LoGIC pilot LGU networks share 

integrity mechanisms’ set up 

CORTES, Bohol, Nov 28 (PIA) – After nodding on to a program extension, with just 8 of Bohol’s 47 towns and a city now readying to savor the benefits of innovative governance based on integrity, European Union funded Local Government Integrity Circles (LOGIC) laid down a venue for local governments, businesses and civil society organizations partnerships in pilot towns to share their experiences, in a simultaneous hybrid activity comprised of online and face-to-face gatherings across the Visayas, November 24, 2020. 

With the tri-folding of sectors now starting to make sense in helping local government’s set up their integrity mechanisms to attract investments, LoGIC facilitated in setting putting up the venue for learning exchanges in experiences of pilot local governments in the Visayas Cluster. 

The venue, called the Regional Assembly and Learning Experience with Civil Society Organizations held in Bohol at the MetroCentre Hotel was also simultaneously joined by LoGIC beneficiary local governments and partner business and civil society organizations. 

LoGIC, which has been advocating for integrity partnerships with local governments, business and civil society organizations see this partnership as critical in facilitating ease of doing businesses. 

It does this by helping LGUs go through an integrity self-assessment tool to streamline processes and come up with transparent, effective and easy to comply process that could dynamically work on a better kind of governance, explains Bohol Investment Promotions Center chief, Maria Fe Dominise. 

She explained “…there may have been some Citizens Charters posted in local government unit offices, but these were largely drafted by in-house workers without asking business and the civil society organizations their inputs. 

“Consulting with them, not only assures a mechanism of check and balance but could strategically shorten lengthy processes, snip on red tape and agree with them on the requirements and regulations that can invite potential capitalists,” she added. 

“This is building integrity mechanisms for economic growth, investment promotions which should redound to better governance and more investors, which could also bring in more work, and good news for LGUS,” she capped. 

Featured in the gathering was LGU San Miguel in Bohol, which has its integrity mechanism steaming its way for ratification by the towns legislative council as an instituted policy. 

“We have just revised our Citizen’s Charters and these are in compliance with the ease of doing business regulations, and the anti red tape act,” reports San Miguel Human Resource Officer Zenith Nina Hormachuelos, as an after effect of the LoGIC project. 

Sixteen Citizen’s Charters for the 16 municipal offices, all making sure that a prospecting entrepreneur or investor will find the streamlined processes an indication of the LGU’s openness to work with business to alter the town’s economic landscape, she explained. 

These charters, crafted together with the business and civil society organization present a much better collaborative work that puts together the interest of the local government, civil society organizations and business. 

For these, we have to thank LoGIC for presenting to us an idea that actually works, Hormachuelos pointed out. 

For their part, an umbrella organization called Bohol Alliance of Non Government Organizations (BANGON) have been helping LGUs review their integrity mechanisms bringing in an assurance that there are no excesses in government and the communities and its residents do not end up on a losing end of the deal. 

BANGON president Francis Bernard Batoy has been counting on a strong CSO and Bohol government partnership as an easy system for them to be formally part of these processes that redound to the betterment of the community. (rahchiu/PIA_7/Bohol)

INVESTMENT PROMOTIONS BY INTEGRITY. Just how many investors have been discouraged to extend capital to a town because the processes of putting up businesses are circuitous and lengthy? With LOGIC in Bohol, pilot LGUs are now streamlining their ease of doing business processes in a move to bank on integrity as a wild card for good goverance, says Maria Fe Dominese, Bohol Investment Promotions Office head. Now with LoGIC Project, some Bohol towns are seeing the changes in governance brought about by their integrity mechanisms setup. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

16 CITIZENS' CHARTERS WITH EASE OF DOING BUSINESS INCORPORATED. According to San Miguel HRMO Zenith Niña Hormachuelos, her town is just about to institutionalize its drafted integrity mechanisms to make sure this system transcends administrations and local leaderships, all because they chose to side with LoGIC. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)