Friday, July 16, 2010

USAID, The Asia Foundation Launch Assistance Program For Local Governments In Mindanao


MANILA, Philippines - With support from the United States Agency for International Development, The Asia Foundation will help local governments in Mindanao improve fiscal performance, service delivery, transparency and accountability.

The Foundation will conduct a series of regional orientations in Mindanao to announce the availability of technical assistance for local governance improvement, which will be implemented under the fourth phase of the USAID-supported Transparent Accountable Governance Program.

Many local governments in Mindanao are challenged by limited resources and inadequate governance capacity, which impede the delivery of even the most basic services to citizens.

In some areas of the region, instability hinders economic development. The TAG Program will assist local governments in increasing revenues and managing expenditures, enhancing frontline services, and improving administrative processes to enable them to better serve citizens.

The Foundation will conduct three regional orientations to provide information on program enrolment, the competitive selection process, and the expected results of TAG assistance. The first orientation will be held on July 20 and 21 in Davao City for municipalities in Regions 11 and 12.

The second orientation, in Cagayan de Oro City on July 22 and 23, will cover Regions 9, 10, and CARAGA. A separate orientation for ARMM municipalities will follow in September. Provincial directors of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and representatives of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines will participate as TAG partners.

“We welcome Mindanao mayors to the orientation sessions on our local governance assistance program. The U.S. Government proudly supports local governance and decentralization that brings development closer to the citizens,” said Roger Carlson, Acting Mission Director of USAID.

Dr. Steven Rood, Philippine Country Representative of The Asia Foundation said, “The Foundation is pleased to be able to reach out to local governments throughout Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. We are at the very beginning of a new administration, both at the national and the local levels, so this effort is perfectly timed to maximize the benefits which can be produced in the upcoming term of office of local officials.”

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