PIA Press Release
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Agusan del Sur to implement “Tingog 2015”

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Jan. 31 (PIA) -- The province of Agusan del Sur will soon implement the “Tingog 2015” (Voice 2015): A citizen’s action for governance, after two program coordinators conducted an orientation here recently.

National program coordinator of joint program on youth and migration Ruth Honculada said, the “Tingog 2015” is a project designed for people to directly send their concerns and feedback to national officials of government on the effect of government programs that focus on the youth and migration through text messages.

“With the implementation of the Medium Term Development Goal, we are expecting people’s participation thru their feedback in the process, in order that the government can deliver their real needs that have great impact in their lives,” Honculada said.

According to Milennium Development Goal (MDG) campaign and advocacy specialist Dulce Marie Saret, only two in the entire country were chosen to implement the program and Agusan del Sur is one and the other one is Tabaco in Albay.

Dulce Marie Sarit said, Agusan del Sur was chosen because the province is an MDG champion. It has alsoa complete and updated community based monitoring system data and a United Nations priority area. Dynamic media presence is also observed and above all, Agusan del Sur has an empowered citizenry.

According to Ruth Honculada, communications equipment will be installed at the provincial capitol with the capacity to receive feedback from the people through text messages. In this manner, Honculada added, the government will know if the government programs and projects that deal with the youth and migration really reached and benefitted the right beneficiaries.

“Its very simple and easy for the people to send their messages thru text. They just text the message or report and send them to 2015. That’s how simple it is,” Honculada said.

According to Dulce Marie Saret, the MDG is a government program designed to reduce poverty, environmental protection, malnutrition, protection on the rights of women and many others, where Philippines is one of the signatories among 189 countries that aims to fulfil the dream for a better life.