In pursuit of good local governance, the Department of the Interior and Local Government Region 3 formalized its partnership with the Wesleyan University of the Philippines, through the Ceremonial Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing on April 22, 2022, at the AMCO Beach Resort, Brgy. Sabang, Baler, Aurora.
DILG Region 3 Regional Director, Karl Caesar R. Rimando, CESO III and DILG Aurora Provincial Director, Atty. Ofelio A. Tactac, Jr. CESO V, was joined by the Wesleyan University of the Philippines President - Judge Benjamin T. Turgano (RET.) and WUP-Aurora School Administrator, Dra. Estrella C. Buenaventura and LGU Maria Aurora, Aurora MPDC, Nicasio Gatchalian, represenating Mayor Amado M. Geneta for the ceremonial MOA signing for the implementation of the Citizen Satisfaction Index System (CSIS) for FY 2022 in the Municipality of Maria Aurora.
The agreement signed by the DILG and the WUP details the partnership between the two institutions to conduct CSIS in the municipality of Maria Aurora, Aurora this year.
CSIS is a tool to measure the citizen’s perception of their local government’s delivery of services and aid the concerned local government units (LGUs) in improving their performance.
“As we plan to tie up the integrate the SGLG though the results of the CSIS, we are really grateful for the open-mindedness of the LGU to accept this program. At sana po ay magtulungan lamang tayo and tingnan po natin ang magiging magandang resulta ng CSIS upang makita natin at mas mapabuti ang ating paglilingkod at pagdedeliver ng basic services hindi lamang sa Maria Aurora kung hindi sa iba pang mga kababayan natin.”, Dir. Karl Caesar R. Rimando, CESO III said on his opening message.
The MOA signing is the start of a more significant partnership between the DILG and WUP to help improve socioeconomic conditions, advance the appreciation of public affairs, and effectively transform into becoming productive and development partners.
Along with the representatives from the WUP faculty, also present to witness the momentous activity are DILG Region 3 Division Chiefs, LGOO VII Lerrie S. Hernandez (MED) and LGOO VII Ener Cambronero, CESE (CDD), along with the Regional CSIS Team, Ms. Edith Macalino and Ms. Guian Carla Gutierrez, with the DILG Aurora CSIS Team LGOO VI Amado V. Angara, LGOO V Madam Cassey N. Buenaventura and ADA IV Gerald Philip DC. Esteves, who serves as the programme host.
During his acceptance of the program, WUP President, Judge Benjamin T. Turgano (RET.) highlighted their willingness to take part of the implementation of the program. “This partnership presents vast and promising capabilities not only between the DILG and the WUP, but also to our stakeholders. We are committed to deliver the best kind of assistance we can provide, to give quality research and extension service as expected from us, and we look forward to more productive collaborations as we move forward to a year with encompassing dedication to improve the lives of the community we serve. We hope that this official inking of partnership may pioneer more intensive collaborations and developmental programs.”, said Judge Turgano.
Representing Hon. Mayor Amado M. Geneta of LGU Maria Aurora, Aurora, MPDC Nicasio Gatchalian extended his support to the DILG and WUP for the program implementation. “Kung anuman po ang maging resulta nitong pag aaral na ito, nangangako ang LGU Maria Aurora na lalo nating pagiibayuhin ang ating serbisyo publiko. Sana po sa pamamagitan ng programang ito, mas lalo pang mapalawig ang kaalaman ng mga tao patungkol sa mga serbisyo ng pamahalaan, hindi lamang sa Bayan ng Maria Aurora, kundi sa buong Lalawigan ng Aurora at maging sa buong Pilipinas. With this partnership, let us all hope for the best.”, Gatchalian said.
On his closing message, PD Tactac extended his gratitude to the WUP and LGU Maria Aurora. for accepting the partnership with the DILG. “We do not have a monopoly of knowledge, we need inputs and participation from other people, with different approaches, with different expertise, and with different knowledge. We have to consider that in order for knowledge - to be permanent, to be substantial - we have to build multi-collaborations, for this will help us grow and propagate not only as a person, but as an institution. Sa aspetong ito, dito po papasok ang ating partnership with the Local Research Institutes. This program, with the help of LRI and the LGU Maria Aurora, Aurora, will help us create more library of knowledge. Dito po sa CSIS, ang ating main purpose is to know kung ano ba talaga ang opinion, pananaw, at tingin ng mga mamamayan sa mga serbisyong inilalabas at ginagawa ng ating mga LGUs, so that they can improve their service delivery. It has the sole aim of improving the current vision of public service to regain the public’s trust and confidence to the government, through collaborations with all willing and capable entities, tulad po ng Wesleyan University.”, Atty. Tactac highlighted.
The CSIS uses a mix of quantitative and qualitative research methods through face-to-face interviews with residents randomly sampled from the barangays of the target LGUs on their awareness, availment, satisfaction and gauge on the need-for-action of services across various areas. Data gathering and interpreting results are performed by research and academic institutions commissioned by DILG to ensure non-partisanship of the exercises.
CSIS aims to inform LGUs and other sectors such as civil societies, academe, and national government agencies on the value of the collected feedback from a cross-section of the population.
