The DILG National Capital Region has conducted its first Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG) Meeting the OGP Localization Program: Documentation of Open Government Practices of LGUs or the OGP Documentation Process on July 03, 2025 at the Matino Room of the DILG-NCR Regional Office. 

As the RTWG for OGP Documentation has commenced its 1^st official meeting, Vice Chairperson and Assistant Regional Director, Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO IV, has set its direction. She said that the documentation with the DILG-NCR Local Government Units (LGUs) with the assistance of the concerned Field Offices (FOs) is only the preliminary part of the endeavor, wherein selected LGUs will later be endorsed for the OGP Localization Program. Further to it, the process also aims to mainstream the co-creation principle through the participation of the non-government organizations, specifically the DILG Accredited CSOs, that will be taking part as the RTWG members and CSO partner-documenter. 

As acknowledged by the Lead Secretariat and Assistant Division Chief, LGOO VI Maria Jasmin D. Diaz, sitting as members of the RTWG are the several divisions of the Regional Office, representative from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and the participating accredited Civil Society Members (CSOs) from Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Advocacies in Praxis for Leadership & Community Development (Praxis), and the Bayan Family of Foundations (BFF), alongside with the Support to the Local Governance Program – Regional Coordination Team (SLGP-RCT) as the secretariat of the committee. The Institute of Politics and Governance (IPG) also joined the discussion as the official CSO Partner-Documenter that will carry out the documentation process for all the NCR LGUs.

DMO IV Sherlyn Mae T. Lucas of the SLGP-RCT presented the overview of the OGP Documentation Process, roles and responsibility of the RTWG Members, the preliminary activities conducted in the identification of the CSO Partner-Documenter. She said that the participation of other government and non-government partners in the process will ensure check and balance in the documentation outputs, and the impartial selection of the LGUs for the Localization Program will be achieved. DMO IV Lucas also presented the work and financial plan covering the three-month timeline of the proceedings from June to August 2025, including the endorsement period. 

Following this, the Executive Director of the IPG, Arline A. Santos has shared an overview and previous works of the institution alongside with the brief discussion of the documentation tool and the methodology to be used. Aside from the questions circulating around transparency, accountability and participation, part of the tool is to gather the inputs on the initiatives of the LGUs highlighting how important, innovative, and impactful these are in the community. 

To culminate the activity, a ceremonial signing of the Terms of Reference (TOR) between the DILG-NCR and IPG for this purpose has commenced with the participation of the Department’s Assistant Regional Director, Atty. Ana Lyn R. Baltazar-Cortez, CESO IV, the Executive Director of IPG, Arline A. Santos, and the representative from DBM, Marione Bien A. Bungcayao. 

As reiterated during the discussion, the LGUs and Field Offices will be having a coordinative meeting to introduce the overview of the OGP Documentation Process, including the schedule of activities alongside it. Going forward, the RTWG will reconvene for additional updates prior to the actual rollout in each LGU, reaffirming its commitment to active participation among its members.