayao signed the MOA while Sangguniang Bayan representatives and Ms. Abanil stood as witnesses.