BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government - Cordillera (DILG-CAR) will stage the 2022 Dagyaw Open Government Townhall Meetings on November 29 and December 6, 2022.
 
Anchored on  the theme, "Fostering Multi-Sectoral Convergence through Social Accountability," the Dagyaw 2022 aims to build mutual trust between the government and the Filipino people.

The program is a platform to inform the people of the current administration's plans, programs and priorities, to empower the civil society organizations (CSOs) thru the co-creation process, and to expand the network of development sector partners of the department.

During the 4th Quarter Meeting of the Sectoral Committee in Development Administration and Good Governance, DILG-CAR Development Management Officer IV Rene Joshua Verdote said that participative local governance is among the campaigns of the DILG and they aim  to open spaces for dialogue between the government and the civil society.

"This particular program po natin dito sa DILG is anchored on the concept of co-creation wherein we see our CSOs as  our co-equal. The government could not simply act on issues alone, we could not draft policies and programs without hearing the sides or the perspective of our civil society who are at the grassroots level experiencing now the real problems and issues that we have," Verdote said. 

He added that the Dagyaw, derived from the Hiligaynon word which means "bayanihan", is one of the platforms of involving the CSOs in planning, and  advocating participatory governance.

For the past two years, the townhall meeting was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic but with the easing of restrictions,  this year's Dagyaw will be held in person  but still with limited  participants. Others may join via zoom. The program will also be livestreamed thru the PIA Cordillera and DILG Cordillera facebook pages.

"Here in the region, the theme is to further localize, to discuss now the pandemic recovery efforts of the government to support our sectors, mental health and of course, other issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic," Verdote explained.

 The Episode 1: Usapang Ekonomiya is slated on Nov. 29 while the Episode 2: Usapang Kalusugan at Edukasyon is set on Dec.  6.

The target audience includes CSO representatives from the local special bodies namely Local Development Council; Local Health Board; and Local School Board. It also targets other CSOs based in Baguio City and Benguet.

The Dagyaw 2022 Regional Technical Working Groupis composed of the DILG-CAR, Department of Budget and Management, Philippine Information Agency, and Civil Society Organizations namely Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc., Cordillera Network of POs and NGOs, Peoples Organization for Social Transformation, Child and Family Service Philippines, Inc., and Pansigedan Advocacy Cooperative. (JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)