Thirty-five YouthLed LEAD fellows complete the Introductory Course on Governance

The Leadership and Democracy Fellowship Program’s Introductory Course on Governance culminated with its third phase, the No Holds Barred Huddle, held on 7 April 2024 at the People’s Hall, Pasig City. The course was organized by the Ateneo School of Government through the Executive Education Program, in collaboration with the Youth Leadership for Democracy, The Asia Foundation.

Ms Natalie Christine Jorge, Chief of Party, Youth Leadership for Democracy, formally welcomed the fellows, reminding them of the importance of their roles in the community, stating, “Youth leaders [are] members of the workforce and are [important] part of what makes the local government structure successful, [and that is through] the level of engagement the youth [contributes] as community members.”

As part of the session, the Head of Ugnayan sa Pasig, Ms Winnie Rayos-Dimanlig, shared practical insights into one of the city's notable innovative initiatives aimed at fostering public participation, accountability, and transparency—the establishment of the Ugnayan Sa Pasig department. She discussed the city's introduction of the new ordinance, highlighting both the challenges faced and the successes achieved. 

For the second part of the event, Pasig City Mayor Victor Ma. Regis N Sotto participated in the No Holds Barred Huddle. Facilitated by Mr Leon Flores, III (training director), the fellows had the opportunity to have a session solely focused on providing them a space to engage in an open discourse with the chief executive of Pasig City.

When asked by one of the fellows about practical advice for initiating radical change in their community despite feeling small, Mayor Sotto emphasized that no task is too small when it comes to effecting change, “para sa akin, mas importante ‘yung kung ano ang nasa harapan ko, at ‘yung [alam] kong kaya kong gawin sa pagkakataon na ‘yon. Paano ko iisipin na baguhin ang Pilipinas? Baka [mas mainam na] baguhin ko muna ang nasa harapan ko. There’s nothing too small, h’wag natin isipin na masyadong maliit ‘yan [mga ginagawa natin]. Ako [personally], kung ano [kasi] ang nasa harap ko, whether it’s big or small, I’ll do my best. Again, there’s nothing wrong with dreaming of doing big things, but [I think] it's [also] important to start where we are even if it's the smallest of things.” (For me, it is more vital to deal with issues and problems that are already in front of me, and that I know I can handle. How can I contemplate on creating radical change in the Philippines? Maybe, it’s more important to focus on making changes to things that are already in front of us. There’s nothing too small; let’s not belittle the things that we actually do now. Personally, I deal with whatever is in front of me, whether it's big or small, knowing that I’ll do my best. Again, I’d like to emphasize that there’s nothing wrong with dreaming of achieving big things, but I think it’s also important to start where we are, even if it means doing the smallest of things).

As Flores synthesized the session and the course, he urged the participants to reflect on how much they have evolved as leaders throughout the program and think how they can translate all the things they learned once they reintegrate to their communities. Ms Sharon Grace Yabut of ASOG extended their gratitude to the project partners, and more importantly, to the fellows for their active participation in the program. She expressed hope that the cohort would continue nurturing and strengthening their bonds while supporting each other, as they pave the path for more future reform leaders.

One of the Governance Champions of YouthLed LEAD 2 Fellowship, Mark dela Cruz (Kagawad, Brgy. Malanday, Valenzuela City) thanked the organizing teams of the program and also reiterated to his co-fellows “to be part of the solution and not the problem, be the positive change, and to continue serving the community.”

Prior to the third phase of the course, selected fellows had the opportunity to interact with ASOG's pool of experts through online small group mentorship sessions. These covered various topics, including political communication, effective policy reforms, and project management. Expert mentors include Prof. Clarissa David, Former Pangasinan Governor Victor Agbayani, Former Ifugao Governor Teddy Baguilat, and Quezon City's Administrator, Mr Michael Alimurung.

The Introductory Course on Governance is a component of the LEAD Fellowship program. This course employs a three-phase learning structure that fosters active participation through discussions, mentorships, and discourse. As a result, the fellows not only had the opportunity to gain practical insights into effective governance, but also had the platform to collaborate and to cultivate meaningful relationships within their cohort.

The LEAD Fellowship formally culminated last 8 April 2024 at the Ayala Museum, organized by Youth Leadership for Democracy, The Asia Foundation, and attended by the training partners, Ateneo School of Government, Asian Institute of Management, and the Ayala Foundation, Inc. 

The Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) is the graduate school of leadership and public service of the Ateneo de Manila University. The ASoG Executive Education Program was created to foster cooperation between the private and public sectors for national development goals. For inquiries about training programs, you may contact the ASoG Executive Education Program via email address execed.asog@ateneo.edu.

The Youth Leadership for Democracy (YouthLed) is a youth-focused program that aims to increase civic engagement leading to strengthened youth participation in democratic governance. YouthLed supports youth leadership development, coalition-building among youth-led and youth serving organizations, and enhanced civic education and engagement activities for young Filipinos.