Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary and Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) Steering Committee Chairperson Amenah F. Pangandaman led the kick-off of the open government initiatives in Mindanao after presiding over the Fourth Quarter PH-OGP Steering Committee Meeting on November 23, and gracing the OGPinas! National Advocacy Campaign on November 24, both held in Davao City.
The PH-OGP Steering Committee Meeting aims to review and approve the final list of commitments to be enrolled in the 6th National Action Plan (NAP), the country’s first medium-term OGP action plan.
In her opening message, Secretary Pangandaman emphasized that “every commitment, every program, and every action plan that we implement is a make-or-break for our kababayans who dream of better quality and decent lives and aspire for a better Philippines with us.”
DBM Assistant Secretary and PH-OGP Head Secretariat Rolando U. Toledo discussed the overview of the 6th NAP commitments, including the Project Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation (Project DIME) of the DBM, and the Establishment of More Justice Zones and the Improved Access to Quality, Free, or Affordable Legal Service of the Supreme Court.
Showing a unified front for open government in the country, DBM Undersecretary Wilford Will L. Wong, Department of Finance (DOF) Assistant Secretary Karlo Fermin S. Adriano, Office of the Executive Secretary Undersecretary Atty. Leonardo Roy A. Cervantes, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary Ester A. Aldana, National Economic and Development Authority OIC Assistant Director Judith V. Gondra, Supreme Court Judicial Staff Head Atty. Nico Robert R. Martin, and Department of Social Welfare and Development Social Welfare Officer IV Nolibelyn Macabagdal were also present at the event.
Meanwhile, PH-OGP Steering Committee Co-Chairperson and Mindanao Coalition of Development for NGO Networks (MINCODE) Chairperson Andrea Maria Patricia M. Sarenas, Coalition for Bicol Development Chairperson Aurora C. De Guzman, Sectoral Transparency Alliance on Governance representative Jimmy E. Viliganilao, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation President Dr. Annie Enriquez-Geron, La Salle Institute of Governance Policy Research Specialist Ian Jayson R. Hecita, and Kaabag sa Sugbo Foundation Inc. Network Coordinator Catherine M.A. Ruiz represented the Non-Government sector.
500 Mindanaoans Engaged in National Open Government Campaign
Following the success of OGPinas! in Quezon City, Iloilo City, and Baguio City, the DBM, in collaboration with the DILG and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), engaged around 500 Mindanaoans from all over the island group in the last two legs of the open government national advocacy campaign in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) and Davao City to strengthen public participation.
In her keynote for the OGPinas! National Advocacy Campaign in Davao City, Secretary Pangandaman said: “The call for open government and good governance must be stronger and louder here in Mindanao. Bilang isang taas-noong anak ng Mindanao, alam ko pong marami na tayong pinagdaanan para makamit ang kapayapaang ating tinatamasa ngayon. Ngayon, kailangan naman natin ang open government upang mapangalagaan at lalong mabigyang halaga ang tinatamasang kapayapaang ito.”
Speaking for the Non-Government Sector, MINCODE Executive Director (ED) Raizsa Mae “Bai” Anayatin highlighted opportunities presented by the PH-OGP to address challenges for civil society participation in the country. “Hindi po kaya ng gobyerno na solusyunan ang lahat ng problema ng bayan. Hindi rin po kaya ng business lang, at definitely hindi rin po kaya na tayo lang po sa civil society. Kailangan po nating magtulungan. There are great challenges now and ahead. But I dare say, Kaya Natin!,” ED Anayatin concluded.
Meanwhile, DBM Assistant Secretary Toledo delivered the keynote message on behalf of Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman in the Mindanao Leg A held in CDO City on November 15. CDO Mayor Rolando A. Uy, representatives from five State Universities and Colleges, and ten local CSOs actively participated in the OGPinas! Leg.
The OGPinas! CDO City and Davao City legs were spearheaded by DBM Regions X and XI, respectively, in collaboration with their regional counterparts from DILG and PIA.
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Read more:
PH-OGP 4th Quarter Steering Committee Meeting: https://bit.ly/3MZHFSa
OGPinas Davao City: https://bit.ly/3SXqkx2
