KEY tourism issues from halal food, barrier-free tourism for those persons with disability, accreditation of tourism establishments, new tourism products packages, tourism accreditation, sustainable tourism, fuel subsidy for tricycle drivers, honoraria for civil society organizations and bringing down the Dagyaw to the grassroots came as the key concerns aired by communities during Dagyaw 2022 Regional town hall meetings hosted by Bohol, November 17.
Dagyaw, the government’s platform for fostering multi-sectoral convergence through social accountability, has been carried on by the local Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to geographically isolated and depressed areas in Bohol, with the intent of opening up venues for dialog between government in implementation of its programs, projects and plans and the way the community sees it done.
Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, in his welcome message stressed the need for venues like Dagyaw which are necessary tools to foster dialogs between different sectors to identify specific issues that need to be given attention by the government.
“There should be an open, neutral and protected space for everyone to express their ideas and comments of the latest action of the Administration in solving problems,” Aumentado, who led the regional face-to-face Dagyaw in an online and blended event and which was simultaneously done in Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
“Dagyaw 2022, open government town hall meetings are a great way of relaying the different programs while assuring people’s voices are heard,” the young governor said.
In Bohol event, where tourism and agriculture as well as the civil society engagements are among the picked concerns, the Department of Tourism in Region 7, Civil Society initiated tourism activities, participatory governance tools were the top presenters and upon which stakeholders want issues clarified, tweaked and enhanced.
DOT7, through its Chief Operations Officer Judy Gabato presented the region’s 2022 Plans and Programs in reviving and recovering the slumped tourism industry, recalibrating and strengthening regional tourism products in developing new circuits.
She said for Outdoors7, Bohol now have verified mountain bike trails in northeastern Bohol, vegan and organic farms, wellness centers and adventure destinations, Marian Church pilgrimages, culinary and food trips as well as new dive packages.
CSO representative and Bohol Transport Coop official Joselino Baritua also presented the World Wildlife Fund assisted Pamilacan Island Dolphin and Whale Watching Tours as well as transport problems with the absence of a province-wide route plan which is necessary for new transport franchise issuances.
Participatory Governance Metrics which was developed in Bohol was also presented, in the goal of furthering participative governance.
From these topics, Dagyaw participants both in Bohol and online joined in the open forum, which advanced the dialogs to more in-depth discussions, which the DILG also noted and its outputs documented.
Aumentado said outputs of these kind of activities serve as key references for the government in shaping its decisions and policies.
DILG regional Director Leocadio Trovela pointed out during the program that people might seldom notice it, but dialogs often cause changes in government policies.
He said Dagyaw is also a way to communicate good governance and reforms, open up a venue for citizens to participate in the discussions and unleash local government potentials, nourish the development od governments, innovate governance processes as well as enhance the capabilities of the DILG. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
