ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- The open government national advocacy campaign dubbed "OGPinas!" was brought last Oct. 18 in the Visayas, particularly in Iloilo City, to further strengthen public participation following its successful launch a week earlier in Quezon City. 

The campaign is being spearheaded by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Budget Secretary and Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) Chairperson Amenah F. Pangandaman addressed the participants from the regional offices of various national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), relaying the central message of the PH-OGP drive.

Visayas to support the advocacy, emphasizing the need to capitalize on the strengths and innate efforts of Filipinos toward open government.

“Bigyan natin ang mga mamamayan ng space na magsalita, ilabas ang mga hinaing at mga suhestiyon, bumalangkas kasama ng gobyerno ng mga programa at proyektong sila rin naman ang dapat makikinabang (Let us give space to the people to talk, express their sentiments and suggestions, to help the government in crafting programs and projects that they are also set to benefit from),” Cruz noted.

Fernandez also expressed her eager anticipation for the localization of the PH-OGP.

Becoming one of the founding members of OGP in 2011, the Philippines has since been championing the creation of partnerships among local governments, CSOs, and all other stakeholders from the different sectors of society. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6)