From November 17 to 21, 2025, the Governance for Climate and Disaster Resilience (Gov-CDR) hosted the third phase of its Bridging Leadership Program. The event brought together officials from the Provincial Local Governments of Bohol and Samar to explore strategies for transformative governance in the face of climate and disaster challenges.
To ground these concepts in reality, the participating LGUs focused on their province’s primary ecological priorities. PLGU Bohol identified Balicasag Island, while PLGU Samar focused on the Silaga Watershed, aiming to apply the workshop’s leadership tools within the specific contexts of these systems.
Reflecting on the approach needed for these areas, National Resilience Council Fellow Dr. Rosa Perez emphasized the indispensability of local knowledge. In her input, she reminded the cohort that the communities living within these ecosystems play an important role in their protection. She stated that negotiations and planning must adopt the language and context of local communities, as “residents possess the most accurate understanding of their on-ground situation.”
This principle of community integration was illustrated by the key takeaways shared by Elpidio V. Cabahit, Jr., DENR DMO III. He highlighted the significance of bridging technical information with the lived realities of communities along the banks of the Silaga River.
“This training equips us to better interconnect and co-create with stakeholders, especially People’s Organizations (POs) along the Silaga River, enhancing our approach within the DENR framework.”
Complementing this technical application was a reflection on leadership mindset from Mr. Clyde Ebojo, DILG Bohol.. Despite having 15 years of experience in the LGU, he humbly described himself as a “newbie” in direction setting. He emphasized the necessity of breaking old habits, noting that “we must think out of the box because there are things that we’ve been used to that are proven not effective.”
Expressing a renewed optimism, he concluded that, unlike previous plans that were never realized, the clarity of vision and mission established here gave him confidence that “we will succeed.”
This sentiment of finding a “fresh perspective” was echoed by Atty. John Titus Vistal, Bohol PPDC. He commended the program’s consultants for their relatability and depth of expertise.
“They have provided us with examples from multiple decades of experience. When we start from an end in mind, if we start from impact and work from that, it gives us a fresh perspective.”
Meanwhile, Manuel Van A. Torrevillas, Samar PDRRM Officer and Gov-CDR Action Coordination Team (ACT) Leader, expressed his gratitude to the organizers, NRC and Alinea, noting how the training unified their diverse roles.
“It is fulfilling for us to be part of the province because we have different tasks, but with this, mapapadali ang trabaho namin (our work will be made easier),” he remarked, adding that they have already begun discussing immediate follow-throughs after the training.
The training concluded with a clear consensus: effective resilience requires technical tools, a willing heart to make leadership reforms, and a shared commitment to immediate action on the ground.
