DOrSU, LGU Mati sign MOA for Social Development Academy
Davao Oriental State University and the City Government of Mati (CLGU Mati) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to establish the Mati Social Development Academy, a joint initiative designed to strengthen local capacity-building, improve development planning, and expand access to lifelong learning. The ceremonial signing was held on March 16, 2026, at the Sambuokan Hall of the City Hall Compound in the City of Mati, with DOrSU President Dr. Roy G. Ponce and Mati Mayor Joel Mayo Z. Almario leading the event.
Under the partnership, DOrSU and LGU Mati will work together to build the capacities of multisectoral civil society organizations, barangay-based institutions, and marginalized groups, among others. The initiative also seeks to support participatory, evidence-based, and results-oriented local development planning while expanding access to higher education and lifelong learning opportunities for qualified city government executives and functionaries.
As the learning resource institution-partner, DOrSU, through its Faculty of Advanced and International Studies, will help design and deliver programs on leadership and governance, organizational development, financial management and accountability, project development and implementation, advocacy, gender equality, and inclusive development.
The partnership also covers joint community-based research and extension programs, as well as technical and knowledge support for the city government’s development plans, programs, and policies.
The agreement further opens opportunities for qualified city government executives and functionaries to pursue bachelor’s and advanced degree programs, as well as micro-credentials.
For its part, CLGU Mati committed to provide funding for approved activities, identify beneficiaries, and extend logistical, administrative, and technical support for implementation. Both parties also agreed to jointly monitor program outcomes and learning.
The launch of the Mati Social Development Academy builds on DOrSU’s work in local capacity development. In December 2025, the University’s CSO Academy Banaybanay was named a Kislap Awardee at the CapDev Accelerator Awards 2025, a recognition conferred by the Department of the Interior and Local Government through the Local Government Academy for partnerships contributing to local governance outcomes through capacity development initiatives.
With the agreement now in place, DOrSU and CLGU Mati are expected to move forward with programs and initiatives under the Mati Social Development Academy in support of local capacity-building and development initiatives.
