MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/15 July) – The private sector must take the lead in maintaining vigilance to ensure good governance, Ronelo Alvarez, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government for Bukidnon said Monday.
Alvarez said the people should not rely on the government alone to do its job as the latter is “biased”.
“[The private sector] should pursue constructive criticism with the local government,” he added in his remarks at the launching of the Piniyalan (stewards) 2013-2016, a project on good governance of community-based news agency Bukidnon News in partnership with DXDB-Radyo Bandilyo and Ang Bandilyo newspaper, the media arm of the Diocese of Malaybalay.
The launching of Piniyalan was timed with the 42nd anniversary of DXDB (formerly DXBB) and fourth anniversary of Ang Bandilyo where Alvarez was one of the guests.
Piniyalan covers community-based monitoring, documentation, reporting, and a public education program on local governance aired on DXDB every Saturday.
Organizers cited that community-based partners will work with the media in doing monitoring and documentation work.
Alvarez commended the project saying it hews to the principles of transparency, accountability, responsiveness and participatory governance.
“These are the focus of the government efforts now,” he added.
He cited the Seal of Good Housekeeping, initiated by the late DILG secretary Jesse Robredo, as one of the measures to curb corruption and ensure good governance.
Malaybalay Bishop Jose Cabantan in his message underscored the importance of communication and the media in the so-called new evangelization.
“Our use of the tools of social media should help in the improvement of human dignity, to contribute to solidarity,” he said.
The bishop added that the people should not just be mere listeners or audience to the work of the media.
“They can take part in the running of the society with citizen participation,” he said.
Datu Anilaw Inlantong Erwin Marte, chair of the Bukidnon Tribal Development Council of Elders Inc., said the project should also focus on covering social conditions such as the human rights violations in the province.
He said there are so many undocumented human rights violations [in the province]. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)
