CONVERGENCE PROJECTS
How far do we really go to assess the performance of our Local Government Units ?
And just how are we implementing CSIS in Caraga, specifically?
Up to what extent should we really ask whether or not they are really doing their roles or if they are functioning effectively or if at all, in the service of its constituents?
The DILG 13 has partnered with two Local Resource Institutes (LRIs) to conduct CSIS in 2013 for Bislig City, Surigao del Sur and Surigao City, Surigao del Norte for the months of November 2013 up to February 2014.
For one, we have the Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS) which is a self-assessment tool accomplished by LGUs to assess and measure the strong and weak points of their services in: (1) Administrative Governance, (2) Social Governance, (3) Economic Governance, (4) Environmental Governance and (5) Valuing Fundamentals of Good Governance. But is it enough? Does it give us a complete picture of their performance? Or are we constrained to the fact and limitation that such a tool is administered solely on an honesty-is-the-best-policy basis as it is a self-assessment. One cannot dismiss that there is room for biases and consequently overstated, embellished or even exaggerated results? Reputation is key in politics. How then do we get an objective assessment? Well, as there are two sides to a coin, so too are there in governance. There is the government who performs the service, and there is the public—the recipients of the government’s services. So is it not only logical to ask the public how well the government performed the service if it is they who receive and benefit from such service? The answer is yes. And we did just that. It’s called CSIS. A way of finding out how well the public is (1) aware of the services of their LGU; (2) availing these very services; and (3) assessing these services they have tried. So what is CSIS and how does it do it?
The CSIS stands for Citizen Satisfaction Index Service and is basically a research engagement that employs a set of quantitative research methods specifically those used in surveys. This is to ensure that each citizen will have relatively equal probability to be selected as a respondent to give feedback in a specific area regardless of socio-economic background and geographic proximity to government presence.
If it is accuracy and objectivity we are after, meaning results that are as much as possible bereft of biases, it becomes imperative to have it done by a third party. As such, the CSIS Survey Tool was administered in these two Caraga cities (as is anywhere else in the country where this is also run) by partner Local Resource Institutions (LRIs). In our case, they were Philippine Normal University – Agusan Campus (PNU – Agusan) for Bislig City, and Saint Paul University Surigao (SPUS) for Surigao City. But do we really have to do it?
The citizens’ satisfaction assessment is a veritable source of information that identifies strengths, gaps, difficulties, constraints and possible improvements on the local governments’ reach and quality of service delivery. While local governments may already be performing well in terms of internal governance measures, the question at the end is, whether or not the services respond well to the needs of their public or whether or not the public receive the services well. And is this the end of it? The CSIS is part of President Benigno S. Aquino’s Development Plan for 2011-2016. As such, the DILG issued Memorandum Circular No. 2012-113 for its implementation in 2013 to 2016. For 2013, 35 priority cities, based on the list of the National Competitiveness Council’s (NCC) Top 50 Competitive Cities and the provinces included in NBM No. 118, were covered by CSIS Implementation. Among them are the cities of Bislig and Surigao. For 2014 to 2016, we’ll see. Until then, any questions?
(DMOPatrimonio, Stat I, DILG XIII)
It is designed as a set of mechanisms that generate citizens’ feedback on local governments’ performance on service delivery and the citizens’ general satisfaction. It aims to generate citizens’ perspectives or views on the reach and quality or basic public services; as well as provide an information handle for citizens and the civil society sector to allow an informed engagement in the workings of a local government.
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