source: gmanews.tv
The city of Tabaco in Albay recently unveiled a SMS and online citizen feedback initiative that allow citizens to report on delivery of services and expect timely response from local governments.
The project, dubbed Tingog 2015, is the country’s answer to the global initiative to enable citizen feedback on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), its proponents said.
The initiative is named Tingog 2015 to signify its objective of giving “voice" to the people on matters relating to social development (“tingog") and its goal of accelerating achievement of the MDGs in time for the deadline in the year 2015.
The first of its kind in the Philippines, Tingog 2015 is a technology platform that empowers citizens to send direct feedback to local government agencies via SMS and receive responses on their feedback from concerned local government agencies.
The initiative empowers ordinary citizens to inform local government agencies when services are not being delivered, as well as provide positive feedback when social needs are being satisfactorily met. The feedback gathered will also be used by local government to ensure responsiveness in development planning.
The global citizen feedback initiative was a product of the 2010 MDG Summit in New York, where world leaders agreed that accelerating achievement of the MDGs required ensuring transparency and accountability, and citizen involvement in social development.
The MDGs are time-bound, concrete and specific goals that 189 world leaders committed to achieving by 2015 at the United Nations Summit in September 2000.
These goals are: 1) end extreme poverty and hunger; 2) achieve universal primary education; 3) promote gender equality and empower women; 4) reduce child mortality; 5) improve maternal health; 6) combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases; 7) ensure environmental sustainability, and 8.) develop a global partnership for development.
For the Tabaco pilot, however, Tingog 2015 will focus on delivery of services related to MDGs 4, 5, and 6, specifically on HIV/Aids.
Prior to the Albay launch of Tingog 2015, the global citizen feedback initiative has only been launched in Kenya, Africa, and in India.
Mobile operators Globe, Smart, and Sun Cellular are also working to make available the four-digit number “2015" to be the official Tingog 2015 number for sending citizen feedback.
After the Tabaco City pilot, the initiative is intended to be rolled out across the Philippines to empower citizens to participate in local governance, social development and the achievement of the MDGs.
Among those who attended its recent launch were Tabaco City mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Jesse Robredo, Binibining Pilipinas-Universe 2010 and Ms. Universe 2010 fourth runner-up Ma. Venus Raj, both of whom hail from Bicol.
Also present during the event were Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, country representative of the World Health Organization; Jessica Cantos, Social Watch Philippines co-convenor and chief of staff of House deputy speaker Lorenzo R. Tañada III; and Alabay provincial board member Glenda Ong Bongao, who represented Albay governor Joey S. Salceda.
source: gmanews.tv
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