Cornelius Magnate Engagement & Consulting, an Ilonggo training and advisory firm founded and led by business consultant Ken Lerona, continues to work with national government agencies on programs addressing public service delivery, enterprise development, investment promotion, and institutional capability.
Its engagements span the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Board of Investments (BOI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Department of Justice (DOJ).
For the DA, the firm has conducted communication harmonization sessions for regional information personnel and local government counterparts. It has also supported marketing and business planning programs for agricultural enterprises and farmer organizations under the Philippine Rural Development Project, with engagements across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Its economic development work includes facilitating discussions and supporting investment promotion initiatives involving DTI, BOI, local governments, and business stakeholders. These activities have examined how localities can present investment opportunities, strengthen enterprise competitiveness, and connect industry requirements with workforce development. Lerona has also moderated investment forums that bring local officials, businesses, and national agencies into discussions on investment readiness and locality positioning.
In Western Visayas, the firm also provides advisory support to DTI on the Healthcare Information Management Services (HIMS) sector. The work involves consultations with industry representatives and other stakeholders to assess growth opportunities, talent requirements, and priorities for developing the region’s healthcare business services industry. These discussions are intended to inform a longer-term sector development direction for Western Visayas.
For DOST and DEPDev, Cornelius Magnate facilitated discussions on artificial intelligence policy and ethical use, engaging representatives from different community sectors, including vulnerable groups. The sessions brought lived experiences into deliberations on responsible AI adoption, accessibility, and the implications of emerging technologies for the public.
The firm has likewise trained DSWD social workers in Systems Thinking and the Theory of Change. These approaches help practitioners examine the interconnected causes of social problems, clarify intended program outcomes, and design interventions that respond to the circumstances of vulnerable communities.
For DOJ frontline personnel in the National Capital Region, Cornelius Magnate delivered a citizen-centered service program through DTI’s Philippine Trade Training Center–Global MSME Academy (PTTC-GMEA). The sessions addressed ethical conduct, communication, client accommodation, and difficult service situations, with reference to the Citizen’s Charter, Republic Act No. 6713, and the Ease of Doing Business framework.
Across these assignments, training methods are adapted to agency mandates and operational settings. Lectures and executive talks are complemented by case discussions, facilitated workshops, and exercises drawn from issues participants encounter in their work.
Lerona brings experience in strategic management, organizational development, communications, business continuity, and reputational risk management. The firm also works with local government units, private businesses, industry associations, and educational institutions, contributing perspectives from different sectors to its government engagements.
As agencies address changing service expectations and economic priorities, Cornelius Magnate continues to undertake training, facilitation, and advisory assignments aimed at strengthening the capacity of public institutions to plan, coordinate, and deliver their programs.
