We had to wait a long time to sign the contract for the EC-OMB project, but it was finally signed in November 2006. We scrambled to prepare for the first training course from 11 to 15 December 2006, only to postpone it at the last minute because the money had not yet been released. In fact, for quite some time no one seemed to know where the money was. But finally our patience has paid off.

“Capacitating Civil Society Organizations’ Trainers, Observers, and Monitors”, a European Commission (EC)-funded project partnership between PWI and the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB), took off with the first Training of Trainers (TOT) course on 26 to 30 March 2007 at the Country Village Hotel in Cagayan de Oro. The trainees represented both civil society organizations and participating government agencies.

On 16 to 26 April, three training courses -- a TOT, a Training of Observers (TOO), and a Training of Monitors (TOM) -- were held at the Baguio Country Club in (wow, you guessed right!) Baguio City. Again, the TOT participants came from both civil society and the government; but the TOO and TOM participants came exclusively from civil society.

On 8 to 10 May, a TOM was held at the Mallberry Suites, again in Cagayan de Oro. On 21 to 25 May, a TOT was held at the Holiday Plaza Hotel in Cebu City. On 4 to 7 June, we were back in Cebu for a simultaneous TOO and TOM. Then there was a TOT at Sulo Hotel in Quezon City on 18 to 22 June.

That leaves a TOT in Davao in early July, and finally a TOT in Iloilo in late July.

All in all, six TOTs, three TOOs, and three TOMs in six major cities.