WHOSE VOICES SHOULD BE HEARD

Even if non-government organizations proliferate in our country, we still do not feel their real power. We, in the NGO movement, still are a marginalized group that has to look for connections, establish rapport with influential people, and do underground activities to maintain ties with them (as the Napoles group which brought a really negative image to NGO work) just so that our objectives would be realized.

Why so? What is missing in our existence as a Movement. This is capital M simply because it is an important sector of society. We should be treated with great importance, because as we think -- opposite or maybe and parallel with how governance should be conducted in our country -- in opposition to or in collaboration with those in the bureaucracy-- then our image, our presence, our words and thoughts have to be valued, respected and sustained, not degraded, nor our personas killed and murdered.

I was listening to a popular radio program of someone from Eastern Visayas one morning as to how the Yolanda victims are being treated by the government. And I heard that a website has been created so that the people may insert their ideas and have them be read by the power-that-be.

What is good about this? First it is a recognition that our ideas matter.

Second, that they have to be heard or read shall we say.

But what is lacking here? What is lacking is that we are still marginalized. They may or may not take our ideas; they may or may not regard them as valuable for inclusion in their plans, strategies and programs; they may or may not exist in the website at all

Hence, what is the best solution to be done to make us -- the real NGO movement-- matter?

The best thing where infrastructure and all other terminal projects and activities are concerned are these:

1. In the case of housing projects, there should be triumvirate watchers who will be always on alert if the moneys are being spent judiciously; if the timetable is being met; if the steps to realization of the projects are being done qualitatively and quantitatively.

2. These watchers should include:
a. government - COA
b. private sector -- NGO with capabilities related to the project
c. ecumenical religious sector -- ecumenical

B and C sectors are the real voices that should be heard in any government program.

All these people should have the power to approve and disapprove every step along the way the releases of checks for payment. In the event that the contractor fails to fulfill the requirements of one step, then they should be barred from receiving any further payments. Should the people in the area complain about the havoc they are causing to them, then they (the contractor) should be made to pay a penalty to be distributed to the people in the area.

I think institutionalizing the roles of these sectors -- private and ecumenical sectors should make all who are transacting business with the government wary about making hanky-panky activities that would bolster the corruptibility of government public service.

Vox Dei, Vox Populi!