The De La Salle University – Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance (DLSU-JRIG) and Ateneo de Naga University – Center for Local Governance (ADNU-CLG) were able to gather the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) based in the Bicol Region for a one day Local Knowledge Workshop held on 25 May 2017 at the CLG Training Room, Ateneo de Naga University.
The activity was divided into two parts. The first part was a presentation of topics regarding the Universities and Knowledge Partnerships for Open Government, a project initiated by the DLSU-JRIG and being implemented in the entire country. The project aims to: (1) enable academic institutions to serve as infomediaries in developing knowledge of local civil society organizations on monitoring open government programs implemented at the local level; and (2) develop regional universities to become as knowledge hubs in collection, production, and dissemination of knowledge on open government, social accountability, and participatory local governance. The said topics were presented by Dr. Francisco A. Magno and Mr. Ian Jayson Hecita, Director and Program Manager of DLSU-JRIG, respectively.
It was also an opportunity for the participants to have Hon. John G. Bongat, Mayor of Naga City, who gave a message during the opening program. There were Resource Speakers from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Camarines Sur office invited in the name of Ms. Nela De La Calzada who discussed topic on Assistance to Disadvantaged Municipalities (ADM) and Mr. Lino Ruperto R. Boncodin, Jr. who also discussed the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).
The second part of the activity was composed of workshop sessions on possible partnerships between CSOs and academe for generating and sharing information on accountability and on possible online portal development as a tool to access and share information on accountability. The said workshops were facilitated by Dr. Malu C. Barcillano and Mr. Jay P. Abawag of ADNU-CLG.
It was attended by participants representing the Naga City Federation of Senior Citizens, Naga City Urban Poor Federation, Lakas ng Kababaihan, Barangay People’s Council, Naga City People’s Council, Kabalikat Civicom, Pamilyang Migrante kan Naga, Philippine Red Cross-Camarines Sur, Coalition for Bicol Development, and Ateneo Social Science Research Center. The activity was the first among possible activities to be conducted under the project for the benefit of the University, CSOs, and the community, considering that Ateneo de Naga University is one of the local partners under the project; the other two are Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan at Cagayan De Oro and Central Philippine University at Iloilo.
by Jay P. Abawag
