PGS highlights good governance and responsible citizenship

How best the Ilonggos and its City government can work together for good governance and the development of responsible citizenship is the focus of a two-day working session on Public Governance Strategy (PGS) sponsored by the Iloilo City Government and the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) from July 26-27,2005 at the Iloilo Grand Hotel.

In his remarks, Mayor Jerry Trenas said the two-day session would provide a scorecard of the city to best define the vision of Iloilo City as a growth center with sustainable development.  The Mayor said the changing dynamics in national and international governance has revolutionized the face of public governance models and cited as an example the proposed parliamentary federalism in the Philippines.  This, it will be recalled was one of the primary focus of the SONA of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

For the first day, the sessions focused on the introduction of good governance and responsible citizenship in that it is radically different from traditional government approach because it gives premium to what responsible citizens can do in the context of the country's major government problems.  It also highlighted public governance systems and applications to individuals and organizations and focused on the facets of Public Governance systems down to strategic priorities and measures of the City and the required action programs to carry it out.

The second day will focus on the PGS as applied to the circumstances of the City of Iloilo and how Ilonggos may adopt it as an approach to improved City governance and hopefully to actualize the “Think Big, Think Iloilo” slogan of Mayor Jerry Trenas.

Iloilo City is the eighth city for the series of two-day sessions sponsored by the ISA.  After Iloilo City, Cebu City will follow suit.  Other cities that have already undertaken the sessions are Marikina, Naga, and San Fernando in La Union, Catbalogan in Western Samar, Surigao and the Island City of Samal.  These cities have been identified by the League of City of the Philippines as its pioneer cities for the program, after which the next group of cities will follow.

Participants of the two-day affair include members of the academe, media, civic groups and organizations, Iloilo City Hall officials and representatives of national line agencies.

Speakers include former Secretary of Finance Jesus Estanislao, Mr. Jess Gamad, Mr. Nick Fontanilla and Mr. Cris Saenz. (PIA6)