The Civil Service Commission (CSC), in collaboration with the NUS-ISS, National University of Singapore and the Private Sector Jobs and Skills Corporation (PCORP), officially launched the Digital Leadership Program (DiLP) during the National Digitalisation Forum held on 25 April 2025 at the CSC Central Office in Quezon City.
 
The DiLP is a flagship training initiative designed to equip at least 10,000 to 50,000 civil servants by 2027 with the digital leadership competencies needed to build a future-ready, inclusive, and innovation-driven public service.

Building Digital Leaders for a Modern Bureaucracy
 
CSC Chairperson Marilyn B. Yap, Commissioner Luis Meinrado C. Pañgulayan, NUS-ISS CEO Khoong Chan Meng, and PCORP Project Lead Bettina Quimson led the launch and forum, alongside other key representatives.
 
In her welcome remarks, Chairperson Yap emphasized that digitalization is crucial to improving public service delivery:
 
“We are now at the cusp of an era defined by rapid technological advancements—reshaping not only how work is done, but how we think, decide, and deliver services. The civil service cannot afford to lag behind. Digital fluency and adaptive leadership are no longer optional—they are essential competencies for every public servant,” she said.
 
She added that the launch of the DiLP marks a key milestone under the Philippine Civil Service Modernization Program, which seeks to develop future-ready, values-driven leaders capable of leading digital transformation at scale.
 
DiLP: Three Phases of Transformation
 
Developed by the CSC through its training and development arm—the Civil Service Institute (CSI)—in partnership with NUS-ISS and PCORP, the DiLP is part of CSC’s broader reform agenda to modernize human resource management across the Philippine bureaucracy.
 
Commissioner Pañgulayan shared that the DiLP will be rolled out in three phases:

1. Phase One: Conducted from 1-3 April 2025, involved intensive training for 30 CSC officials and employees, along with two representatives from the private sector, at the National University of Singapore.
2. Phase Two: From May to October 2025, NUS-ISS will license the program content to CSC and conduct Train-the-Trainer sessions for government and private sector educators, including Asia Pacific College and Mapúa University.
3. Phase Three: The program will scale nationwide, at least 10,000 to 50,000 public sector leaders and technical and professional employees, extending from national agencies to local government units.

“The future of public service is digital—but more importantly, it is human-led. Through the DiLP, let us shape a bureaucracy that is not just connected but also committed, competent, and courageous enough to lead in the digital age,” Commissioner Pañgulayan noted.
 
Scaling Impact Through Local Customization
 
CSC will oversee the program rollout, ensuring course content is tailored to local public sector realities. This includes developing the implementation strategy, determining participant selection, and ensuring quality delivery across all phases.
 
Government agencies have been urged to identify and nominate “digital champions” from their leadership, technical, or operational ranks. These individuals will undergo training in three core areas:

• Digital Leadership Essentials
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Customer-Centric Innovation (Design Thinking)

These champions will be key drivers of digital transformation in their respective agencies, integrating DiLP tools and insights into digital roadmaps, HR development plans, and organizational change strategies.
 
A National Effort
 
Also present at the Forum were CSC Assistant Commissioners Judith Dongallo-Chicano, Karin Litz P. Zerna, Nerissa B. Canguilan, and Ariel G. Ronquillo. They were joined by high-level officials from various national government agencies, including:

• Commission on Population and Development Undersecretary Lisa Grace Bersales
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Analiza R. Teh
• Department of Finance OIC Undersecretary Niño Raymond B. Alvina
• National Privacy Commission Deputy Privacy Commissioner Jose Belarmino II

These leaders, alongside other government representatives and potential trainers from academic institutions, are expected to play a vital role in scaling the DiLP across the nation.