CSOs, POs vital to city’s dev’t-Nacaya

CIVIL Society Organizations (CSOs) and People’s Organizations (POs) are vital to the development of the city.

This was the motivational message of Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya during the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Conference held last August 12, 2022, at Pearlmont Hotel which was attended by registered and accredited CSOs in the city.

The activity is in line with DILG MC 2022-083, which sets the Guidelines for the Accreditation of Civil Society Organizations and Selection of Representatives to the Local Special Bodies of the local government.

Nacaya emphasized the importance of research in the formulation of plans, programs, and projects which shall be undertaken by the city in partnership and coordination with the people’s organization and other concerned sectors of the community.

“Kinahanglan ang solusyon long term, kanang makita bisan wala na ta sa serbisyo. Kinahanglan tanan mga plano nakabase sa research ug dili pamataka,” he cited.

The councilor chairs the committee on planning, research and innovation and people’s organization accreditation.

He is the author of City Ordinance No. 14334-2002, an Ordinance Strengthening Participatory Governance in the City of Cagayan de Oro through Empowerment of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) by Establishing a Committee on People’s Organization in the City Development Council.

The ordinance, which was enacted on June 27, 2022, governs the system of partnership between CSOs and the local government including CSO participation in the local governance process in the city, whether accredited, registered, or recognized; the accreditation process; and the creation of the Committee on People’s Organization in the City Development Council (CDC).

Section 5 of the ordinance provides that all accredited, registered, and recognized CSOs shall organize themselves into the Committee on People’s Organization which shall, in turn, represent local people’s organizations and sectors, such as but not limited to farmers and landless rural workers, artisanal fisherfolk, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, youth and students, persons with disabilities, cooperatives and other relevant sectors with existing or operating organizations.

People’s organizations have the autonomy to prescribe their organizational structure and internal rules and provide for adequate consultation mechanisms that will enable legitimate and stakeholder organizations that do not yet meet the accreditation requirements to participate in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of programs and projects, among others, The Gavel learned.