Mayor to sign pact on European Union project

BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia will sign Monday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the implementation of the European Union project dubbed ”Partnership for Democratic Local Governance in Southeast Asia.”

Leonardia was authorized by the City Council to sign the MOA as Bacolod was among the pilot areas in the Philippines for the implementation of this project, which also include other Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Post your reaction to the Manila hostage crisis

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung leads the management of this project, which will be implemented in close cooperation with regional organizations and local government associations in the respective countries.

Leonardia said this project will nurture the trans-national exchange of best practices in democratic local governance among local government units.

The project was designed to make available and share best practice models on local governance throughout the five participating countries.

The mayor said the project is a big boost for the Bacolodnon’s morale, especially that after having been chosen the “Most Business Friendly City’ and named the ‘Best Place to Live in the Country”, the city was again chosen out of the 122 cities.

The government can also maximize the public-private sector partnership using a scientific and efficient approach with this project, said Leonardia.

Meanwhile, Leonardia on Friday met with the 47 leaders of the Filipino Chinese Community in Bacolod City to inform them of the city’s socio-economic profile and their plans for the next three years.

Leonardia told them that the three years he has now will be his last “3 minutes” in public service, thus he wants to strengthen the government and private sector partnership in moving Bacolod forward and faster. (Carla N. Cañet)