People Empowerment

DAVE BERCASIODAVE BERCASIO

Executive DirectorExecutive Director

Presentation Outline

•The Background–Timeline and Notes

•NCPC Response: Making participation work for the people

•Achievements, Lessons learned, Future Directions, Replicability

The BackgroundTIMELINE

PASSAGE OF THE LGC (1991)PASSAGE OF THE LGC (1991)

Naga City NGO-PO Council (1993)Naga City NGO-PO Council (1993)

Enactment of the Empowerment Ordinance (1995)

Enactment of the Empowerment Ordinance (1995)

The BackgroundNOTES

•Governance solely in the hands of the elected officials

•Participation limited to sectoral and thematic engagements of few groups

The Empowerment Ordinance

• The first in the country• Became the statement of the City

Government and the people to enter into partnership

• Widened areas for participation• Made people’s representatives as

regular members– Participate in deliberations – Vote on matters tackled– Be counted in determining of the quorum

The Challenges•Lack of material readiness of the

people to engage government•Not all local officials are

appreciative of people’s participation

•Absence of consolidated agenda as foundation for engaging government

NCPC Responses

•Making the people ready for the partnership

•Making the government open to people’s participation•Making the partnership work

for the people• Investing financial and material resources to the

partnership

Making the People Ready for the Partnership

•Building capacities•Forming coalitions at the

grassroots and sectoral levels–Barangay People’s Council–Sectoral Organizing

•Articulating and consolidating the needs of the people

Making the Government Open to People’s Participation•One-on-one Meetings

•Orolay-olay–Mayor and City Councilors–Department Heads

•Resulted to more relaxed partnership

Making the Partnership Work for the People• Influencing government decision-

making and budget allocation– CDC and BDC; Appropriation Com

• Participation in project implementation• Ensuring Transparency and

Accountability • Holding the government to account for

its performance – 1997 “Ulat sa Bayan”– Opposition to Ordinance No. 2003-099

Investing Financial & Material Resources to the Partnership•Culture-based cleanliness

program•Providing internet access to

upland barangays•Capacity-builing to sectoral

leaders of the City

Achievements•NCPC maximized by sectoral groups

to advance their needs• Improvement of access to and

quality of government services•Raising the level of credibility of

government processes•4 Barangay Empowerment

Ordinances passed

Lessons Learned

• Enabling political environment is catalytic

• Partnership requires less energy and resources but produces greater results

• Presence of CSO partners facilitates client-focused and demand-driven services

• Partnership invites pro-active contribution from the people

Future Directions

• Maintaining relevance, integrity and credibility

• Push for sectoral representation in the city’s legislative council

• Maximize available and create new avenues for partnership

• Pursue full implementation of the RC system

Replicability•Presence of a statement of

partnership –Readiness of the people and government

•Mechanism to mobilize citizens participation and obtain needs and feedback

•Discussion and resolution of issues relevant to the citizens

Dios mabalos po!