Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Wednesday called on open government advocates to join the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting that will be hosted by the Philippines early next year.

Pangandaman made the call as she announced the opening of registration for the OGP regional summit on Feb. 5 to 7, 2025 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taguig City.

“Together, we will explore game-changing ideas and best practices, and engage in opportunities that can shape the future of governance,” Pangandaman, who also acts as chairperson of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), said in a statement.

Interested participants may register through https://ogpasiapacific.org/Register-1/.

The 2025 OGP regional summit will convene heads of state, government leaders, representatives from civil society, international organizations, and policymakers from Asia and the Pacific to harness democratic practices and advance progress in making governments more open and accountable.

The regional meeting aims to focus on anti-corruption and rule of law, digital governance, mainstreaming and localization of open government, inclusive participation and civic space.

OGP is a multi-stakeholder initiative that includes 75 countries, 150 local governments and thousands of civil society organizations that advocate transparent, participatory, inclusive and accountable governance.

The Philippines is one of the founding countries of OGP established on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2011.

In May this year, the Philippines was also selected as one of the newest members of the OGP Global Steering Committee alongside Brazil, Estonia, Morocco, the United Kingdom and the United States which started their three-year term this October. (PNA)