The Central Visayas Network of NGOs (CENVISNET) recently held a two-day back-to-back FOI and Strengthening Decentralized Governance Regional Conference entitled #IstoryaTa: Transparency and Accountability Conference at Diamond Suites Hotel, Cebu City last March 15-16, 2018. CENVISNET is a Project Implementing Partner of the projects, Using the EO on FOI to Monitor PRRD’s Key Promises (FOI Project) and Strengthening Decentralized Governance and Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships for Addressing Poverty and Inequalities at Regional and Provincial Levels in Bicol, Central Visayas and Southern Mindanao (Strengthening DG Project).

The conference was attended by CSO (civil society organization) partners of CENVISNET primarily composed of partners in the academe, business sector and NGOs. There were also local government agency representatives from Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The first day of the conference tackled the CSO Index and the Philippines’ Commitment in Open-Government Partnership which was presented by Mariefe del Mundo (CODE-NGO Advocacy Officer), overview of Strengthening DG Project presented by Sandino Soliman (Project Manager) and EO on FOI Project presented by Hennesy Ozawa (Project Assistant). These discussions were followed by the presentation of project data results of both projects conducted in Central Visayas. Aside from regional project output discussions, a workshop was also facilitated to gain recommendations on the policy intervention, enhancement of guidelines and advancing CSO agenda and advocacies.

The second day of the event started with a situationer on the Philippine Government Programs and the Prospects and Challenges on Transparency and Accountability in Government discussed by Sixto Donato Macasaet (former CODE-NGO Executive Director). The workshop outputs together with CSO Policy Recommendations on both projects were also presented. The second part of the event was dedicated to an open dialogue with the representatives from different local government agencies and offices wherein participants had the opportunity to interact and raise their concerns pertaining to both projects and issues and matters concerning their communities. The two-day activity ended with a pledge from CSOs on how they can commit to the advocacies: Transparency and Accountability.

Hennesy Ozawa is the Project Assistant of CODE-NGO’s EO on FOI Project.