SIX cities in Cebu were among the local government units (LGUs) identified to receive technical aid from a Canadian advocacy group.
Naga, Danao, Mandaue, Carcar, Lapu-Lapu and Bogo cities will be the local partner-LGUs of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in its program aimed at spurring more economic development in these areas, said Garth Frizzell, FMC member councilor for the City of Prince George, B.C.
The beneficiaries were announced through the Asia Partners Forum on Local Economic Development held in Cebu last week, which was attended by the FCM representatives.
“Through its local economic development work, FCM works to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of Canada’s international aid,” said Frizzell.
FCM’s program will provide ways for Canadian municipalities to partner with counterparts around the world, contribute knowledge, and foster cooperation across a global network of local governments.
Through the program, the Canadian experts will share their professional and technical know-how to program beneficiaries by working directly with them.
“They are looking for expertise in areas such as leadership, management and administration, engineering, urban planning, economic development, equitable delivery of services, diversity and intergovernmental relations,” Frizzell said.
Frizzell said that FCM believes that without strong leadership by local governments, it would be impossible to achieve results that will benefit the local economy.
STRATEGY
FCM’s partnership with the local counterparts is a strategy they think should help, Frizell added.
FCM partners will help LGUs come up with the best strategies to pursue community economic development, look at the best practices in their counterparts, come up with plans for more developmental initiatives, and evaluate the results of their work.
Aside from the Philippines, FCM also signed partnerships with other countries in the region like Vietnam and Cambodia.
“I’m pleased with the inclusion of these cities as FCM beneficiaries,” said Philip N. Tan, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry president.
Tan, however, said that all the training provided will be for naught if people will elect local officials according to popularity and not on their capacity to serve.
“My concern is more on the understanding by the LGUs on how important economic growth is, and running the government like a business instead of running it for their vested interests,” Tan said.
“It is sad to say that we elected most people out of popularity not of competence,” he added.
Other business leaders also welcome the six cities’ inclusion in the FCM program.
“LGUs play a vital role in the economic development particularly in the rural areas,” said Lito Maderazo, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president.
“Making them capable of providing an enabled environment for investment and business opportunities, and helping them to properly identify their natural and human resources will help localities accelerate inclusive growth,” Maderazo said.
Cebu Business Club president Gordon Alan Joseph agreed.
“This is obviously a good development because too many LGUs still rely on the IRA (internal revenue allotment) from the government which is supposed to help LGUs achieve self sufficiency but it hasn’t done that,” Joseph said.
“Hopefully with this capacity-building, the LGUs will able to spur economic development,” he said.