Open Government National Advocacy Campaign:

Strengthening Public Participation

March 8, 2024, 12:30-5pm | Oriental Legazpi

OG PINAS
-led by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)

Goals of OGPinas
1. raise awareness about the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), especially at
the local level
2. provides avenues and more channels of communication for government-civil society
partnerships
3. seeks to strengthen public participation in policy-making and governance in the country.
4. instills a culture of transparency, accountability and public participation

Roles of CSOs in OGPinas Campaign

1. help educate the public about the OG Pinas campaign and its objectives
2. monitor government actions and policies related to open government
3. assess the progress made in implementing open government initiatives and hold the
government accountable for its commitments
4. provide valuable feedback and recommendations to improve transparency and citizen
participation
5. provide training and capacity-building programs to empower citizens and communities to
engage effectively with the government
6. equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in policy-making
processes and engage in constructive dialogue with government officials
7. collaborate with government agencies, local authorities, and other stakeholders to promote
open government
8. disseminate information about government programs, policies, and services to the public
9. act as catalysts for change, fostering a culture of open government and citizen participation

Roles of LGUs in OGPinas Campaign

1. responsible for implementing open government initiatives at the local level
2. work towards increasing transparency, accountability, and citizen participation (open data,
participatory budgeting, citizen feedback mechanisms)
3. Collaborate with Civil Society Organizations
4. provide training and support
5. facilitate public consultations and engagement processes
6. provide opportunities for citizens to voice their opinions, suggestions, and concerns

Aurora R. Chavez of Coalition for Bicol Development, PANGODPOD -Sorsogon Province

Activating Lens In Civil Society Engagement and Collaboration with Government

-A healthy, lively, and participatory CSO-LGU engagement is one that can highlight and streghthen
different advocacies for the basic sectors of society, especially women and children.
- in every advocacy project whether for farmers and fisherfolks, youth, IPs women form part of the
stakeholders and actors.

OGP Discussions
The 6th National Action Plan (2023-2027)
▪️OGP's Policy Mechanism is called NAP
-this supports collaborative engagement from governments and civil society in designing,
implementing and monitoring commitments.
 How it works ?
Action ➡️ Accountability ➡️ Community
Action
- Governments and civil society two/four year action plan with concrete reforms of commitments
Accountability
-The independent Reporting Mechanism monitors to ensure governments follow through on
commitments
Community
-the OGP members engage in peer learning
▪️Contains 8 commitments with 10 projects and programs geared towards institutionalizing
government thrpugh enhance public participation and digital transformation.

National Action Plan Development Process

1. Call for Commitment Proposal
2. PH OGP Forum -with CSOs, NGAs (national government agencies)
3. Open Gov Week (Presentation of the Citizens Agenda)
4. Workshops (Commitment Outcomes Design Workshops, Action Development Workshops,
OGP consultation with youth/kids, Commitment Refinement and Finalization Workshop)
5. Review and Shortlisting of Commitments
6. Steering Committee Review of the Shortlisted Commitments
7. Public Commenting Period
8. Submission of the signed Commitment forms
9. Submission of the PH-OGP NAP to the OGP support unit

how can new commitments be introduced in PH-OGP

1. Co-Creation and Participation ( involving both government agencies and CSOs)
2. Criteria for Commitments (commitments included in the Action Plan are evaluated based on
criteria such as ambitious targets, alignment with OGP Grand Challenges, support from the
national government, and availability of funding)
3. Guiding Framework (development process is guided by the PH-OGP Participation and Co-
Creation Framework) - aligns with global standards set by the OGP
4. Alignment with National Development Plans (aligns with the strategies outlined in the
Philippine Development Plan (PDP) at the national level) , this alignment ensures that open
government commitments support the broader goals and priorities of the government
5. Cyclical Process (each cycle builds upon the previous one, incorporating lessons learned and
feedback from implementation, the process is iterative and aims to continuously improve and
refine open government initiatives)

FOI Program Commitments to the PH-OGP

1. Passage of Freedom of Information Law ( aims to establish a legal framework that guarantees
the right of citizens to access government information)
2. Scaling Up Implementation of FOI Program (expanding and strengthening the implementation
of the FOI program, involves the support and collaboration of various institutions, such as
the DILG and the Youth Alliance for Freedom of Information (YAFOI))
3. Practice of FOI through Executive Order -Executive Order No. 2 in 2016, establishes a
mechanism for citizens to file public information requests and promotes transparency and
accountability