QUEZON CITY — Education leaders, Catholic school administrators, teachers, and stakeholders gathered online on 23 July 2026 for the CEAP Special Learning Session, “LGU Threads: LGUs as Champions of Educational Change,” underscoring the vital role of local governments in creating more responsive, learner-centered, and sustainable education systems.
The session featured Baguio City Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, who shared how local government units (LGUs) can move beyond providing basic support to becoming active partners in shaping educational ecosystems where every learner can thrive.
In his opening message, CEAP Executive Director Narcy Ador Dionisio framed the discussion around the recommendations of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), emphasizing that local governments have a crucial role in strengthening the foundations of learning.
He highlighted four priority areas where LGUs can make the greatest impact: investing in the first 1,000 days of a child’s development, improving school nutrition, expanding Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), and strengthening foundational literacy.
Dionisio also pointed to EDCOM 2’s call for stronger local education governance through the establishment of Local Education Offices (LEOs) and Local School Board (LSB) Secretariats, enabling governors and mayors to accelerate education reforms.
“We are here to learn from Baguio City and its vision of people empowerment through education, and how its initiatives create an enabling environment where communities can flourish,” Dionisio said.
Echoing this vision, Mayor Magalong stressed that quality education cannot be achieved by schools alone.
“Quality education is achieved through collaboration where local government units, the education sector, families, and community partners work together to create opportunities for every learner to succeed,” he said.
Throughout his presentation, Magalong emphasized the importance of building a whole-of-society education ecosystem—one that brings together local governments, schools, higher education institutions, civil society organizations, businesses, families, and young people to pursue shared educational goals.
He also highlighted the importance of youth participation in governance, encouraging young people to serve on city boards and councils.
“Their voice matters because they will inherit everything we’ve started and everything we decide today. The future belongs to them,” he said.
Drawing from Baguio City’s experience, Magalong identified the Local School Board as the city’s primary mechanism for aligning local government and the education sector. Through the board, the city has sustained investments in school infrastructure, literacy initiatives, teacher development, school safety, and parent engagement.
One initiative he highlighted was the city’s Parent Academy, a collaboration between the city government and the Department of Education that equips parents from both public and private schools with the knowledge and skills to better support their children’s learning, character formation, and overall well-being.
Magalong also underscored the value of public-private partnerships, citing collaborations with private Catholic institutions such as Saint Louis University in advancing literacy, mental health, sustainability, and research programs.
During the open forum, he encouraged schools to strengthen engagement with their local governments, noting that responsive leadership and open communication help turn education plans into concrete action.
A recurring theme throughout the session was sustainability. Magalong emphasized that meaningful education reforms should be embedded in systems rather than tied to individual leaders.
“The systems that you build are not dependent on who sits as the leader. We are creating a legacy that does not need to be identified with us but is part of the institution’s DNA so that it will be able to endure leadership transitions,” he said.
The session concluded with a shared call for stronger and more enduring partnerships between schools and local governments.
By working together to strengthen foundational learning in childhood, building resilient systems, and placing learners at the center of development — schools and local governments can help shape communities where every child has the opportunity to thrive.