The Local Government Integrity Circles (LoGIC) Network in the Province of Iloilo has started a series of dialogue with civil society, business groups, and other development stakeholders at the municipal level to discuss the challenges that they have confronted under the period of the pandemic and to plot ways forward for a better normal in the midst of disruptions caused by Covid-19.
The Iloilo Provincial Government has targeted CSOs who are operating within 30 Local Government Units to attend the 1-day activity called: “Dialogue with CSOs & LGUs on Revisiting Integrity Mechanisms and Formation of Integrity Circle” between August 10 to 18, 2020.
The roll-out of the dialogue is being facilitated by the Iloilo Provincial Government’s Local Economic Development and Investments Promotions (LEDIP) Center, a unit under the Provincial Cooperative Development Office (PCDO), and member CSOs under the Iloilo Caucus of Development NGOs (Iloilo CODE-NGOs).
The LoGIC Project
The LoGIC Network is a 3-year project which aims to develop a countrywide culture of integrity through formations of multi-sectoral Local Government Integrity Circles as a step to attain a culture of integrity among LGUs all over the country.
The series of dialogue in the Province of Iloilo is part of the continuing activities of the LoGIC Network. “It is aimed to “contribute to a culture of integrity in Local Government Units all over the Philippines,” said Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr, in a letter sent to LGUs.
Among the activities that the project has conducted prior to the pandemic were the following: project orientation, execution of Integrity Self-Assessment Tool (ISAT) among LGUs, and Integrity Mechanism (IM) Writeshop.
All of these activities were intended to help assess the level of integrity of LGUs at the municipal level.
The 1-day dialogue will revisit the Integrity Mechanisms of the LGUs and present the result of the Integrity Self-Assessment Tool or ISAT and create LGU Integrity Circles (IC) which will be composed of LGU representative, business sector, and CSOs. These initiatives is envisioned to gain the support of the LGUs through an Executive Order.
The LoGIC Network project is a co-funded project by the European Union and by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development Cooperation.
It is implemented in the Philippines by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines together with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), Centrist Democracy Political Institute (CDPI), League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), and League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP).
Iloilo LGUs in the LoGIC Network
The ongoing dialogue was organized into five (5) clusters with six LGU-CSO participants per cluster and with only 35 maximum participant for proper physical distancing. All health safety protocols are implemented for this activity.
A coordinator is also assigned to facilitate the activity both from the side of the CSOs and the LGUs through the Local Enterprise and Investment Promotions Office (LEIPO).
Cluster 1 is composed of Oton, Tigbauan, Miagao, San Joaquin, Leon and Alimodian. Cluster 2 includes Pavia, Sta. Barbara, San Miguel, Zarraga, Leganes and New Lucena.
On the other hand, Cluster 3 has Cabatuan, Janiuay, Badiangan, Calinog, Bingawan and Lambunao; Cluster 4 – Dumangas, Dingle, Btac. Nuevo, Passi City, Pototan and Mina; and, Cluster 5 Barotac Viejo, Sara, Ajuy, Concepcion, Balasan and Carles.
The Iloilo LoGIC Network was able to complete the cluster dialogue for the province in August 18, 2020.