Philippines: The Galing Pook Foundation Awards
for Outstanding Local Government Programs

Executive Director: Eddie G. Dorotan
Board of Trustees Chairperson: Rafael L. Coscolluela
Galing Pook Foundation
25 Mahusay corner Malinis Streets
UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City
1101 Philippines

Phone: (6 32) 433 4731, (6 32) 433 4732
E-mail: secretariat@galingpook.org
Web site: http://www.galingpook.org/

The Galing Pook Foundation is in the process of reengineering the Galing Pook Awards to respond better to the gains made in local autonomy after 15 years of decentralization in the Philippines.

The overall emphasis of the new Galing Pook Award is to evaluate how individual programs have translated into improvements in the beneficiaries’ quality of life, served as an incentive to improve local governance, inspired government workers to continue to innovate, and encouraged the development of best practices in marginalized and poorly funded regions. The program’s ultimate goal is to help foster democratic governance and nation building by strengthening and professionalizing government, and by empowering communities to encourage citizen participation in local governance.

The Galing Pook Foundation currently holds two types of competitions: awards for innovations and awards for continuing excellence. By recognizing both trailblazing and sustainable programs, the Foundation can encourage local governments not only to explore new best practices, but also to work together in order to extend the life of their programs.

In addition to the recognition of exemplary programs and local governments, the Foundation has also embarked on a Replication Program that assists in capacity building of local government units by disseminating, popularizing, and replicating the practices pioneered by the Galing Pook Award Winners. The Replication Program supports project implementation by providing a venue for innovators to collaborate and to study practices that have proven to be effective solutions to common problems.

Eddie G. Doratan is an experienced leader, manager, and consultant in both local and international government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). He has more than 25 years experience in strategic planning and management; community organizing and training; fundraising and resource mobilization; and, innovative programming and networking in the areas of health care, rural development and local governance.

Dr. Doratan has been mayor of a municipality, where he implemented award-winning innovative programs on primary health care, local governance, education, conflict management and peace building, and sustainable agriculture and environment. He was also a district health officer and chief of a district hospital managing curative and preventive health care in the district. His involvement with the civil society and NGOs also hones his skills in organizing, training, and mobilizing communities. Dr. Doratan holds a master’s degree in public administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, as well as a degree in medicine from the University of the Philippines.