Let us make Negros Occidental a flagship province in maintaining integrity through an open government as we move towards a new normal.
That was the call of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the 2022 Transparency Roadshow held at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City on Tuesday, April 26.
The roadshow, held through the Freedom of Information-Project Management Office of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, aims to increase awareness and engage with the communities and organizations representing the national and local governments, civil society, academe, media and the general public to promote responsible information sharing as one of the transparency initiatives of the government.
At this point in our history, alongside the strain caused by the COVID crisis, Filipinos are now worn-out and exhausted from the culture of corruption and mistrust, Lacson said in his speech.
“Aside from the moral degradation it causes, corruption has a lot to do with unsatisfactory economic performance, making countries poorer and less attractive to investments, thus the cycle of under performance and want. Corruption siphons our economy with billions of pesos we cannot afford to lose,” he said.
“If the Philippines wishes to be truly progressive, we must banish not just corruption, but also suspicions of corruption”, Lacson stressed.
Among those who attended the 2022 Transparency Roadshow were Krizia Casey Avejar of the PCOO, Assistant Secretary Achilles Gerard Bravo of the Department of Budget and Management, Carlos Hilado Memorial State University president, Dr. Norberto Mangulabnan, John Harold Tabuzo of PHIVOLCS and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.
Diaz said the Negros Occidental provincial government has boosted its transparency drive through the digitalization of its various programs to make information easily accessible.*