The Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) remains firmly committed to the OGP principles of civic participation, promoting transparency, fighting corruption, empowering citizen and leveraging on technology to strengthen governance. Through PH-OGP, we have endeavored to make the citizens know and feel that the government is there for them. We continue to embrace the values of transparency and open government in the programs and projects in our Action Plan and to make government information more accessible and available through the use technology to ensure accountability.
Our most recent Action Plan has institutionalized the conduct of Regional Townhall Sessions dubbed as Dagyaw, which ensures more meaningful civic participation. We have reached more sectors through these consultations where government and non-government partners identify collectively local issues and present them in the sessions. This avenue for citizen participation has provided a safe space for government and the public to communicate their concerns and discuss ways forward on topics that have direct impact to the citizens.
The Philippines will continue to advance open government through the PH-OGP commitments on civic space and digital governance. We will establish mechanisms for a more robust civic participation in governmental processes including budget preparation and implementation. Fiscal openness will continue to be included in our commitments as we provide the platform to inform citizens of the state of national and local governance, maximize citizen engagement and establish citizen feedback mechanisms to help fight corruption. PH-OGP will sustain its active engagement in OGP adhering to its values and making a mark in the OGP circles in the region.