Open government partnership now in full swing
The PH-OGP is a multi-stakeholder partnership responsible for overseeing and implementing the country's commitments to the OGP, a global coalition of government and non-government reformers with a vision to make governments more transparent, accountable, and responsive by enjoining citizens in national and local governance processes.
Because of its contribution to national governance, the PH-OGP has also been identified as a key mechanism in deepening participatory governance and one of the key inter-agency bodies to steer the implementation of good governance strategies in Chapter 14 of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. The PH-OGP is being led by the Steering Committee composed of equal government and non-government members.
"The DBM is in the thick of activities involving the institutionalization of the PH-OGP. We are preparing the 6th National Action Plan which will involve government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the public to make governance truly participatory, transparent, accountable, and inclusive," said DBM Secretary and PH-OGP Steering Committee Chairperson, Amenah F. Pangandaman.
Last May, the PH-OGP participated in the global celebration of Open Gov Week, where the Budget Secretary, PH-OGP Point of Contact (PoC) and Head Secretariat, DBM Assistant Secretary Rolando U. Toledo presented the 6th PH-OGP National Action Plan (NAP) Development Process.
Currently, the 6th PH-OGP NAP is undergoing the co-creation process where commitment proposals from government agencies are being presented and consulted with civil society groups, academes, think tanks, public sector unions, and private sector groups, among others. The action plan will be launched on December 7, 2023.
Additionally, the PH-OGP is also preparing for the 2023 OGP Global Summit, which will gather heads of states, civil society groups, and policymakers from over 70 OGP member countries in Tallinn, Estonia, from September 6 to 7, 2023. The Summit will focus on open government in the digital age, the potential of technology to make governance and policy-making more transparent and accountable, and the preservation of democracy.
The Philippines, together with the International Budget Partnership (IBP) and Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT), is hosting a session on fiscal openness at the Summit to showcase remarkable examples of how public participation has been successfully integrated into various phases of the budget cycle and at different levels of government. Key international fiscal openness champions are expected to participate in the session.
Asec. Toledo emphasized, "_Sa Global Summit, isang tema po dito ay digitalization. Ito ang thrust ng ating gobyerno, lalo na ng ating Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. Ito ay magandang oportunidad upang tayo ay matuto at magbahagi rin ng ating mga experiences sa mga nagawa natin."
Established in 2011, the Philippines is one of OGP’s eight founding governments, including Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Currently, the Partnership has grown to 77 countries, 106 local governments, thousands of civil society organizations, and several multilateral partners. (DBM/PIA Caraga)
