League to offer management course to mayors

CEBU, Philippines -  The League of Municipalities of the Philippines - Cebu Chapter is hoping that management issues in some local government units here will finally be addressed with the offering of public management degrees to mayors.

The chapter is studying on signing a deal with the Ateneo de Manila University to offer Master in Public Management course to Cebuano local chief executives.

Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante, president of LMP Cebu, said he has made initial discussion with former solicitor general Alberto Agra, a professor at Ateneo Law School and Ateneo School of Government, about the future project.

Diamante hopes governance in Cebu LGUs will improve after mayors undergo the course and apply what they will learn.

He said the proposal to enter into an agreement with ADMU entails the school to conduct its classes in Cebu.

Subjects included in ADMU's Masters in Public Management degree program are Leadership in Public Service, Local Investments and Economic Development, Human Resource Development and Local Bureaucracy.

Apart from Cebuano local leaders, heads of government agencies, members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, civil society groups, lawyers, judges and officials from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Immigration, among others, are also encouraged to take up the course, especially the higher subjects.

ADMU offers more courses and programs once mayors and other leaders graduate from their course and get their master's diploma, Diamante said.  (FREEMAN)