Participatory form of Government
Earlier, I was writing something about Youth Initiatives of the City of Santa Rosa, relating it to the City’s Four Pillars of Development and then I bumped(with the help of my dear Mamu Jaqi) into the term “Participatory Form of Government.”
Participation. Involvement. Leaving no one behind. How can the government be participatory in form? How can we assure that no one will be left behind? How can we say that it is fair, no back-ups, no nepotism and red tape? We are a democratic country but do we really have the voice to tell our public servants what we want or what we need rather?
Let us focus on youth, participation and government. In having a participatory form of government, Civil Society Organization (CSO) plays a key role. CSOs are all non-market and non-state organizations outside of the family in which people organize themselves to pursue shared interests in the public domain . On the other hand, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are just a subset of the CSO. CSOs are voluntary organizations with governance and direction coming from citizens or constituency members, without significant government-controlled participation or representation(UNDP, 2007).
Youth is defined by the United Nations as 15-35 years old while in our country, Philippines, youth is referred to as 15-30 years old through Republic Act 8044. Youth participation in the government has been active until 2013. The Philippines is the only country(still searching/studying about this if it’s true) wherein there’s a government for the youth sector being run by the youth, this is called the Sangguniang Kabataan. In 2013, the Sangguniang Kabataan elections was suspended due to some corruption issued and legal issued of the youth government. It has been three years of debating. Finally, last January, the final verdict was announced. It was a reform of the youth government!
I think my backgrounder is sufficient, let us talk on the years 2013-2016. What happened to the youth then? How’s their participation in this democratic loving country? How are the programs for the youth? During these years, a lot of youth advocated, NGOs and CSOs emerged. Youth participation in government became stronger in order for the LGU to have a program for the youth. Participatory form of government became more efficient and effective.
LGU+CSO=Participatory Form of Government
I just hope that with this form of government, all sectors, youth, senior citizens, women, LGBT, marginalized, physically challenged and the like would have the opportunity to participate and voice out the specific needs of their sector. I believe that no one knows everything but we can do anything to know something. A willing ear and heart will be the best tool to be effective.
As per my experience, participatory form of government in our city has been effective as it hears out the voice of the youth sector (where I am involved). A lot of programs were done since 2013 through the collaboration of CSOs and LGU. Willingness is the key. I’ll expound further on my future posts on how this form of government became effective. I just want to share thoughts that cluttered my mind the whole day. I think it's time to get some rest for me. These are just my two cents, might be erroneous, but I am open for discussion.
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