What's New
MAKATI CITY — The Galing Pook Foundation (GPF), in partnership with The Asia Foundation (TAF), conducted a two-day Inter-LGU Alliance (ILA) Workshop on January 24–25, 2026 at Seda Hotel, Makati City, bringing together municipalities from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to strengthen collaboration and lay the groundwork for area-based inter-LGU cooperation.
The workshop convened two clusters of municipalities that are exploring alliance-building as a practical approach to addressing shared priorities and coordinating joint initiatives across municipal boundaries.
Representing the emerging Sebangan a Unayan Development Council (SUDC) cluster in Lanao del Sur were the municipalities of Butig, Lumbayanague, Lumbatan, Lumbaca Unayan, and Sultan Dumalondong.
Representing the TAGDHAP cluster in Maguindanao were the municipalities of Talayan, Guindulungan, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, and Datu Piang.
GPF and TAF facilitated discussions and workshops on the key building blocks of inter-LGU alliances—clarifying the purpose and value of alliance arrangements, exploring governance and operational options, and identifying practical steps for moving from coordination toward sustained collaboration.
Sessions focused on alliance essentials such as defining shared objectives, setting up functional governance mechanisms, establishing secretariats and technical working groups, and identifying early actions that can demonstrate the value of working together. Participants also discussed continuity measures to ensure alliance commitments remain anchored beyond individual terms and leadership transitions.
The ILA Workshop highlighted how inter-LGU alliances can serve as platforms for municipalities to coordinate planning, mobilize resources, and pursue joint initiatives that are more feasible and impactful when pursued as a cluster. Participants emphasized that alliances can support a more coherent approach to development programming by aligning priorities, reducing duplication, and strengthening coordination with ministries, national government agencies, and development partners.
The workshop also provided space for the participating municipalities to reflect on shared contexts and explore how alliance structures can support collaboration on emerging priorities, while remaining flexible enough to expand areas of cooperation over time.
Following the workshop, participating LGUs are expected to proceed with alliance-building activities, including drafting and finalizing alliance instruments, clarifying institutional arrangements, and developing initial joint work directions.
GPF and TAF will continue supporting the participating municipalities as they work toward operationalizing inter-LGU cooperation through structured, inclusive, and results-oriented alliance mechanisms.