102 CONGRESS STAFF JOIN DAP’s 2026 CBILLS PROGRAM

The officers from the Philippine Congress and DAP with the 2026 scholars during the CBILLS Opening Ceremony at the Sequoia Hotel Manila Bay

Parañaque City, Philippines — A total of 102 legislative officers and staff from both chambers of Congress have joined the Development Academy of the Philippines’ (DAP) 2026 Capability Building on Innovative Leadership for Legislative Staff (CBILLS) Program, which officially opened on 16 April 2026 at the Sequoia Hotel Manila Bay.

Now in its ninth year, the CBILLS Program continues to strengthen the leadership, management, and technical competencies of legislative personnel—reinforcing their critical role in advancing responsive, evidence-informed policymaking and effective governance.

In his opening message, DAP Acting President and CEO Dr. Leocadio Sebastian underscored the importance of capable and principled public servants in sustaining strong institutions amid an increasingly complex governance environment. He emphasized that institutions are shaped not only by their structures, but by the competence, integrity, and foresight of the people who serve within them.

Delivering the keynote address, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian highlighted the value of leadership anchored on his “IDEAL” framework—Integrity, Data-driven decision-making, Excellence, Accountability and professionalism, and Leadership and teamwork. Reinforcing the importance of investing in the competence and integrity of legislative personnel, he noted that “the quality of the legislature comes after the quality of the staff.”

Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian delivering his keynote address

A ceremonial turnover of the 2025 CBILLS Annual Report followed, highlighting the program’s contributions to legislative capacity development. This was complemented by a testimonial from Sherrie Ann Torres of the Senate Legislative Journal Service, who described her CBILLS experience as a transformative journey that strengthened both her professional competence and commitment to public service.

DAP and Congress officers with keynote speaker Sen. Sherwin T. Gatchalian during the
ceremonial turnover of the 2025 CBILLS Annual Report

DAP Senior Vice President for Programs Magdalena Mendoza presented an overview of the 2026 program, outlining a comprehensive learning framework that integrates residential training, policy-focused lectures, and knowledge-sharing platforms. She emphasized that CBILLS goes beyond training, serving as a strategic investment in institutional strengthening and the development of reform-oriented public servants.

The ceremony concluded with the formal introduction of the 2026 CBILLS scholars, led by Senate Deputy Secretary for Administrative and Financial Services Atty. Arnel Jose Bañas and House Deputy Secretary General Edgardo Pangilinan. As the 2026 CBILLS Program begins, it sets the stage for a year of meaningful engagement and professional growth, as scholars work to translate learning into practice in support of more responsive and effective legislative service. – Ronna Shane Belaro

This article is originally posted on: https://dap.edu.ph/102-congress-staff-join-daps-2026-cbills-program/