The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) presented the Philippine Agenda for the Localization of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) before international leaders and reform advocates during the OGP Global Summit held on Thursday at the Palacio Villa Suso, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.

In his keynote message, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla highlighted that the Philippines, an OGP member since 2011, has evolved from pioneering national reforms in open budgeting, participatory audits, and community engagement to bringing these reforms closer to the people through the OGP Localization Program.

“Together, we shall guide our local governments not only towards building and rebuilding trust at home, but also gaining recognition abroad, positioning themselves as champions of open governance worldwide,” Secretary Remulla said.

He emphasized that the OGP Localization is a substantive and measurable initiative, fully aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to promote transparency, accountability, institutional strength, and sustained public trust.

Remulla noted that despite the Philippines’ diversity and complexity, the OGP Localization Program can succeed when national and local leaders commit to governance that listens, responds, and stands worthy of public confidence.

Meanwhile, DILG Undersecretary for Plans and Programs Jon Paulo Salvahan underscored that the Localization of OGP carries a simple but transformative mission to embed open government values in the DNA of local governance.

“The true test of open government lies not only in the national arena, but more so in our local governments, where citizens feel its impact most directly,” Salvahan said.

He explained that the OGP Localization framework operates in three dimensions: elevating local innovations, strengthening institutions, and translating national commitments into local realities.

The DILG serves as the lead implementer of the Philippine OGP Localization Program, a three-year cycle with ten phases from documentation to co-creation. It integrates independent civil society monitoring to ensure transparency and inclusivity at the local level.

Now in its second year, the program has identified 170 local government units (LGUs), ten from each of the country’s 17 regions, based on the core OGP principles of transparency, accountability, and participation.

The official onboarding of participating LGUs is set for 2026 and will focus on priority areas such as anti-corruption, digital transformation, fiscal transparency, disaster resilience, and inclusive governance.

Joining the DILG at the global launch were Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, Bantay Kita CSO principal Prof. Cielo Magno, and OGP CEO Aidan Eyakuze, among other reform advocates and country representatives.

The OGP Global Summit gathered delegates from around 100 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Indonesia, Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine, reflecting the growing momentum for open, transparent, and accountable governance worldwide.

Original Article At: https://dilg.gov.ph/news/DILG-Showcases-PH-Localization-Agenda-at-OGP-Global-Summit-in-Spain/NC-2025-1232