KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) --  The Provincial Government of South Cotabato will begin implementing this year a  capacity development course for civil society organizations, peoples organizations, and non-government organizations engaged with programs, projects, and activities of government entities. 

This, according to  Director Josephine Cabrido-Leysa of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 12, makes South Cotabato the first local government unit in Region 12 and the entire Philippines to implement the CSO Academy for SOCCSKSARGEN. 

CSO Academy is a non-location specific training school that caters to CSO leaders and their organizations. It offers "capacity-building courses that will enhance their capacities and competencies in organizational development aimed to improve their internal governance and sustainability," Director Leysa said.

The academy is a collaboration of  the DILG 12, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) 12,  and non-government organization partners, namely: the  Association of Foundations (AF) and the Mahintana Foundation, Inc (MFI).

Liza Hora, executive director of MFI and chairperson of the Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Council (MSAC)12, announced during the kick-off ceremony of the Local Government Month celebration Monday, October 10, that the provincial government of South Cotabato has already started the selection of the first batch of CSO/NGO/PO trainees for the CSO Academy for SOCCSKSARGEN. 

"The screening of the scholars for our CSO Academy program. We will have out first face-to-face training in South Cotabato on November 24 to 24," Hora announced. 

The course will begin with the Association of Foundations' "LEAD to SERVE" Module. 

 RD Leysa also told members of the press that PLGU South Cotabato, led by Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., has allotted P5.6 million for the  first batch of CSO Academy trainees, which according to initial reports will involve 50 CSO, NGO, and PO leaders. 

"We are also marketing the CSO Academy to other LGUs," Leysa said. 

In the 2nd General Assembly of the League of Provinces of the Philippines on September 30, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. identified the CSO Academy as one of at least three initiatives of DILG 12 that the DILG will replicate nationwide. 

Mahintana Foundation introduced the concept of CSO Academy during the MSAC 12 meeting on April 13, 2021

On October 22, the MSAC Sub-Committee on Transparency and Accountability on Local Governance and members of the TWG for the CSO Academy commenced the development of a module for the operationalization of the CSO Academy.

CSO Academy of SOCCSKSARGEN was officially launched on April 11, 2022 in General Santos City. (PIA XII)