KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) – A town hall meeting in Koronadal City on Friday will headline the importance of civil society organizations in local governance.
 
SOCCSKSARGEN Region’s Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG XII) is spearheading the conduct of the first episode of Dagyaw 2023 Open Government Town Hall Meeting at Paraiso Verde Hotel and Resort in Koronadal City on June 30.
 
Josephine Cabrido-Leysa, regional director of DILG XII, said Dagyaw Open Government Town Hall Meeting aims to improve trust and confidence between the people and government by providing a safe and protected space for dialogue for multiple sectors across the society.
 
“These town hall meetings serve as a means for the public to participate in governance. What is important is that through these meetings, the public is given the opportunity to give their suggestions and comments regarding programs and services of the government.”
 
Through Dagyaw, she added, the public will not only be informed of the programs of the government but will also be provided the chance to recommend changes that would improve the implementation of government programs and activities.
 
During the meeting, Romel Tanghal, OIC asssistant regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) XII will discuss the topic “Civil Society Organizations and their Participation to Local Governance” from the government perspective.
 
On the other hand, Jobe Tubigon, program manager of the Mahintana Foundation Inc., and Ryan Vidanes, executive director of the  Condrado & Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc., will be speaking on behalf of civil society organizations, and development sector partners, respectively.
 
Among the participants are at least 90 officials of local people’s councils across SOCCSKSARGEN Region.
 
SOCCSKSARGEN Region or Region 12 straddles the provinces of South Cotabato, Cotabato Province, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan.
 
Leysa said, about 30 local government units in the region have already established their respective people’s councils.
 
“We believe that for us to succeed in local governance, we need the meaningful participation of our civil society organizations and the private sector. The government, the CSOs, and the private sector partners, must work together in implementing programs. The government can’t succeed on its own. Everyone has roles, tasks, and responsibilities in shaping our nation,” Director Leysa said during an interview with PIA XII.
 
Dagyaw 2023 second episode is slated in September and will focus on health and wellness and establishment of integrated and innovative health system.
 
In 2018, the Participatory Governance Cluster (PGC) of the Cabinet initiated the conduct of regional town hall meetings with groups and individuals from government and nongovernment sectors. 
 
The year after the PGC passed PGC Resolutin No. 2  to relaunch the regional town hall meetinghs as Dagyaw Open Government Town Hall Meeting.
 
Dagyaw is a Hiligaynon term, meaning “togetherness,” which exemplifies the Filipino value of Bayanihan.
 
DILG XII holds Dagyaw town hall meetings alongside the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) XII, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) XII, other national and regional government agencies, local government units, and development partners.  In Region XII, development partners are represented by the Mahintana Foundation, Inc. (PIA SOCCSKSARGEN)