01/11/2025
LOOK | Department of the Interior and Local Government Region 7 (DILG 7), through the Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation Division (LGMED), successfully concluded the Regional Local People’s Council (LPC) Forum 2025 on October 30, 2025, participated by forty-four (44) LPC representatives from eleven (11) local government units (LGUs) across Central Visayas.
The final day of the forum featured group discussions where LPC representatives shared the challenges they encountered in forming and operating their councils, the strategies they employed to address these challenges, and their proposed work plans for 2026.
Ms. Jennifer Javier-De Belen, Development Management Officer V of the Support to Local Government Program – Project Management Office (SLGP-PMO), was present to inform the participants about the proposed plan in amending DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2021-054, the key policy governing the establishment and operation of LPCs. She emphasized that the Department welcomes proposed revisions, additions, and omissions to the said circular to ensure that it remains responsive to the evolving needs and advocacies of civil society organizations (CSOs) and the LPCs.
Additionally, the last day of the forum featured two key discussion sessions facilitated by Mr. Francis Bernard Batoy: (1) Strategic Planning and Engagement with Local Governments, which guided LPC representatives on how to constructively and collaboratively engage with their respective LGUs; and (2) Sustainability Efforts of LPCs, where participants shared their experiences and best practices in maintaining active and functional councils in their localities.
Recognizing the success of the LPC forum in several regions, the SLGP-PMO expressed its intent to institutionalize the Regional LPC Forum as an annual event, providing a regular platform for LPC members to exchange experiences, share best practices, and strengthen partnerships with LGUs.
