With a vision to advance local governance to ever greater heights of excellence through knowledge sharing and innovation, the DILG-NCR, through its Local Governance Regional Resource Center (LGRRC), entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Washington Global Institute (WGI), a teaching institution providing specialized courses in leadership, public administration and governance, diplomacy, and international affairs.

The ceremonial signing was held on May 17, 2023 at the 10th floor, Executive Guest Lounge, SM Aura, City of Taguig.

DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III signed the MOU on behalf of LGRRC, while WGI President Dr. Tahir I. Shad, signed on behalf of Washington Global Institute. Acting as witnesses to the agreement were DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO V, and Dean Gary D. Ador Dionisio, DPA of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, School of Diplomacy and Governance.

Local Government Capability Development Division (LGCDD) Chief Helen A. Verzosa, Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division (LGMED) Chief Raymond Gerard E. De Asis, LGOO VI/Chief of Staff Abigayle C. Baligod, LGOO VI/LGCDD Assistant Division Chief Luigi DC. Pilarta, LGOO V Marda Alina R. Dumaoang-Acoba, and LGOO V Marlon Clyde S. Camilon were also present during the ceremony.

In her message, DILG-NCR Regional Director Agustin expressed her determination to advance the goals of the Regional Office to have NCR local governments and partners keep current with issues in a wider context and to address concerns and issues with a global perspective. Regional Director Agustin also shared her “sense of optimism about the trajectory that local governments and regional agencies in the National Capital Region will be taking as we put this engagement into motion.”

For his message, Dr. Shad focused on WGI as a well-regarded and widely respected institution, providing customized and specialized trainings and conferences for professionals and practitioners of governance and public administration, diplomacy, and international affairs, whose expertise and programs align closely with the objectives of the DILG-NCR LGRRC.

After the MOU signing, Dean Dionisio delivered a message focusing on how WGI can be a partner of the DILG-NCR in its effort to strengthen the capacity of the LGUs in NCR in the fields of diplomacy and governance, urban local governance, public administration, and sustainable development.

In her response, DILG-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Baltazar-Cortez expressed her hope for the MOU to further boost the impetus behind the strategic imperative of knowledge-sharing in NCR. “There is a world of knowledge we can learn from each other and empower the people we serve with. I look forward to taking part in the programs and collaborations we have in store and making a smart, resilient, and future-ready NCR a living reality,” she added.

The MOU signed by both parties envisions to develop programs to provide the necessary skills to implement effective policy and manage organizations with diverse stakeholders in order to have a better understanding of the national and global contexts of public policy and international relations.