Established by the University of the Philippines (UP) and Congress as the Local Government Center in 1965, the Center for Local and Regional Governance (CLRG) is UP’s research, training and consulting center for local governments. The Center is a constituent unit of the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) and subscribes to NCPAG’s paradigm of the healthy mix of theory and practice (praxis).
Backed by almost 6 decades of a solid track record in assisting and empowering local governments from learning to policy solutions, CLRG has pioneered initiatives and continues to evolve with the trends in the local government sector. Pursuing UP’s role as the nation’s social critic, CLRG helps inform and define the public discourse on decentralization and local governance issues.
With resident experts from multidisciplinary backgrounds, CLRG has expanded its reach to federalism and regional autonomy studies and CSO/private sector-local government interface. Collaborating with respected affiliate faculty and industry experts, the Center continues to grow its pool of resource persons to better serve stakeholders.
Today, at least 10,000 local government officials graduate from CLRG programs each electoral term while national government agencies, international donor organizations, CSOs, corporations, and individual local governments continue to engage the services of the Center.
![[CLRG] Formal 2024](https://ncpag.upd.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CLRG-Formal-2024.jpg)
Our researchers and knowledge community are dedicated to generating knowledge products that are used by students, practitioners and the general public. The articles, books, reports and working papers they produce are being constantly added to our growing library. Some of these can be accessed for free at the Asian Resource Center for Decentralization.
We are developing an executive course designed to strengthen local governance skills for local government officials and staff. While this course is not available at this time, we are actively working on future offerings. Please check back for updates or subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of new programs and announcements.
The knowledge and skills imparted in CLRG’s courses are based on lessons learned and best practices from the field. Course materials often include knowledge products from the Center’s research program. Our resource persons come from a pool of experts from the academe and practitioners. Our tutors and facilitators are trained in various methods to generate insights and learning from the coursework and collaborative exercises making it an enriching and unparalleled experience.
Our work continues with assisting local governments in their specific needs for policy development, management reform, or documentation of best practices. Our long experience in research, training and collaborative work with local governments puts us in a unique position to present our clients with solutions learned from the field and processing the wealth of best practices.
The knowledge and skills imparted in CLRG’s courses are based on lessons learned and best practices from the field. Course materials often include knowledge products from the Center’s research program. Our resource persons come from a pool of experts from the academe and practitioners. Our tutors and facilitators are trained in various methods to generate insights and learning from the coursework and collaborative exercises making it an enriching and unparalleled experience.
Our work continues with assisting local governments in their specific needs for policy development, management reform, or documentation of best practices. Our long experience in research, training and collaborative work with local governments puts us in a unique position to present our clients with solutions learned from the field and processing the wealth of best practices.
