FOR an urban poor association in Barangay Tingub, Mandaue City, grassroots groups like theirs must secure government support, as they are among the frontliners in experiencing issues such as environmental crises.
Teresita Calamohoy, vice president and marketing officer of the Tingub Community Urban Poor Homeowners Association Inc., said the summit ensures that the government listens to grassroots groups regarding the "cry of the poor" and the "cry of Mother Earth."
"Malipayon ko nga gitagaan gyod og pagtagad ang CSO sa atong government,” Calamohoy said.
"Need mi og support nila, right and also, kami sad willing sad mi nga mo-share sa amoang skills... Kon walay customers, dili gyod modaghan among production... So mo-gain mi og income, through sa ilahang pag-collaboration of LGU and sa kami nga people's organization," she added.
(We need their support, right? And also, we are also willing to share our skills... If there are no customers, our production will not grow... So, we will gain income through the collaboration of the LGU and our people's organization.)
The Participatory Governance Summit served as the third "Understanding Choices" forum on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The first summit organized by the province focused on the Clean Cebu Campaign on March 19, followed by the Cebu Climate Action Summit on April 22.
The third forum focused on how local government units (LGUs) can streamline cooperation with civil society organizations (CSOs).
Accreditation
Elizar Sabinay Jr. of the Cebu Provincial Planning and Development Office observed that many CSOs do not participate in local governance because they do not see the value of official accreditation.
"Most of these people are not really accredited," Sabinay said.
"Because they don't find the value of being accredited. So right now, they will know the value of it," he added.
To address this gap, the Cebu Provincial Government launched the "Ato ang Sugbo Katilingbanong Serbisyo Award sa Sugbo" (Ato ang Sugbo KSAW) during the summit to encourage participation through recognition and financial rewards.
Government partnerships
Governor Pamela Baricuatro signed Executive Order 34, Series of 2026, on June 8 to institutionalize the awards program.
The program honors partnerships between LGUs and CSOs, people's organizations (POs), and cooperatives that have collaborated for at least one year.
"Since the very beginning of my term, I have been honest in saying that neither I nor the Cebu Provincial Government can do this alone," Baricuatro said.
"We need your support, and I truly mean that,” she added.
The governor, who previously headed the Simply Share Foundation, said her administration plans to involve CSOs in every stage, from planning to project evaluation.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto delivered a pre-recorded video message in support of the initiative.
He said inclusive planning and budgeting lead to higher growth and lower corruption.
"We have seen that when people care about what is happening in government, and actively participate from the planning stage to the budgeting stage to the implementation and even monitoring and evaluation, there is a higher level of growth that is more inclusive," Sotto said.
"In addition to this, the level of accountability also goes up. The government is held accountable by the people and corruption levels become lower," he added.
Funding mechanisms
To further secure CSO involvement, the province is drafting the People's Council Ordinance.
While the ordinance has yet to be passed, Board Member Kerriee Keane Shimura, author of the proposed measure, proposes a mandatory annual allocation of 1.25 percent of the provincial budget to the People's Council.
Sabinay said this mechanism guarantees funding for the council regardless of political shifts.
"Whether the governor supports it or not, they already have annual funding," Sabinay said.
Sabinay acknowledged that democratic consultations can slow decision-making. However, he suggested that CSOs submit their proposals by March to align with the province's annual July budget call.
Summit attendance and expenses
The summit drew more than 2,000 representatives from CSOs, POs, non-government organizations (NGOs), and business groups, alongside Vice Governor Glenn Soco and municipal mayors.
The province invited all 136 accredited provincial CSOs and representatives from the independent cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu to address shared development challenges across the island.
According to Sabinay, the event operated on a P2.5 million budget that covered only the venue and food for the 1,600 registered participants, while private sponsors and municipal governments covered the remaining costs. (CDF)
