Panibagong Paraan for Good Governance

PHILIPPINES: Best Practices in Good Governance Shine in 3-day Conference

Good governance is a key factor in effective public service delivery, empowering poor and disadvantaged groups, hammering down the costs of goods and services that government buys, sustaining investments, and improving the quality of economic growth. These were the major learnings during a three-day conference led by the World Bank, the Asian Institute of Management – Center for Development Management, and the Ateneo School of Government at the AIM last November 4-6.

The conference, called Panibagong Paraan for Good Governance 2009 (New and Innovative Ways in Good Governance), puts a spotlight on how local government officials have successfully empowered their constituents, partnered with civil society organizations for better public service delivery and protection of disadvantaged groups, enhanced transparency and social accountability, and how all these were used to make growth work for the poor. This year’s Panibagong Paraan focused on sharing knowledge instead of project grant competitions as in previous years.

Among the speakers were Ramon Magsaysay awardee and Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo, World Bank Country Director Bert Hofman, former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cielito Habito, and AIM Associate Dean of Center for Development Management Juan Miguel Luz. Local government officials from places far from Manila like Mayor Florante Gerdan of Nueva Vizcaya, Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias, and Mayor Pedro Acharon of General Santos were some of the resource persons in the panel discussions.

In his talk, Mayor Robredo explained how good governance starts with the local chief executive, but is made potent with the participation of civil society, and each individual in every locality.

“Leadership should demonstrate that if you want to have a culture of excellence, you should be excellent yourself. If you want a culture of honesty, you should be honest yourself,” said Mayor Robredo.

Naga City is one of the models for good governance in the country, earning awards for projects, one of which is iGovernance where the city hall used the Internet to enhance transparency. For example, all prices of goods bought by the local government in Naga city are posted in its website.

Other good governance models also shone during the conference, like Mayor Prudencio Maxino’s Kalahi program in Mulanay, Quezon, which empowers barangays to craft their own development agenda, and Mayor Florante Gerdan’s strategy to professionalize the local bureaucracy by focusing on performance. Local chief executives present during the conference said good governance worked for them because it ensured their continuity even without much campaign efforts.

“The best campaign strategy is delivering public services well and empowering communities,” said Mayor Maxino.

The World Bank’s network of academic and research institutions called Knowledge for Development Centers (KDC), which participated in the event, believes that the rich experiences and variety of competencies of resource persons and speakers brought forward burning issues in good governance today.

“We know that there are great governance achievements out there at the local level. We need to bring out these examples, learn from them, and support further reforms,” said Mr. Hofman.

During the conference, the World Bank also discussed selected development topics, under the broader theme of its Country Assistance Strategy, "Making Growth Work for the Poor." These topics will be included in a series of Discussion Notes which are intended to serve as vehicles for stirring and informing policy discussions and dialogue as the next Medium-Term Philippines Development Plan is developed.

“What we need is to work on the quality of growth,” said Mr. Habito.

Good governance in both the national and local level is seen as an effective inoculation against poverty and poor investment climate, but more change leaders are needed to replicate these stories of good governance across the country.

“Change leaders are always, without exception, those who are ethical and transparent. To them, good governance is not a statement without legs and feet. Leaders who are serious about good governance are the kinds of leaders that will bring about transformation in our country,” said AIM President Dr. Edilberto de Jesus.

“In fighting poverty, it is not enough that we put the economy on a growth train or expand trade and industry. Governance is as much a part of the battle against poverty and inequality as roads and bridges,” Ateneo School of Government Dean Tony La Viña said.

The KDC is a knowledge-sharing partnership between the World Bank and knowledge institutions in the country. Recently, it organized a series of both online and face-to-face forums for youth all over the country, bringing to them champions of good governance through a Caravan for Good Governance.

Acknowledgment: Harvey Keh

The St. Paul University Philippines-Knowledge for Development Center Information Staff, Mr. Ronaldo Sumait, and Public Administration & Legal Management Faculty, Mr. Mark Dominador Ventura attended this fruitful conference.

The Participants

Mr. Sumait discussed during the event the activities of SPUP-KDC which are focused on Good Governance, Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability.

Mr. Ventura facilitated the sharing of action plans on

Panibagong Paraan for Good Governance

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SPUP-KDC TRAINS VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS

SPUP-KDC Trains Young Adults with Disabilities

(By Dr. Rosalinda Tanguilan)

The St. Paul University Philippines - Knowledge for Development Center (SPUP-KDC) in partnership with the Breaking Barriers for Young Adults with Disabilities (BBY) is assisting Young Adults with Disabilities (YAWDS) from the City of Tuguegarao and nearby municipalities of Cagayan.

With the state-of–the-art facilities of SPUP-KDC which include the Job Access with Speech (JAWS) software and the services of the expert trainer and KDC Knowledge Facilitator, Mr. Ronaldo Sumait, and other skilled librarians, these young adults with disabilities are given the opportunity to enhance their computer skills.

JAWS is a screen reader that “reads” and converts to audio whatever text or operation appears in the computer screen. KDCs offer JAWS to make information available to visually impaired persons.

This activity of the SPUP-KDC has started last August 1, 2009. The beneficiaries are coming to SPUP every Saturday of the month. It will only be terminated when these recipients are already equipped with the skill.

The VIPs (Visually Impaired Persons) together with the KIRN Director Dr. Rosalinda Tanguilan and Ms. Fleurdeliza Nawew, BBY Education Coordinator during the training

Good Governance Videoconference

Knowledge for Development Center	Kaya Natin!	St. Paul University Philippines

KAYA NATIN!

In partnership with

World Bank – Knowledge for Development Center

St. Paul University Philippines

Tuguegarao City

GOOD GOVERNANCE VIDEOCONFERENCE

September 22, 2009

The Good Governance Videoconference Series is the second part of the face-to-face forums on good governance. The project aimed to (a) raise the consciousness of the youth about the champions and models of good governance; (b) remind the youth that despite of what our country is experiencing, our country still has public officials who are champions of good governance; (c) encourage hope, and the knowledge that individuals especially the youth can make a difference in many ways; (d) help the youth take a break from all the graft and corruption stories, and breathe in a new perspective and inspiration; and (e) allow the youth to reflect and create their perspective on - IF THE YOUTH ARE IN PUBLIC OFFICE.

Congressman TG Guingona III & Mayor Sonia Lorenzo

The resource speakers Congressman TG Guingona III of Bukidnon and Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija were based in KDC Ortigas Center, Pasig City and linked to the 104 participants which composed of the Bachelor of Science in Public Administration and Legal Management (BSPALM) of the School of Arts, Sciences and Teacher Education and the student leaders from different schools of St. Paul University Philippines, Tuguegarao City. Congressman Guingona discussed the need for more transparency and better allocation and utilization of the national budget. Mayor Sonia discussed about the roles of the youth in fighting graft and corruption as one of the biggest blocks to the development of our nation. She also emphasized the different ways of helping the local community through unity. In fact, she made mention that the municipality of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija was uplifted from 4^th class to 2^nd class municipality through empowerment of the youth. The initiatives of the youth in helping San Isidro played a great role in achieving all the developments which they have right now.

The student leaders were very active in asking “good governance” related questions to the two honorable speakers after their talks. The second part of the forum is an offline discussion among the participants on how the youth can practice good governance in their own self, family, school and work if given the chance to be in public office. The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Mark Dominador Ventura, a Public Administration and Legal Management instructor. The participants were divided into several groups and came up with their own ideas on how the youth can make a difference in their own governance for the development of this country.

Mr. Mark Dominador Ventura with the participants

Inclusive Education Videoconference

	PHILIPPINE COUNCIL OF CHESHIRE HOMES FOR THE DISABLED
	DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
	ST. PAUL UNIVERSITY PHILIPPINES TUGUEGARAO CITY
	THE WORLD BANK KNOWLEDGE FOR DEVELOPMENT CENTER

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION VIDEOCONFERENCE
“Tungo sa Katuparan ng Karapatan ng PWDs”
July 27, 2009

The Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled (PhilCOCHED) in partnership with World Bank – Knowledge for Development Center (KDC),St. Paul University Philippines and Department of Education (DepEd) conducted a videoconference on Inclusive Education in observance of the 31st National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) week with a theme “Tungo sa Katuparan ng Karapatan ng PWDs” on July 27, 2009 at the 3rd Floor KDC, Learning Resource Center, St. Paul University Philippines, Tuguegarao City.

The participants were composed of district supervisor, principals, SPED coordinator, SPED teachers, elementary teachers, parents and immediate family member of children with disabilities. The activity aimed to provide participants with a new perspective on the Philippine Education system, while exchanging current practices and issues in education, particularly for children with disabilities and other students in the vulnerable sector.

The main speaker was Richard D. Arceño, the national coordinator of PhilCOCHED. He discussed about creating awareness on inclusive education among stakeholders, strengthening of local organizations and partners, improving access to inclusive education, health management and rehabilitation, and improving economic opportunities for the parents and immediate members of children with disabilities.

KDC Central Philippine University of Iloilo, KDC St. Paul University Philippines of Tuguegarao, and KDC University of Southeastern Philippines of Davao were the participating sites of the said videoconference. DepEd Manila and PhilCOCHED were based in the main site KDC Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Dr. Rosalinda Tanguilan, KIRN Director together with Ms. Manuelita Balisi, SPED Teacher and Dr. Estela Cabaro, Tuguegarao East District Supervisor

The participants during the off-line discussion

Mr. Richard Bacud, Principal of Cataggaman Elementary School and Dr. Rosal (on screen) of DepED Manila during the online discussion

Richard Arceño (on the screen) and the participants during the videoconference

Inclusive Education Videoconference

In observance of the 31st National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) week with a theme “Tungo sa Katuparan ng Karapatan ng PWDs”, PhilCOCHED in partnership with the World Bank Philippines and the Department of Education proposes to host a video conference July 27, 2009 discussing Inclusive Education among representatives from the academe, NGOs working on disability, disabled persons organizations, parent associations of children with disability, civil society, local government units, and other national government agencies

The activity aims to provide participants with a new perspective on the Philippine Education system, while exchanging current practices and issues in education, particularly for children with disabilities and other students in the vulnerable sector. The activity will be of huge benefit especially to those working in the academe and the education sector.

KDC will be the venue and will provide the facilities/equipment for the said videoconference

Booklatan sa KDC Cagayan

Knowledge for Development Center	National Book Development Center	St. Paul University Philippines

National Book Development Board
http://www.nbdb.gov.ph/
in partnership with
World Bank – Knowledge for Development Center, St. Paul University Philippines

Booklatan sa KDC CagayanMay 13-15, 2009 • Tuguegarao City

A total of 181 participants from the province of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela Quirino, Nueva Vizacaya and Kalinga attended the Booklatan sa KDC Caagyan, Readership Enhancement and Advancement (READ) Program for Trainors & Story Telling and Workshop on May 13-15, 2009. The participants were composed of district supervisors, representative from DepEd, principals, college faculty, librarians, preschool teachers, elementary teachers, high school teachers, and education students coming from the university.

The resource speakers were Ms. Anna Rhea Manuel for the READ Program for Trainors, and Mr. Tony Yanza for the Story Telling & Workshop. Ms. Manuel talked about “Every Child a Reader and Book Lover”, “Developing Love for Reading” and “Corrective Reading. Mr. Yanza talked about “The Art of Story Telling”.

Ms. Manuel talks about reading appreciation-building a community of readers and the value of literature.

Ms. Manuel initiated a workshop on approach of pre-reading, during reading and post reading wherein the participants were tasked to identify the words from the story to be unlocked, the strategies in unlocking such words and finally the evaluation.

Mr. Yanza discussed the tools for effective story telling (e.g. book, voice, facial expression and body movement). He also emphasized the importance of the story telling process.

An orientation on National Book Development Board (NBDB) was also conducted during the program by Mr. Glenn Malimban, OIC-Projects Division, NBDB. He presented the goals of NBDB which is to promote the development of a competitive book publishing industry and enhance market growth by promoting lifelong learning and readership. Mr. Malimban highlighted as well the programs and projects of the NBDB.

Mr. Glenn Malimban, OIC-Projects Division of NBDB and Sr. Remy Angela Junio, spc., President of St. Paul University Philippines during the awarding of certificate of appreciation.

Ms. Eva B. Brillo, the KIRN Director/KDC Coordinator oriented the participants concerning the services offered by the Knowledge for Development Center. She explained the function of KDCs as a knowledge hub with a collection of materials on development issues and as a venue for knowledge sharing activities such as focused group discussions, videoconferences, dialogues, and partnerships with local government and private sectors organizations. She gave a brief orientation on the resources and services available at the SPUP KDC managed by the KDC Information Staff Mr. Ronaldo P. Sumait who also served as organizer of this fruitful event.

Mr. Glenn Malimban giving an orientation on NBDB

The participants during the storytelling workshop


The SPUP Education Students with Mr. Yanza, Mr. Malimban & Dr. Erlinda Abiva, Alcala West District Supervisor

The Certificate Program for Teachers (CPT) Participants coming from the province of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga & Apayao

The SPUP Grade School Faculty together with the SPUP Librarians

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