Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

Good Practices and InnovATIONS in Public Governance
i-Governance engenders citizen engagement by improving access to information on
government policies and operations through ICT and non-ICT tools. For example,
the Naga City Citizens Charter is a guide book providing information on the procedures
for obtaining various services, the response time for their delivery and the officers
responsible for the service. The Charter catalogs more than 150 services and
contains maps showing locations of the offices responsible for a specific service. The
information is also disseminated through local newspapers and broadcast media.
Naga was among the very first local governments to use the internet, which was chosen
as an engagement tool because of its robust growth – the number of internet connections
in the city grows by at least 91% annually. The NetServe is the web equivalent
of the citizens Charter containing downloadable forms used in transactions with
various agencies; Share Naga promotes information about the city government operations;
Sell Naga provides essential information about the city’s marketability and
competitive edge, by extensively discussing the city’s investments and tourism assets;
Star Naga provides information on awards accorded to the city government,
publicizes governance innovative practices and serves as a forum for discussing the
city’s governance advocacies.
Transparency and accountability is increased through improved access to information
regarding the responsibilities of government agencies, processes and the operational
standards for the delivery of services. Citizens are encouraged to monitor government’s
and officers’ performance. By enhancing transparency mechanisms, the program
has contributed to savings of at least PhP 10M a year in the city procurement
system. By enhancing consciousness about performance standards, it has allowed
Naga to “do more with less”. In fact, despite budget reductions in 2003, the city was
able to more actively pursue its growth plan and address the equity-building concerns.
In sum, i-governance has become a tool for equitable service delivery and has involved
a number of strategies, including promoting progressive development, with “growth
with equity” as its core philosophy, and fostering equal access to public services.
For more information, please visit: www.naga.govt.ph
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