“Walang monopoly of knowledge. Kailangan magtulungan po tayong lahat (There is no monopoly of knowledge. We all need to work together).”
This was what Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said as he urged both government and non-government entities to nurture a culture of dialogue and engagement to resolve social issues during the NCR Dagyaw 2023 Open Government Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, June 21.
“Sana nandirito po tayong lahat dahil gusto po natin magtulungan para taasan ang diskurso at pakikilahok ng taumbayan sa gawain ng ating pamahalaan. Sa bawat barangay at national level, sana isulong natin ang transparency at pananagutan sa pamahalaan at sa taumbayan (I hope we are all here because we want to help each other elevate the level of discourse and participation of citizens in the political process. In every barangay and in the national level, I hope we advocate for transparency and accountability in our government and nation),” Sotto told the event’s delegates.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto speaking at the NCR Dagyaw 2023 Open Government Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. (DILG-NCR / MANILA BULLETIN)
He emphasized the importance of collaboration and exchange of feedback between the local and national governments and its constituents, stating how each party must be open to responses, dialogues, and debates.
“Bilang mayor ng Pasig City, hindi ko po pwede sabihin na alam ko lahat o lahat ng naiisip ko ay ang the best na solusyon. Isa sa mga prayoridad namin sa pamahalaan ng Pasig ay isama natin ang mga civil society organizations (As the mayor of Pasig City, I can’t say I know everything or all my ideas are the best solutions. One of our priorities in the city government is including our civil society organizations [CSOs]),” Sotto said.
The Pasig City local government has continuously provided opportunities and platforms for CSOs to thrive and participate in the city’s affairs by formally accrediting local CSOs, establishing the country’s first and only CSO Academy, and allowing CSOs to participate in the consultations, reviews, and hearings of the City Development Council (CDC) for their respective projects, programs, and activities (PPAs) in the recently approved 2024 Annual Investment Program (AIP).
Inclusivity in governance may entail more extensive and time-consuming processes, but this is a mark of a functioning government that prioritizes sustainable change, Sotto said.
“Makikita naman po natin, mula sa Asya hanggang sa Europa, kahit anong parte ng daigdig, makikita natin [na] ang mga bansa at lipunan na mabilis at pangmatagalan ang pagunlad ay ang mga bansang may malalim na diskurso, na lebel ng pakikilahok ang bayan (We can see, from Asia to Europe and other parts of the world that the countries and societies that see fast and swift progress are those that engage in deep discourses and levels of participation in their nation),” Sotto added.
Sustainable public transport
The event, organized by the Department of Interior and Local Government - National Capital Region (DILG-NCR), was held at the Tanghalang Pasigueno in Pasig City from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The program, with the theme “Biyaheng METRO: Makabago at Epektibong Transportasyon para sa Pilipino,” aimed to gather, discuss, and exchange insights on sustainable public transportation.
Among the speakers in the program were Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Atty. Romano Artes; Engr. Deovanni S. Miranda, the overall deputy project manager of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) of the Department of Transportation (DOTr); Dr. Jun T. Castro from the University of the Philippines - National Center for Transportation Studies (UP-NCTS); and Anne Clarice Ng, the chief executive of SafeTravelPH.
Atty. Artes showcased some of the MMDA’s new and ongoing projects to improve transportation safety such as the renewed body camera system for traffic officers and improvements to the communications and command center of the agency to monitor traffic.
Plans to add more stations to the Pasig Ferry System, rehabilitation of sidewalks, construction of elevated walkways along EDSA, and adding more bike lanes and bike sharing schemes were discussed.
Engr. Miranda shared information on the highly-awaited MMSP, which aims for “interoperability” across cities in the metropolis that seeks to establish wider and more inclusive services for commuters.
Dr. Castro presented the LocalSIM, the traffic simulation software created by the university, designed as a “decision support system” for authorities on traffic rules and regulations. As part of the academe, he also discussed some of his research such as studies on bicycle lanes and road safety which serve to complement the programs of the MMDA.
Ng highlighted the importance of route rationalization plans in order to encourage people to use public transportation and its other alternatives.
Aside from Sotto, national government officials who gave their messages of support to the program were Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Sec. Amenah F. Pangandaman, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Sec. Jose Torres, Jr., DILG-NCR Regional Director Maria Lourdes L. Agustin, CESO III; PIA-NCR Regional Director Emver P. Cortez, and DBM-NCR Regional Director Ruby P. Muro.