The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has been supportive of the decentralization efforts of the Government of the Philippines since the Local Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act. No.7160 was introduced. In response to the Philippine government's policies on devolution, the Philippines-Canada Local Government Support Program (LGSP) started on October 11, 1991 with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the governments of the Philippines and of Canada. LGSP was a key contributor to the critical work on local governance.
LGSP was grounded on CIDA's Country Development Policy Framework (CDPF). This framework was developed through extensive consultation with the Philippine government and non-government partners and outlined the framework for Canada's assistance to the Philippines. LGSP directly addressed the objectives of the CDPF, which entailed promoting efficient, responsible, transparent and accountable governance at all levels in targeted regions in the Philippines.
