Newly elected officials kickstart their journey with the Executive Course on Governance and Leadership

The Ateneo School of Government, through its Executive Education Program, convened newly elected officials from across the country for the Executive Course on Governance and Leadership held from 13 to 15 August, 2025, at the Ateneo de Manila University. This training course was designed to strengthen newly elected officials’ core competencies needed to lead and serve effectively in public office. Guided by the principles of good governance and public service leadership, the training course emphasized leadership capacity, technical skills, and commitment to ethical decision-making. It also underscored the values of accountability, transparency, and citizen participation—key pillars of the Ateneo School of Government’s vision of forming leaders for the common good. By integrating both theoretical frameworks and practical applications, the course aimed to prepare participants to navigate the complex realities of governance and to chart a results-oriented and people-centered agenda for their respective constituencies.

The course was participated in by mayors, vice mayors, councilors, provincial board members, barangay captain, and their staff from various local government units from Luzon (Salcedo, Ilocos Sur; Bacnotan, La Union; Pangasinan; Tayug, Pangasinan; Santo Tomas, Pangasinan; Baler, Aurora; San Mariano, Isabela; Echague, Isabela; Bulacan; Calumpit, Bulacan; Magalang, Pampanga; Naic, Cavite; San Mateo, Rizal; Taytay, Rizal; Baras, Rizal; Plaridel, Quezon; San Agustin, Romblon; and Vinzons, Camarines Norte), Visayas (Cebu; Consolacion, Cebu; Canlaon, Negros Oriental; and Miagao, Iloilo), Mindanao (Surigao del Norte), and BARMM (Isabela, Basilan; and Bayang, Lanao del Sur).

The three-day executive training course focused on a strategic overview of local governance and executive alignment, local legislation and policy development with strategic foresight, and public trust, ethics, and communication. These modules focused on empowering the participants with a platform to kickstart their administration’s strategic priorities and action roadmap towards leading with a results-oriented agenda. 

The course featured six distinguished resource persons who brought with them  wealth of knowledge and practical wisdom from years of leadership in government, policymaking, and development work. Each of them shared technical expertise and offered real-world experiences, lessons learned, and values that shaped their service in the public sector. Through their diverse backgrounds - as former cabinet officials, seasoned local government executives, educators, and development practitioners - the resource persons provided participants with best practices, strategic insights, and ethical perspectives that can guide newly elected officials in navigating complex challenges of governance.  The resource persons are: 
 

• Mr Mel Senen Sarmiento, former Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
• Dr Angelita Gregorio-Medel, core faculty of the Ateneo School of Government and former Undersecretary for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
• Hon Isaias Ubana II, core faculty of the Ateneo School of Government, Mayor-elect of Lopez, Quezon, and the President of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) - Quezon Chapter
• Mr Manolito Novales, core faculty of the Ateneo School of Government
• Mr Leon Flores III, Professor of Praxis at Ateneo School of Government and former Chairperson of the National Youth Commission (NYC)
• Mr Mark Lawrence Cruz, faculty member of the Ateneo de Manila University and Director of the School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED)

Ms Sharon Grace S Yabut, Head of the Executive Education Program, framed the course as part of ASoG’s mission to form ethical, visionary, and competent leaders who embody good governance. In her closing remarks, Dean Jennifer S. Oreta urged the officials to see their mandate as a responsibility to the nation—calling on them to lead with courage, clarity, foresight, and integrity, and to restore public trust through ethical leadership that drives genuine change for a more just and participatory Philippines.

The second run of the Executive Course for Newly Elected Officials is scheduled from 10 to 12 September 2025. Registration for this batch is now officially closed. Interested participants may watch out for future offerings of the program courses specifically tailored for LGUs this coming months. 

For customized training courses tailored to the needs of public sector organizations, email us at execed.asog@ateneo.edu.