Capacitating DILG Region XII C/MLGOOs in Utilizing Open Source Data Apps, Budget Preparation Process, Preparing Project Proposals and Understanding Legal Issues in Local Governance.

Mahintana Foundation, Inc. through its EU-funded RESOURCEGov project conducted the 3-day Orientation-Workshop on Preparing and Evaluating Project Proposals, Maximizing ODK-based Applications & CSO Participation in Local Budget Process/Monitoring, and Resolving common Legal Issues Affecting Local Governance on January 7-9, 2016 at Grand Menseng Hotel, Davao City.

Attended by at least 60 key personnel from DILG Region XII, the orientation-workshop aimed that the participants be able to appreciate and apply the important elements, strategies, processes and criteria in preparing and evaluating project proposals and appreciate the different phases of the Local Budget Process and the roles of CSOs. The activity also aims to capacitate the participants in utilizing emerging tools (i.e. ODK) for project monitoring/budget tracking and understand and apply the DILG opinions and Supreme Court Decisions in resolving common legal issues affecting Local Governance.

Mr. Reynaldo Bungubung, DILG XII Regional Director, expressed the DILG’s appreciation to the support extended by Mahintana Foundation and EU to LGUs and CSOs. He encouraged everyone to work together in order to plan, implement projects and to formulate advocacy programs with a vision of improving quality of life of the Filipinos. Atty. Erwin M. Enad, MM, Regional Legal Service Chief of DILG XI delivered the holistic overview of the common Legal Issues affecting Local Governance including updated Supreme Court Decisions, principles and recent events behind these law/s.

Mr. Martiniano Magdolot, Executive Director of Mahintana Foundation, gave a lecture on preparing and evaluating fundable Project Proposals and Resource Mobilization Strategies. Atty. Libertine Cagang, Chief Admin Officer of DBM Region XII, also provided valuable inputs about CSO participation in the Local Budget and Procurement Processes.

Mr. Jobe Tubigon, RESOURCEGov Project Manager, presented the open source applications such as the Open Data Kit (ODK) tracking system, Qlik Sense and the Legislative Information Tracking System (LITS). With the use of such systems/apps, monitoring of projects will be more efficient and transparency, participation and accountability among CSOs, LGUs and partner organizations/agencies is ensured.

The program ended with a closing message from Ms. Josephine Leysa, DILG XII Assistant Regional Director, expressing her heartfelt gratitude to  Mahintana Foundation and the European Union for their continuous support to Governance projects and programs, saying, “The RESOURCEGov project has been instrumental in our quest for good governance.”