By CESAR JOLITO III
Ten local government units (LGUs) across the Negros Island Region (NIR) have been recognized by the Philippine Open Government Partnership (OGP) for their strong commitment to transparency, accountability and citizen participation during the observance of Open Government Week.
The official list of awardees, released on May 21, showed that six LGUs from Negros Occidental and four from Negros Oriental were cited for institutionalizing open governance principles through local legislation passed by their respective sangguniang councils.
From Negros Occidental, the recognized LGUs include the cities of Bago, Himamaylan, La Carlota, San Carlos, and Sipalay, along with E.B. Magalona town.
In Negros Oriental, cited LGUs include the cities of Bayawan and Dumaguete, as well as San Jose town and one additional local government unit not specified in the official list summary.
Institutionalizing open governance
According to the PH-OGP, the recognition highlights the growing number of local governments that are formally embedding open governance frameworks into their local policies.
These measures include ordinances and resolutions aimed at strengthening transparency mechanisms, improving public accountability, and expanding citizen engagement in decision-making processes.
The initiative aligns with the broader goals of the global OGP, a multistakeholder international platform launched in 2011 to promote open, responsive and accountable governance among member countries.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government was also acknowledged during the event for its continuing support in advancing governance reforms and ensuring the implementation of open government principles from the national level down to local communities.
The Department of Budget and Management, through Circular Letter No. 2026-6, likewise urged other LGUs nationwide to adopt similar measures by crafting policies and ordinances that institutionalize open government practices.
PH-OGP emphasized that local legislation supporting transparency and participation is crucial in strengthening public trust and ensuring that citizens have a meaningful role in governance.
It encouraged more LGUs to follow the example of the recognized local governments in the Negros Island Region./CJ, WDJ