By: Emmanuel D. Taghoy
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – “Economies collapsed due to human’s extreme greed,” said Monsignor Gilbert Gente, vicar-general of the Diocese Ipil during an orientation-training on transparency and accountability held here recently.
“Corruption does not only enslave the people, but it insults humanity in general,” the vicar general furthered.
The transparency and accountability training was spearheaded by the Citizen’s Action Network for Accountability (CANA), a non-government organization which believes that “the more ordinary people can understand and engage with the government, the more accountable and effective the people can be.”
In his presentation, Ipil Mayor Eldwin Alibutdan said that transparency is a continuing struggle of each and every local government unit.
He presented the initiatives undertaken by the municipal government to be more transparent and accountable in all its undertakings.
“LGU Ipil is the only town with a working Electronic Business Permit and Licensing System (eBPLS),” disclosed Mayor Alibutdan.
Mr. Sonny Fernandez, director of the National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP) lauded the presentation of Mayor Alibutdan citing the town’s best practices.
“Mayor Alibutdan showed that the town is really exerting its efforts to be transparent and to address the needs of the Ipileños,” said Fernandez.
Fernandez also commended the CANA for spearheading the training saying “it is a good opportunity for the organized segments of the community, like the church and other people’s organization to engage with the local government.”
The training also included a discussion about the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of the government followed by an open forum.
CANA is the third collaboration of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IPWR), the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD), the MindaNews and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).
Barangay officials, the civil society groups, some local chief executives and the media were also present in the said activity.