PH wraps up hosting of 2025 Open Gov’t Partnenrship regional meeting

Local and international participants of the 2025 Open Government Partnership—Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting pose for a photo to mark the end of the three-day event on Friday, February 7, 2025. (Photo by Luisa Cabato/INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — The three-day 2025 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM), held for the first time in the Philippines, officially concluded on Friday.

The OGP is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at helping governments and civil society groups become more “transparent, accountable, and responsive to citizens,” as defined by the Department of Budget and Management, which chairs the Philippine Open Government Partnership.

READ: Budget chief cites gains of OGP-APRM

The event brought together at least 700 local and international delegates, who shared their open government strategies through simultaneous dialogues.

Some of the important topics discussed were ways to fight corruption, jail decongestion, digital governance, climate resilience, and poverty reduction.

Among the countries that participated were Indonesia, Armenia, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

In his remarks during the closing plenary of the OGP-APRM, Budget and Management Undersecretary Rolando Toledo expressed gratitude to all participants and partners who dedicated their time and resources to the event.

“May we take this as a challenge to carry forward the knowledge we have gained,” Toledo said in his message.

“At the end of the day, it is through our collective passion and commitment that we drive progress within our communities. Let’s continue to innovate and collaborate,” he also said.

Set a good example for others

Toledo also served as a panelist in a session focused on developing partnerships between civil society and development partners through open government.

In an interview with INQUIRER.net on the sidelines of the closing plenary, he stressed the importance of collaboration in governance.

“It is important that in doing our business as far as government is concerned, together with civil society, we need to have these development partners on board,” he said.

As a government employee himself, Toledo emphasized that setting a good example encourages others in the sector to uphold integrity in their work.

“Doing by example means you practice the value of what we are advocating in terms of transparency. Sabi nga nila, sa personal mong buhay, dapat ipakita mo dapat kung sino ka (As they say, in your personal life, you should show who you really are),” he said.

“And of course, as we say, it’s also indicated in our constitution that public service is a public trust,” Toledo added.

Deeper trust in governance

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attended the opening plenary of the OGP-APRM last Thursday, where he urged local and international leaders to foster “deeper trust” with each other through discussions and collaboration.

READ: Marcos calls for ‘deeper trust’ in governance at OGP regional meet

“I strongly call on all government agencies, local government units, and CSOs [civil society organizations], as well as our international friends and partners, to let us continue to work hand in hand in this very important endeavor,” Marcos said in his speech.

“Let us foster a deeper trust amongst each other that can only be earned through impactful dialogue, concrete actions, and genuine support,” he added.