DILG XII has formally launched its “Bida ang may Disiplina: Solusyon sa Covid-19” through a virtually packed audience composed of prominent figures like TESDA Sec. General Isidro Lapena and the appointed Cabinet Official for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Region XII, members of the Regional Peace and Order Council XII, RTF-ELCAC XII, RIATF EID XII, RTF XII on Covid 19, Balik-Probinsya, Balik Pag-asa (BP2) Special Committee XII, local chief executives, DILG executives, city and municipal local government operations officers (C/MLGOOS), barangay officials, Civil Society Partners and a lot more. 

DILG XII Regional Director Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, CESO III outlined how the Disiplina Muna Campaign, which was originally focused on road clearing, listo sa sakuna (disaster preparedness), anti-smoking, ease-of-doing business, liquor ban, tourist spots clean-up and the Barangay Anti-drug Abuse Council, had become the platform in the battle against Covid 19. 

On October 24, 2019, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular No. 2019-18 which provided guidelines to all local government units, DILG Regional and Field Offices, and DILG   attached    agencies on the "Disiplina Muna National Advocacy Campaign", purposely to ‘increase the consciousness among Filipinos of their critical role in sustainable and inclusive development and maintenance of peace and order as a shared responsibility through the concerted efforts of the national and local governments, private sector, civil society, and the media in a whole- of-nation approach.”

On   November 6, 2019 ,    the  “Disiplina  Muna National Advocacy Campaign" was launched in the City of Manila. This was an initiative of the Department as the Chair of the Cabinet’s Participatory Governance Cluster (PGC) which seeks to rebuild the culture of discipline among Filipinos as a means of fostering people’s participation, which is one of the tenets of good governance. 

As the Covid 19 cases were on the downtrend towards the month of August, the DILG and the Department of Health (DOH) conducted the national launch of the joint campaign called “BIDA ang May Disiplina: Solusyon sa COVID-19” in Marikina City.

The joint campaign merged the DILG-led “Disiplina Muna national advocacy campaign” and the DOH-led “BIDA Solusyon sa COVID-19”. A month after that launch in Marikina City, the Department issued the DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2020-116 which provided guidelines to all local government units (LGUs) and all the DILG attached agencies to refocus the Disiplina Muna national advocacy campaign to address the COVID-19 pandemic through the “BIDA ang May Disiplina: Solusyon sa COVID-19” campaign.

Subsequently, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular 2020-170 to inform all local government units (LGUs), DILG Regional and Field Offices, and the BARMM Ministry of Local Government on the designation of select LCEs as Ambassadors of the “Bida ang may Disiplina: Solusyon sa COVID-19” campaign. These ambassadors will then become the advocates of the campaign among their fellow LCEs in the regions and their constituents. 

Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon of Sarangani, the designated Disiplina Muna regional ambassador, emphasized in his message the importance of discipline in the community and how it made an impact in their campaign against Covid 19. He cited that Region XII has “relatively been doing its best to beat Covid-19”.

“We have been keep things relatively strict (in the Region) and the quarantine protocols helped in driving the numbers back to zero,” the Governor explained. However, he expressed dismay over the relaxed attitude of many people who go out in public places. “I call on all the residents of the region to take heed of the minimum health standard though a vaccine is coming”, Gov. Solon stated.  He further explained that this development should not cause each one to “let our guard down.”

The launching has, in effect, given the green light for all the media partners in the Region to air various radio plugs of the Bida ang may Disiplina celebrity ambassadors by 2021. These ambassadors include Diether Ocampo, Alden Richards, James Deakin, Mayor Isko Moreno, Matteo Gudicelli, Regine Tolentino and Paolo Bediones.