Koronadal City, Philippines | November 14, 2025 – The Province of South Cotabato is preparing for the rollout of the third phase of its CSO Academy Program, set to begin in the first quarter of 2026. This phase includes finalizing the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), intensifying program promotion, and completing the requirements submission from participating civil society organizations (CSOs).
For Batch 3, a total of twenty-one (21) scholars are expected to join the program. Of these, ten (10) scholars from the province’s thirty-six (36) accredited CSOs will be funded by the Provincial Government of South Cotabato, while each of the eleven (11) Local Government Units (LGUs) is encouraged to sponsor one (1) scholar through local funding support.
Since its inception, the CSO Academy has produced two batches of graduates—20 scholars from Batch 1 and 21 from Batch 2—bringing the total to forty-one (41) trained and empowered CSO leaders.
As noted by Julius Ceasar Maniego, CSO Desk Officer of the Office of the Provincial Cooperatives Development Officer, several scholars are currently engaged in various local governance functions.
“Many of these scholars are now actively involved in local governance, serving in Local Special Bodies and Local People’s Councils at both the provincial and municipal levels. Their participation has helped improve governance performance, strengthen organizational systems, and support the long-term sustainability of their respective CSOs,” he shared.
With Batch 3 set to launch, the province aims to further strengthen its pool of capable, responsible, and engaged CSO partners who will continue advancing transparent, participatory, and people-centered governance in South Cotabato.
