Over 800 delegates to attend Open Government Partnership meeting in PH

Over 800 participants are expected to take part in the upcoming Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM), according to the Department of Budget Management (DBM).

During the event’s media launch on Wednesday, DBM Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo shared 880 people have registered for the event, exceeding the estimated 700 expected delegates.

Of those taking part,  359 are international delegates, including national ministers from Maldives, Armenia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.

This will be the first time the Philippines will host the APRM since it was established in 2011.

The event is scheduled on February 5-7, 2025 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

“Hosting this momentous event actually in the Philippines exemplifies, of course, our country’s global leadership and role as an active member of the OGP Global Steering Committee,” Toledo said.

He added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will deliver a keynote speech during the event.

The OGP is an international movement for openness where the Philippines is one of the eight founding governments, together with Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

It aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.

The DBM has partnered with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in enhancing communication efforts and promoting the principles of OGP.

Shared responsibility  

During his opening remarks, Executive Lucas Bersamin said promoting an open government is a shared responsibility of all stakeholders, including the government, private sector, and the academe.

“For this reason, therefore, your insights, contributions, and commitment are invaluable to creating a more transparent, more accountable, and more inclusive government,” Bersamin said.

“With the support and active engagement of every stakeholder, we can surely pave the way for a brighter and inclusive future where every Filipino has the right and the means to contribute to open and good governance,” he added.

The OGP also has 150 members from the local government, including four cities in the Philippines, namely Tagbilaran City, Muntinlupa, Quezon City, and Baguio City. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News