TAGBILARAN City once again earned national recognition after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) cited its Civil Society Organization (CSO) Academy, the Center for Responsive Citizen Engagement, Empowerment, and Development (CREED), for its outstanding commitment to advancing people’s participation in local governance.
The recognition was conferred during the Awards Night of the National CSO Academy Conference on December 10, 2025, held at the Astoria Plaza Hotel in Pasig City, Metro Manila.
Representing Mayor Jane Yap to receive the award was City Administrator Alvin Luis Acuzar, together with CSO Desk Officer Kim Anub and City DILG Officer Juliet Olalo.
The National CSO Academy Conference, which ran from December 10 to 13, 2025, gathered local government units and civil society leaders from across the country to highlight best practices in citizen engagement and participatory governance.
Among the recognized initiatives, Tagbilaran City’s CSO CREED Academy stood out for its innovative and sustained efforts to empower civil society organizations and institutionalize meaningful citizen participation.
Tagbilaran City’s CSO Academy is currently the only initiative of its kind in the entire Visayas Region.
Launched in 2024, the CSO CREED Academy serves as Tagbilaran City’s platform for strengthening the capacity of civil society organizations, promoting active citizenship, and deepening democratic engagement at the local level.
Through structured training programs, dialogue mechanisms, and collaborative governance initiatives, the academy advances transparency, shared responsibility, and inclusive decision-making in the city.
In a statement, city Mayor Jane Yap congratulated everyone involved in the initiative, describing the national recognition as a testament to the collective efforts of the city government and its civil society partners.
She expressed her gratitude to the CSOs, city departments, and partner institutions who continue to actively participate in strengthening local governance, emphasizing that empowered citizens remain at the heart of Tagbilaran’s development agenda.
The program’s success has likewise been reinforced through technical assistance from the USAID CHANGE Project, which has supported capacity-building and governance reforms at the local level.
At present, the CSO CREED Academy is conducting an ongoing leadership training program for around 25 CSO grantees, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to actively contribute to local development planning, policy formulation, and program implementation.
The academy is undertaken in close collaboration with the Tagbilaran City People’s Council, headed by Ms. Mayette Gasatan.
City leaders expressed optimism that the recognition will further inspire sustained efforts to deepen citizen engagement and strengthen democratic processes in Tagbilaran City, reinforcing the role of empowered civil society organizations as key partners in local governance and development.
