Inception Report – Action plan – Tagbilaran, Philippines, 2025 – 2025
- Action Plan: Action plan – Tagbilaran, Philippines, 2025 – 2025
Overview
Name of Evaluator
Alica Faith C. Bayocot
[email protected]; [email protected]
Member Name
Tagbilaran, Philippines
Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open government ... Title
Action plan – Tagbilaran, Philippines, 2025 – 2025
Section 1.
Compliance with
co-creation requirements
1.1 Does a forum exist?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The City Government of Tagbilaran has consistently institutionalized the participation of Civil Society Organization (CSO) representatives, through the Tagbilaran City People’s Council, in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of government programs, projects, and activities. This collaborative approach is facilitated by the CSO Desk Office, which serves as the primary liaison between the City Government and civil society, fostering meaningful stakeholder engagement and participatory governance.
Open budget was started in 2024 based on Tagbilaran City Ordinance 352; the CSO must participate in the preparation and deliberation of the annual budget and convene a public hearing where the consolidated budget from the different departments and offices of the City Government shall be presented before its submission to the Sangguniang Panlungsod on or before October 16. No budget shall be submitted to the Sangguniang without certification from the TCPC that it has been presented to the public.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Link to our OGP-related Communications
1.2 Is the forum multi-stakeholder?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The forum is multi-stakeholder as it comprises representatives from both the City Government of Tagbilaran and non-government stakeholders, including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) through the Tagbilaran City People’s Council. The City Government has institutionalized the participation of CSOs in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of government programs, projects, and activities. This engagement is facilitated by the CSO Desk Office, which serves as the official link between the City Government and civil society, ensuring that non-government stakeholders are actively involved in the co-creation and implementation of the local action plan in accordance with the principles of participatory governance
The Open Budget Presentation was a multi-stakeholder event because it was attended by different sectors, namely: PWDs, senior citizens, NGOs, women’s organizations, cooperatives, the security sector, religious groups, the urban poor, the tourism sector, MSMEs, solo parents, and others.
The event was held at the City Hall Atrium, making it accessible and open to the public. City clients who visited the City Hall were able to listen to the presentation. In addition, as part of the commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... and processes, the budget presentation was livestreamed on the City administration’s official Facebook page, allowing people to watch the presentation online and share their comments and feedback.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Link to our OGP-related Communications
1.3 Does the forum hold at least one meeting with civil society and non-governmental stakeholders during the co-creation of the action plan?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
During the co-creation of the Local Action Plan, the multi-stakeholder forumRegular dialogue between government and civil society is a core element of OGP participation. It builds trust, promotes joint problem-solving, and empowers civil society to influence the design, imple... convened meetings that included representatives from the City Government of Tagbilaran, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), National Government Agencies (NGAs) operating within the city’s jurisdiction, and members of the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC). These meetings provided a platform for stakeholders to identify priority issues, share their perspectives, and collaboratively develop and refine the commitments and proposed actions of the Local Action Plan.
To facilitate continuous communication and collaboration beyond formal meetings, a dedicated Facebook Messenger group was established. The group includes representatives from the City Government, NGAs within the city’s jurisdiction, CSOs, and members of the TCPC, serving as an accessible platform for sharing updates, coordinating activities, discussing action plan developments, and encouraging sustained stakeholder participation throughout the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive....
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
1.4 Has the action plan been endorsed by the stakeholders of the forum or steering committeeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and rules; a.../group?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The final Local Action Plan was endorsed in 2025 by the multi-stakeholder forum, composed of government and non-government representatives. During the Local Onboarding Session, the forum initially identified five priority areas: waste management, investment promotion, illegal drugs, mental health, and informal settlers along the coastal areas. However, due to the limited timeframe for developing actionable commitments, the forum unanimously agreed to adopt Open Budget as the City’s OGP commitment while committing to revisit the other priority areas in future action plans. This decision built on the TCPC’s previous Open Budget initiative, where the proposed CY 2026 Annual Budget was presented exclusively to TCPC members. To expand participation, stakeholders endorsed a commitment to conduct an Open Budget webinar series that would educate the general public on the local budgeting process and encourage meaningful citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to more ... More throughout the budget cycle.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
Section 2.
Recommended practices
in co-creation
2.1 Does the government maintain a Local OGP website or webpage on a government website where information on the OGP Local process (co-creation and implementation) is proactively published?
No
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The City Government of Tagbilaran does not currently maintain a dedicated OGP Local website or web page on an official government website. However, information related to the implementation of the OGP Local commitment has been disseminated through the Office of the City Administrator’s official Facebook page. During the implementation of the Open Budget commitment, particularly the Open Budget Webinar Series, activities were live-streamed, and updates were posted on the page to promote transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the public,... More and broaden public access to the discussions. While these efforts supported public information and engagement, they do not constitute a dedicated OGP Local web page that is regularly maintained in accordance with OGP Local requirements.
In addition, the City Government of Tagbilaran provides paid radio airtime on weekdays and weekends to disseminate information about its Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More (OGP) commitments and initiatives. This serves as a platform to raise public awareness, promote transparency, and encourage citizens’ participation and engagement in local governance.
Provide evidence for your answer:
News
2.2 Did the government provide information to stakeholders in advance to facilitate informed and prepared participation in the co-creation process?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
Prior to the Local Onboarding Session, the City Government disseminated an official memorandum to all invited participants informing them of the activity and its objectives. During the onboarding, participants were oriented on the Open Government Partnership (OGP), including its principles, the co-creation process, and the roles of stakeholders. This orientation was facilitated by the OGP Core Team based on the knowledge and materials acquired from the official online OGP onboarding sessions they had attended. To support informed participation, all relevant presentation materials, templates, and reference forms were shared with participants through a Google Drive folder. Printed copies were likewise provided to participants who preferred hardcopy materials. These measures ensured that both government and civil society stakeholders had access to the information necessary to participate meaningfully in the co-creation of the Local Action Plan.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
2.3 Did the government ensure that any interested member of the public could make inputs into the action plan and observe or have access to decision-making documentation?
No
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
During the co-creation of the Local Action Plan, the City Government engaged representatives from the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) through the multi-stakeholder forum. These representatives articulated the interests and perspectives of their respective sectors, ensuring that organized civil society was meaningfully represented in the decision-making process. However, the City did not establish an open mechanism through which any interested member of the public could directly provide inputs or access decision-making documentation.
Recognizing that broader public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio... is essential to open government, the City Government intends to strengthen this aspect in future OGP cycles through its proposed Digital Democracy initiative. This will provide accessible online platforms or other appropriate channels that enable the public to access information, monitor progress, and submit comments and recommendations, ensuring that citizens can meaningfully participate and have their voices heard, whether physically or virtually.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
2.4 Did the government proactively report back or provide written feedback to stakeholders on how their contributions were considered during the creation of the action plan?
No
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The City Government did not establish a formal mechanism to report back to stakeholders or provide written feedback on how their specific inputs were considered during the development of the Local Action Plan. While stakeholders actively participated in the co-creation process and their contributions informed discussions and decision-making, no structured feedback or documentation was provided to demonstrate how individual comments or recommendations influenced the final commitments.
The City Government recognizes this as an important area for improvement. Moving forward, it intends to institutionalize a formal feedback mechanism not only for the implementation of OGP commitments but also for other government programs, projects, and activities. This mechanism will enable stakeholders to receive updates on how their inputs were considered, promote transparency and accountability, and generate valuable feedback to assess outcomes and continuously improve public service deliveryTo ensure that citizens of all groups are better supported by the government, OGP participating governments are working to improve the quality of and access to public services. Commitments in this are... More and program implementation.
Provide references here (e.g. interviews):
2.5 Was there an iterative dialogue and shared ownership between government and non-governmental stakeholders during the decision making process, including setting the agenda?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The decision-making process was characterized by interative dialogue and shared ownership between government and non-government stakeholders. During the 2025 Local Onboarding Session, representatives from the City Government, National Government Agencies (NGAs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC) jointly discussed and identified priority areas for the Local Action Plan. The forum initially identified five priority areas: waste management, investment promotion, illegal drugs, mental health, and informal settlers along the coastal areas.
Through collaborative discussions, stakeholders collectively agreed to adopt Open Budget as the City’s OGP commitment, recognizing that the limited timeframe would not allow the development of comprehensive commitments for all five priority areas. The decision was informed by the City’s previous Open Budget initiative and the shared objective of expanding public participation in the local budgeting process. The forum also agreed to revisit the other identified priority areas in future OGP Local action planning cycles. This collaborative approach demonstrates that both government and non-government stakeholders jointly set priorities, shaped the agenda, and shared ownership of the final commitment and its implementation.
2.6 Would you consider the forum to be inclusive and diverse?
Somewhat
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The forum was partially inclusive and diverse. It brought together representatives from the City Government, National Government Agencies (NGAs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC), ensuring that multiple sectors were represented during the co-creation process. Through the TCPC and participating CSOs, stakeholders were able to articulate the concerns and priorities of their respective organizations and sectors.
However, the City Government recognizes that the forum did not have formal representation or targeted outreach for all underrepresented groups, such as women, youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ... More, persons with disabilities (PWDs), LGBTQIA+Increasing opportunities for participation and creating accountability mechanisms for the LGBTQIA+ community in policy-making and service delivery can ensure that their voices are heard and changes ar... communities, and other marginalized sectors. The City acknowledges that broader and more intentional representation is essential to strengthening participatory governance.
Moving forward, the City Government is committed to improving sectoral representation in future OGP engagements and activities by conducting more comprehensive stakeholder mapping, extending targeted invitations to underrepresented groups, and utilizing both in-person and digital platforms to encourage wider participation. These efforts aim to ensure that future co-creation processes are more inclusive, representative, and reflective of the diverse voices and needs of the Tagbilaran community.
Section 3.
Initial evaluation
of commitments
1 Commitment :
Open Budget for an Inclusive and Responsive Budgeting
1.1 Is the commitment verifiable?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment is verifiable because it contains clearly identifiable activities, expected outputs, and defined objectives that can be monitored throughout implementation. It specifies the implementation of Open Budget webinars, capacity-building sessions, multi-stakeholder forums, and public information activities designed to increase citizen understanding and participation in the local budgeting process. It also identifies the responsible implementing offices and partner institutions, including the City Government of Tagbilaran, the Office of the City Administrator, the CSO Desk, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC). Progress can be verified through activity reports, attendance records, webinar recordings, social media livestreams, meeting documentation, and public budget utilization reports. These deliverables provide objective evidence to assess whether the commitment has been implemented and whether it has contributed to enhancing transparency, civic participation, and public accountabilityAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, public accountability occurs when ”rules, regulations, and mechanisms in place call upon government actors to justify their actions, act upon criticisms or r... More in the City’s budgeting process.
The implementation can be confirmed through documented evidence, such as the conduct of the Open Budget Presentation, photographs, livestream recordings, and the approved annual budget. It is further supported by the institutionalization of Ordinance No. C-352, which stipulates that the proposed budget must be presented to the public before its submission to the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Compliance can also be verified through the required certification issued by the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC), confirming that the budget was presented to the public in accordance with the local policy. These records provide clear and measurable evidence that the commitment has been implemented.
1.2 Does the commitment language/activities clearly justify relevanceAccording to the OGP Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should include a clear open government lens. Specifically, they should advance at least one of the OGP values: transparency, citizen partic... to OGP values?
Yes
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment clearly demonstrates its relevance to the core OGP values of Civic Participation, Public Accountability, and Technology and Innovation for Transparency and Accountability. It promotes civic participation by providing citizens, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and other stakeholders with opportunities to understand and engage in the local budgeting process through capacity-building webinars, multi-stakeholder forums, and public discussions. It strengthens public accountability by encouraging public monitoring of budget planning, allocation, and utilization, while creating avenues for feedback and dialogue between the government and citizens. The commitment also advances technology and innovation for transparency and accountability by utilizing digital platforms, including webinar series and social media livestreams, to expand public access to budget information and increase participation beyond traditional face-to-face engagements. Collectively, these activities contribute to a more transparent, participatory, and accountable budgeting process consistent with the principles of the Open Government Partnership.
Transparency: The City Government publicly presents the proposed annual budget before it is submitted to the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The presentation is conducted in an open space in City Hall Atrium,, allowing citizens to access budget information and understand how public funds are planned and allocated.
Citizen Participation: The commitment creates opportunities for citizens and stakeholders to participate in the budget process by attending the Open Budget Presentation, watching the online livestream, and providing comments and feedback. This enables the public to engage in discussions before the budget is finalized.
Public Accountability: Ordinance No. C-352 institutionalizes the requirement that the proposed budget must be presented to the public before submission to the Sangguniang Panlungsod. In addition, the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC) must issue a certification confirming that the public presentation has been conducted.
InclusionOGP participating governments are working to create governments that truly serve all people. Commitments in this area may address persons with disabilities, women and girls, lesbian, gay, bisexual, tr... More: The commitment promotes inclusive governance by ensuring the participation of diverse sectors of society, including the PWDs, senior citizens, NGOs, women’s organizations, cooperatives, the security sector, religious groups, the urban poor, the tourism sector, MSMEs, solo parents, and other community representatives. This allows a broad range of voices and perspectives to be considered during the budget process.
1.3 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
a continuation of ongoing practice in line with existing legislationCreating and passing legislation is one of the most effective ways of ensuring open government reforms have long-lasting effects on government practices. Technical specifications: Act of creating or r..., policies or requirements.
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment is a continuation of an ongoing practice in line with existing legislation, policies, and requirements. Since 2023, through Ordinance C-352, the City Government of Tagbilaran has institutionalized citizen participation in the local budgeting process through the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC). Prior to legislative deliberation and approval, the proposed annual budget is presented to the TCPC, providing Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with the opportunity to review, raise concerns, and offer recommendations. This practice is supported by local policies that strengthen people’s participation in governance. In addition, the TCPC will give an endorsement to the SP stating that the Annual Budget was already presented to the CSOs.
The OGP commitment builds upon this existing practice by expanding participation beyond accredited CSOs to include the broader public through Open Budget webinar series and other capacity-building initiatives. It also complements the City’s CSO CREED Academy, established in 2026 as the first of its kind in Central Visayas and the second in the Philippines, which equips citizen learners with knowledge on local governance, including the Local Government Unit (LGU) budget process. Through these initiatives, the City seeks to institutionalize more inclusive, informed, and meaningful citizen participation in public financial governance. One of the topics discussed was the Formulation of the AIP, giving CSOs an understanding of the budget process and how it is created and allocated.
1.4 Please select one option that best describes the commitment:
is a positive change to a process, practice or policy but will not generate a binding or institutionalized change across government or specific institution(s).
Provide a brief explanation of your answer:
The commitment activities represent a positive change to an existing process, practice, and policy but do not, by themselves, generate a new binding or institutionalized change across government. Building upon the City’s existing participatory budgeting mechanisms through the Tagbilaran City People’s Council (TCPC), the commitment expands citizen engagement by extending Open Budget capacity-building activities beyond accredited CSOs to include the general public through webinar series and digital platforms. This broadens public access to budget information and encourages more meaningful participation in fiscal governance. While the commitment strengthens transparency, civic participation, and public accountability, it primarily enhances existing practices rather than creating a new mandatory policy or institutional framework governing participatory budgeting across all City Government offices.
Link to our OGP-related Communications
1.5 Are there any recommended changes to the design of the commitment to help improve its implementation?
The commitment can be strengthened by establishing a formal feedback mechanism to inform stakeholders how their inputs influenced budget decisions and by creating a dedicated OGP webpage or online portal for updates, documents, and participation opportunities. Future implementation should also expand outreach to underrepresented sectors, including youth, LGBTQIA+ communities, Families of OFWs, IPs, the religious sector, and other marginalized groups through both in-person and digital platforms. Incorporating measurable performance indicators, such as participant diversity, engagement levels, and feedback utilization, will improve monitoring and evaluation. Potential challenges include limited public awareness of the budgeting process, varying levels of digital access and literacy, and sustaining stakeholder engagement. Continuous capacity-building, effective communication, and institutional support will help address these challenges and ensure the commitment’s long-term sustainability and impact.
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