Iloilo City receives ISA’s Institutionalized award
The Iloilo City Government received the Institutionalized Status award from the Institute of Solidarity in Asia (ISA) during the Public Governance Forum at the Mandarin Oriental Manila September 23-24.
City Tourism Ben Jimena, head of Technical Core Group; Snow Chua, head of Office for Strategy Management; Jigger Latoza, head of Multi-sectoral Coalition; Vice-mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, department heads and representatives of multi-sector received the badge for the City Government during the awarding ceremonies of ISA, a non-government organization that advocates good governance.
Jimena and Chua presented the Case Study entitled Iloilo City: Making Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Work which involves stakeholders in successful strategy execution.
The PPP and revenue generation are two breakthroughs that pushed the city to attain the institutionalized status after passing through initiated, compliant and proficient levels to achieve several goals embodied in a scorecard crafted by stakeholders.
The City Hall recognized the participation of the private sector in various programs of the city such as solid waste management, urban poor development, heritage conservation and festivals.
“Almost every aspect of our governance has a private participation which cannot be found in other cities. I think we have to be proud of Iloilo City.. This gives a mark of distinction for us because these breakthroughs were made due to collective efforts. This award is not for me but for the whole city,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
“In so far as city residents are concerned, this will show that governance is a shared responsibility,” he stressed.
Treñas hoped the award would make the city more attractive to investors as the private sector is always welcome.
“Iloilo City showcases its leadership, financial and governance stability to withstand pressures from the economic and political environments both locally and globally,” ISA said in its audit report..
Since 2005, the City Government collaborates with the ISA to implement Performance Governance System (PGS) which has paved the way for an innovative management tool for the city through ISA’s assistance in crafting its vision, mission, and roadmap.
The city’s commitment and drive to set the necessary reforms through the application of the PGS principles and processes has helped realize key results in the four fundamental perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard, namely, Financial Strength, Stakeholder Participation, Internal Organization and Learning and Growth.
Iloilo City’s strategy of engaging the active participation of non-traditional groups such as the youth is promising and exemplary, the ISA noted.
ISA also commended the city’s high regard for the preservation of heritage coupled with the holistic design of social and environmental programs that imbed the cultural and resource fundamentals.
The ISA’s audit finds Iloilo City’s performance at par with the benchmarks set forth by ISA to achieve an institutionalized status in the PGS pathway.
The audit also recommends the city as a candidate or benchmark for further learning and showcase of the PGS successes among ISA’s LGU partners.
ISA validated the city’s breakthrough accomplishments making the metropolis an ideal models for Public-Private Partnership; Effective Financial Planning, Revenue Generation and Resource Management; Heritage and Cultural Preservation Programme; Enabling Mechanisms for a more involved and participative Youth Sector; social welfare and development (Housing Settlement Programme); Environment-Friendly Infrastructure and Urban Planning; and Integrated Education Infrastructure. (PIO)