BAGUIO CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government–Cordillera Administrative Region (DILG-CAR) hosted the Luzon Cluster Orientation on DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2022-083 and the Conduct of Civil Society Organization (CSO) Conferences on July 7, 2022 in this city to prepare all local government units (LGUs) for the reconstitution of the local special bodies (LSBs) in September this year.
In collaboration with the CSO People’s Participation Partnership Program Project Management Office (CSO/PPPP PMO) and the Support to Local Governance Program (SLGP) PMO, this activity is geared towards orienting Regional Accreditation Focal Persons on the salient features of the said MC which outlines the policy on the accreditation of CSOs and the selection of representatives to the LSBs.
DILG-CAR Regional Director Araceli A. San Jose, in her opening message, recognized the critical role CSOs play as the LGUs’ developmental partners and in equalizing power-sharing between the local government and civil society.
San Jose cited the country’s transition towards full devolution as one important avenue for CSO collaboration considering the insights these civic groups may contribute to improving the LGUs’ prioritization of programs and projects and in revisiting their Devolution Transition Plans.
“We have great hope that our LGUs will strive to innovate and maybe even reinvent their LSBs to welcome more CSOs who shall be their partners in promoting an inclusive, accountable, transparent, and responsive local government,” San Jose said.
It can be recalled that enhancing citizen participation in governance is among the key priorities of DILG Secretary Atty. Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. in line with the first 100 days of the current administration.
CSO/PPPP Accreditation Focal Person Sean Nicholas Apostol discussed the salient features of DILG MC No. 2022-083 where he emphasized that Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, does not explicitly prohibit the expansion of the LSBs, rather, it only provides the minimum criteria, thus LGUs may innovate their LSBs in their exercise of local autonomy.
Apostol said that this MC responds to the clamor of CSOs to provide an enabling policy for the expansion of the LSBs to further increase civil society participation. As such, his MC encourages LGUs to increase the membership of CSO representatives in the LSBs to one-half (1/2) of the fully-organized council, but not less than one-fourth (1/4) as provided by RA 7160.
In a bid to engage more CSOs, this MC also details references on activating the LGUs’ Local Development Councils’ Sectoral and Functional Committees where even recognized CSOs may participate as members.
This MC also introduces the issuance of a Certificate of Recognition to CSOs that meet all criteria for accreditation and has submitted all the requirements stipulated in this policy except the Certificate of Registration or existing valid Certificate of Accreditation from any National Government Agency. It must be emphasized that recognized CSOs may participate in the LSBs for the purposes only of meeting the minimum requirements for membership but shall not be accorded voting rights.
Further, this MC also addresses the concerns of LGUs with limited number of CSOs in their areas of jurisdiction. While the policy prohibits a CSO to be part of more than one LSB within a province, city, or municipality, a representative-organization may participate in more than one LSB for the sole purpose of meeting the membership requirements but shall only be a voting member of the LSB they are represented in.
Development Management Officer III Sharn Rosmer Baluyot of the SLGP PMO presented the Field Guide on the conduct of the CSO Conferences in all LGUs in the country on the 1st Week of August 2022.
The CSO Conference serves as a general assembly of all CSOs operating within the LGU with the goal of enjoining them to get accredited and participate in local governance. Baluyot emphasized that this activity is geared towards informing CSOs of the relevance of citizen participation in the LGUs’ decision-making and planning processes.
“The CSO Conference aims to enlighten CSOs on the avenues for participation, to encourage them to apply for accreditation, and to serve as a venue for networking among CSOs that can help in the formation of their Local People’s Council (LPC),” he said.
A major component of the CSO Conference is the discussion of modules prepared by the SLGP PMO which shall tackle topics such as the relevance of participatory governance, code-mandated avenues for participation, and an orientation on the accreditation procedures and formation of the LPC as provided by DILG MC No. 2021- 054.
DILG-CAR has rolled out MC No. 2022-083 and the CSO Conference Field Guide to its Field Operating Units on July 12, 2022 to prepare all LGUs in the Region to stage the CSO Conferences in their respective localities. By RJMV
