Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has called on La Union province to join open governance, as part of the efforts to promote transparency in government.

Pangandaman made the call as she led the Ilocos Region’s pledge to open governance during the La Union leg of the OGPinas! nationwide advocacy campaign on Tuesday, the DBM said in a news release on Wednesday.

Pangandaman, who also serves as the chairperson of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), shared her vision to have more local government units (LGUs) accepting the call for open governance.

This, as she noted that there are now four LGUs in the OGP Local Program, including the cities of Baguio, Quezon, and Tagbilaran, as well as the municipality of Larena in Siquijor province.

“Ngayong araw, may pagkakataon po ang La Union na maisulong din ang bukas na pamamahala dito sa inyong probinsya (Today, La Union also gets the chance to promote open governance here in the province),” Pangandaman said.

Over 300 members of national and local governments, civil society organizations, and the academe in the Ilocos Region pledged their commitment to uphold the OGP values of transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.

Pangandaman said the Philippines’ efforts to ensure transparency in governance are being recognized internationally even by OGP chief executive officer Sanjay Pradhan who had cited the country’s initiative to mainstream open government in its socioeconomic framework.

Meantime, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) gave an update on its commitment under the 6th PH-OGP National Action Plan (NAP), stressing that it is now collaborating with civil society organizations to verify and certify the list of voters, the DBM said.

“This is in line with its commitment to ensuring that eligible Filipinos can exercise their right to vote in preparation for the upcoming 2025 national and local elections,” the DBM said.

The DBM said the Supreme Court is also aiming to become fully digital, as it aims to expand access to justice for Filipinos. (PNA)