Saturday, February 10, 2007
11 Mindanao cities join TAG exhibit
By Joy Romares-Sevilla
ELEVEN cities in Mindanao joined the Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) exhibit during the Mindanao Coalition for TAG (MCTAG) forum at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Friday.
The cities of Panabo, Surigao, Butuan, Zamboanga, Dapitan, Cotabato, Malaybalay, General Santos, Oroquieta, Marawi, and Island Garden City of Samal showcased their TAG milestones, including their experiences and best practices during the past years since they became part of the MCTAG.
In General Santos City, practices on advocacy for good governance was implemented, a forum on TAG among the Transparent Accountable Network (TAN) Gensan Inc. is also being conducted every Friday.
The city has also implemented the feedback system project of the City Coalition for the City Coalition for Transparent and Accountable Governance (CCTAG).
Butuan City showcased the Market TAG Reform Agenda, where improvement in its market infrastructure, peace and security, customer service, vendor's federation, tripartite approach, and the city's orderliness were presented.
In Cotabato City, TAG billboards were installed at the City Plaza bearing laws on graft and corruption.
The implementation of the MCTAG project has brought hope to the private sector in achieving economic development and peace in Mindanao, through good governance initiatives.
"Good governance is one way of lessening corruption," Romeo J. Serra, Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) chair, said.
With the organization of the CCTAG in the seven pioneering cities in Mindanao, to wit: Cotabato, Dapitan, General Santos, Igacos, Iligan, Marawi, and Surigao, the MinBC launched the MCTAG Phase 2 last March 2006.
The Phase 2 raised the participating cities with CCTAGs from seven to 16. This time, Butuan, Dipolog, Koronadal, Malaybalay, Oroquieta, Ozamis, Panabo City, Zamboanga and Tacurong also joined.
Rolando Torres, MinBC's project operations manager, told Sun.Star that MinBC is aiming to get the participation of other cities in Mindanao, which have not yet joined the MCTAG.
Torres said there are a total of 27 cities in Mindanao and they have already sent letters to the authorized persons of the city inviting them to join. MinBC is still waiting for answer from the cities.For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (February 10, 2007 issue)
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