BACKGROUND/RATIONALE

Iloilo Caucus of Development NGOs, Inc. (Iloilo CODE NGOs, Inc.) is piloting a project in local governance, entitled “Development of Institutional Mechanisms for Participatory Local Governance through Strengthening of Local Development Councils”. The project attempts at modeling proactive initiatives of people empowerment as embodied in the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991. Iloilo CODE NGO’s intervention in Batad, proved to have brought concrete changes in local governance particularly in the area of participatory planning, development advocacy, transparency exercises, project monitoring and evaluation.

The transparency in governance activities traces its beginning on May 4, 1998, when Iloilo CODE NGOs in partnership with Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and Evelio B. Javier Foundation (EBJF) conducted the Candidates Forum for the local candidates in preparation for the May 11, 1998 National and Local Elections. This innovative exercise caught the interest of both the politicians and the civil society. Majority of the candidates coming from different political parties and independents came to present their respective platform. This event was witnessed by hundreds of constituents in the small town of 7,000 registered voters who trooped to the Municipal Gymnasium.

Many of those who won including the newly elected town mayor, participated in the aforementioned forum. As a follow through activity of the Program on Good Governance, on December 4, 1998, the Iloilo CODE NGOs with financial support from EBJF sent two of its staff and Batad LGU representative and a cooperative officer to observe the conduct of the “Report sa Banwa-an” (Reportage to the Public) which is a kind of programmed feedbacking mechanism done in Camalig, Albay. This is a venue where the elected officials report their respective performance to the public after 100 days in office. The officials were made to account their performance vis-avis the campaign promises and platforms of governance.

This activity was a part of the Cross Visit activity to Highly Innovative Governance Exercises in the country. The participants to this exposure program were highly impressed of the processes that they were motivated to replicate the exercise back to Batad.

THE LOCAL REPLICATION AND MODIFICATION

Based on the report of SB Member Abner B. Rubrico to the Sangguniang Bayan on his return from Albay, the activity made a significant impact to the citizenry as far as government transparency is concerned. He lobbied for the adoption of such activity. The Municipal Officials committed themselves to adopt the program dubbed as “Pahayag sa Banwa” and set the following objectives:

To provide a venue where people can ask questions relative to local governance

To provide a venue where the people can convey their needs to the Municipal officials

To inform the people of the various accomplishments of their duly elected officials

To inform the people of the various priority programs/projects of the present administration

To inform the people of the status of various projects being implemented

To establish feedback mechanism

ADVOCACY AND PREPARATIONS

The Municipal Government of Batad, in collaboration with Iloilo CODE NGOs and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) conducted the information dissemination campaign about the proposed activity. The People’s Organizations took the lead in persuading their constituents. The information drive was supported by the religious sector wherein the Roman Catholic Church, Philippine Independent Church, Seventh Day Adventists and Batad Baptist Church announced to their respective flock every after religious activities like Masses and Worships.

Later it became a real multi-sectoral exercise as the academe also supported the activity through Batad Polytechnic College (BPC) under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). BPC went up to the extent of suspending classes for college students for them to voice their opinions and suggestion during the “Pahayag sa Banwa”. Barangay officials also helped in the information dissemination through the Liga ng mga Barangay.

The problem with the outskirts barangays is the transportation fare of the people who wanted to witness the activity. The municipal dump truck was utilized to transport the people to the venue free of charge as commitment of the Local Government Unit.

FIRST PAHAYAG

The 1st Pahayag sa Banwa was a pilot run and it is decided among the panelists (composed of representatives from the four Christian denominations and from the academe) that only reporting by the officials will be done. This was done last February 11, 1999 at the Batad Gymnasium. This was attended by seven elected officials, including the mayor and about 300 constituents.

It was an interesting public feedbacking system. Though the concept and process was a very novel exercise, it really served its purpose of surfacing critical issues and concerns. The major issues centered on the lack of public awareness about local ordinances, lack of transparency with regard to use of public funds, unfinished and unaccomplished projects, rampant illegal fishing practices. This activity served as a dry run for succeeding activities. There was a popular demand to have it regularized.

Some officials who did not attend the activity had reservations about the effectivity of the exercise. But it had some backlash on them as the public began to wonder about their absence. As one progressive and active official quipped, “Are they afraid to come out, because they have nothing to report?”

Politicians are there to serve and no to be served.

SECOND PAHAYAG

Due to insistent demand, the 2nd Pahayag followed four months later (June 23), and this time an open forum was a part of the process. Drop boxes were placed in different churches to generate public interest. More meaningful participation was expected at the level of a critical mass.

The second event indeed created a snowballing effect as it was attended by nine elected officials, the municipal department heads and about 500 constituents. Some of those who earlier had reservations about this exercise attended the forum and realized how important this was. They expressed their desire to convince the others to attend the next Pahayag.

Observers from EBJF were invited to witness the modifications that have been introduced to localize the Transparency Exercise suited to the context. Some media exposurists from as far Bukidnon Province in Mindanao were delighted at the experience and signified their interest to do a similar exercise.

INSTITUIONALIZATION OF PAHAYAG SA BANWA

The exercise became very acceptable. After the municipal officials realized the importance of the Pahayag, a Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 00 – 78, Series of 2000, was passed declaring the Pahayag sa Banwa will now be a regular activity to be held every second Monday of June and December of every year.

TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNANCE FAIR

The Pahayag sa Banwa in Batad was presented as one of the Case Model of Creative Innovations in Transparency in Governance in the Region. This was presented during the Provincial Summit of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines – Iloilo Chapter last October 25-26, 2000. Many other neighboring municipalities took interest in what has been started in Batad by doing public fora. As a result, there was a declaration of support by the Provincial Monitoring and Evaluation Committee headed by the Hon. Mayor Eliseo Tobias for the Institutionalization of Innovations in Transparency. This was duly recognized by DILG through their representatives.

THE THIRD PAHAYAG

With respect to Municipal Ordinance for the holding of the Pahayag every six months (June and December), the 3nd Pahayag sa Banwa was conducted on December 11, 2000. This time the initiative was done mainly by the LGU, civil society leaders from the different churches, POs and academe. Iloilo CODE NGOs, who used to orchestrate the activity before, just provided back up support.

The chief executives, 6 of 8 of elected officials, attended the third event, 2 appointed municipal officials, department heads and about 400 constituents. Other LGUs (24 delegates from New Lucena, including their mayor) and members of the media attended the forum to observe the mechanics for future replication. Afterwards, they expressed their desire to convince the others to adopt the same process.

BARANGAY LEVEL PAHAYAG

There have been demands to do similar Pahayag initiatives at the barangay level. With their own resources, Barangay Bulak Sur, one of the Pilot Barangays of the Participatory Local Governance Program of Iloilo CODE held their own innovations last April 4, 2001. This was witnessed by the local municipal officials of Batad. It turned out to be an impressive affair as the barangay constituents challenged their local officials to be more visible and active in the delivery of programs and services to the poor.

LESSONS LEARNED

The advances and gains generated from this activity have already attracted several exposurists and practitioners in development and good governance to observe the process that has been practiced. There were teachers and DECS officials under the TEEP-World Bank Program from the neighboring province of Antique who learned the mechanics of participatory democracy as well as foreign observers from Japan who spent a good time to do research on the project.

Currently, as 2001 is another election year, voter’s education and Candidates Forum have been undertaken by the Iloilo CODE and its local LGU and civil society partners. A new project area in New Lucena LGU also introduced the activity. The exercise remains popular as ever. We look forward to a matured, empowered and responsive citizenship that would develop a vibrant and progressive community.