Action plan – Quezon City, Philippines, 2025 – 2028

At-a-Glance

Duration

Jun 2028

Date Submitted

5th February 2025

Foreword(s)

With great pride and optimism, we present Quezon City’s Open Government PartnershipThe Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving government transparency, ensuring opportunities for citizen participation in public matters, and strengthen... More (OGP) Local Action Plan. This document reflects our commitmentOGP commitments are promises for reform co-created by governments and civil society and submitted as part of an action plan. Commitments typically include a description of the problem, concrete action... to transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, inclusivity, public participationGiving citizens opportunities to provide input into government decision-making leads to more effective governance, improved public service delivery, and more equitable outcomes. Technical specificatio..., and accountability—where governance is a shared responsibility between the government and its people.

Quezon City’s membership in the OGP Local Program marks a transformative step toward open and participatory governance. This Local Action Plan represents our goal of building trust, efficiency, and equity. More than a roadmap, it is a pledge to institutionalize reforms that enhance citizen engagement and ensure governance serves all—especially the most vulnerable.

At the core of this plan are initiatives to strengthen public participation. Participatory budgeting will empower citizens to help shape government priorities, while expanded volunteer programs will encourage civic engagement. Open dataBy opening up data and making it sharable and reusable, governments can enable informed debate, better decision making, and the development of innovative new services. Technical specifications: Polici... dashboards will ensure transparency and informed decision-making. These efforts reaffirm that every resident has a voice in shaping policies and programs that affect their lives.

Achieving this vision requires collaboration. From the start, we embraced co-creation, working with civil society organizations, community leaders, and government stakeholders. This partnership will continue through implementation and monitoring. Clear feedback mechanisms and independent oversight will ensure our commitments remain dynamic and responsive to evolving needs.

We are committed to making this plan a success—not just because it follows global best practices, but because it reflects the aspirations of Quezon City residents. Together, we can set a new standard for local governance—one that is transparent, inclusive, participatory, and accountable.

We extend our gratitude to the OGP, civil society partners, and every citizen who contributed to this process. With your support, we are confident this plan will lead to a more equitable and empowered Quezon City.

Open Government Challenges, Opportunities and Strategic Vision

This subsection details the Open Government Strategic Vision in your local area that should guide the commitments for the action plan period.

What is the long-term vision for open government in your context and jurisdiction?

Adopted during the OGP Local Action Plan co-creation sessions, the Quezon City Government departments and offices, together with the civil society organizations, have jointly set this vision: “Quezon City—a model of inclusivity and innovation with an empowered citizenry where both government and civil society collaborate and champion good governance through transparency, accountability, and participation.” 

What are the achievements in open government to date (for example, recent open government reforms)?

Since 2019, Quezon City has implemented open government reforms, promoting participatory decision-making, efficient service delivery, and transparent governance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city focused on data-driven responses and digital transformationGovernments are working to increase access to and quality of government services, improve transparency, and create opportunities for participation by using information and communications technologies..... The QCeServices portal has digitalized nearly 23 systems and over 100 city services, enhancing accessibility and eliminating red tape. These initiatives streamline service delivery, ensuring quick, automated responses free from bureaucratic delays and political interference. The QCitizen ID further strengthens governance by providing a unified and accurate resident database. Additionally, the city’s Freedom of Information Ordinance empowers citizens to request public documents.

Quezon City has also amended its Participation, Accountability, and Transparency Ordinance, leading to the activation of the People’s Council of Quezon City (PCQC). With over 5,000 accredited civil society organizations, the PCQC ensures citizens have a formal platform to influence policies and programs. Representatives from various sectors—including business, women, PWDs, LGBTQIA, laborTransparent workforce data and increased representation of workers in labor policy-making lead to policies that better protect workers’ rights and remove barriers for underrepresented groups in the ..., youthRecognizing that investing in youth means investing in a better future, OGP participating governments are creating meaningful opportunities for youth to participate in government processes. Technical ..., and more—participate in local bodies and task forces, helping shape and evaluate city initiatives to better serve the community.

What are the current challenges/areas for improvement in open government that the jurisdiction wishes to tackle?

Our city has various Open Government programs, but we aim to expand and improve them further. Stakeholders have developed open government plans focusing on key areas of improvement:

While our digitized website and transparency portals are strong, we must enhance information accessibility and online feedback avenues. Providing citizens with the information they need fosters public participation, while an efficient feedback mechanism allows people to voice concerns, improving public services and transparency. Upgrading our digital platform will ensure greater accessibility and engagement.

Citizen engagement, particularly in budgeting and capacity development, is another priority. We seek to create a more participatory budgeting system, allowing public involvement in government programs. Strengthening the People’s Council will also empower civil society organizations to serve the community effectively.

Expanding volunteerism and services through civic engagement in community centers, as part of the Bayanihang QC or Quezon City Volunteer Program, will further strengthen community involvement. Additionally, we aim to provide greater access to legal aidMore and better information about aid helps partner countries and donor institutions plan and manage aid resources more effectively, parliaments and civil society to hold governments accountable for t... by organizing lawyers for pro bono services.

What are the medium-term open government goals that the government wants to achieve?

The medium-term open government goals for the City are as follows:

• Enhancing public participation through the strengthening of partnerships with and involvement of civil society organizations representing relevant sectors in the creation of the annual budget of Quezon City Government departments and offices.
• Expanding access to legal services through the organization of lawyers for the provision of pro bono legal aid.
• Increasing transparency through the creation of a centralized data dashboard and feedback mechanism in the QC eServices platform.
• Strengthening civil engagement through the capacity development of the People’s Council of Quezon City.
• Expanding civic engagement through community centers as part of the Bayanihang QC or the Quezon City Volunteer Program. 

How does this action plan contribute to achieve the Open Government Strategic Vision?

Aligned with the goal of open government, this action plan strengthens Quezon City’s vision through five key commitments.

• The first commitment enhances public participation in budgeting, increasing fiscal openness and citizen involvement in the use of public funds. This ensures better service delivery and empowers residents in decision-making.
• The second commitment expands access to legal services by organizing a network of lawyers to provide pro bono legal aid, making justiceTo address barriers that prevent citizens from having their justice needs met, OGP participating governments are working to expand transparency, accountability, and inclusion into all systems of justi... more accessible, especially for marginalized communities.
• The third commitment boosts transparency through a centralized data dashboard and online feedback mechanism integrated into the QC eServices platform. This provides easy public access to information while creating a space for citizens to voice concerns and improve government services.
• The fourth commitment strengthens civic engagement by enhancing the capacity of the People’s Council, equipping civil society organizations to play an active role in governance.
• The final commitment promotes volunteerism through community centers under Bayanihang QC, providing spaces for civic participation and grassroots initiatives.

In partnership with civil society, these commitments empower citizens to champion transparency, accountability, and participatory governance, ensuring a more inclusive and responsive Quezon City.

How does the open government strategic vision contribute to the accomplishment of the current administration’s overall policy goals?

In Quezon City, the 14-point executive agenda lays the foundation of effective governance and serves as a guide to achieving concrete goals envisioned for the city’s future. 12th on the agenda seeks for the city to be a model of good governance while the 14th on the agenda prioritizes listening to citizens and knowing what they need.  

The strategic vision serves as the city’s ambitionAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, OGP commitments should “stretch government practice beyond its current baseline with respect to key areas of open government.” Ambition captures the po... for an open government. It further contributes to the accomplishment of the city’s 14-point agenda of governance through the formulation of priority areas and strategies establishing an open government, in collaboration with the government and civil society, ensuring the steadfast development of the city and improvement of citizens’ quality of life. 

With trustworthy leadership, data and information-driven decision-making, and a well-functioning government system, the current administration believes that the city can succeed in its vision, becoming a government that is worthy of the public’s trust.

Engagement and Coordination in the Open Government Strategic Vision and OGP Action Plan

Please list the lead institutions responsible for the implementation of this OGP action plan.

• Office of the City Administrator
• Office of the City Mayor
• Barangay and Community Relations Department
• City Planning and Development Department

What kind of institutional arrangements are in place to coordinate between government agencies and departments to implement the OGP action plan?

Through Executive Order No. 20, series of 2024, the Open Government Partnership Framework was established through the creation of a Local Steering CommitteeThe Steering Committee is OGP’s executive decision-making body. Its role is to develop, promote and safeguard OGP’s values, principles and interests; establish OGP’s core ideas, policies, and ru.... Their functions are as follows:

• Collaborate in the planning of activities to be undertaken for the co-creation of the OGP Local Action Plan;
• Promote transparency in government operations and decision-making processes;
• Encourage citizen participationAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, citizen participation occurs when “governments seek to mobilize citizens to engage in public debate, provide input, and make contributions that lead to m... More in local governance initiatives;
• Spearhead the development and implementation of the OGP Local Action Plan specific to Quezon City.

The Local Steering Committee is also supported by a Technical Working Group whose functions are as follows:

• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders in the planning of activities to be undertaken for the co-creation of the OGP Local Action Plan;
• Facilitate the co-creation sessions of the OGP Local Action Plan specific to Quezon City;
• Facilitate regular consultations with stakeholders to gather feedback and assess progress.
• Participate in the various lined-up activities (i.e., stakeholders’ consultations, workshops, writeshops, etc.,) of the OGP Local Program;
• Hold regular meetings, or as the need arises, to discuss implementation, accomplishments, problem areas, and monitoring of the OGP Local Action Plan; and 
• Undertake other functions that are connected and adhere to the implementation and accomplishment of the OGP Local Action Plan.

What kind of spaces have you used or created to enable the collaboration between government and civil society in the co-creation and implementation of this action plan? Mention both offline and online spaces.

For the creation of the Local Action Plan, the Local Steering Committee convened an ad-hoc group consisting of both government and civil society organizations. Civil society organizations that were invited consist of members from the People’s Council of Quezon City, the umbrella arm of all accredited civil society organizations in Quezon City, organizations currently sitting in the local special bodies and councils, and non-accredited organizations.

For the coordination and implementation, separate meetings will be called for involving the relevant Quezon City Government departments and offices and civil society organizations. An annual summit involving the said stakeholders will also be called for to discuss and present the progress of the implementation of the various commitments.

What measures did you take to ensure diversity of representation (including vulnerable or marginalized populations) in these spaces?

Through the coordination with the Barangay and Community Relations Department which supports the People’s Council of Quezon City, and the City Planning and Development Department, which supports the various local special bodies and councils, civil society organizations from various sectors were identified and invited to join the co-creation sessions.

Civil society organizations invited were a mix of both accredited and non-accredited organizations. Non-accredited organizations were invited in the hope of encouraging them to seek formal accreditation from the city in the future.

Who participated in these spaces?

During the co-creation sessions, the following Quezon City Government departments and offices were present and represented:

• Office of the City Administrator
• City Planning and Development Department
• Barangay and Community Relations Department
• City Budget Department
• City Treasurer’s Office
• GenderOGP participating governments are bringing gender perspectives to popular policy areas, ensuring diversity in participatory processes, and specifically targeting gender gaps in policies to address gov... and Development Council
• Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department
• Persons with Disability Affairs Office
• Housing and Community Relations Development
• Public Employment Service Office
• City Legal Department
• Social Services Development Department
• Quezon City Health Department
• Information Technology Development Department
• Quezon City Citizen Services Department
• Market Development and Administration Department
• Quezon City Youth Development Office
• Small Business and Cooperatives Development and Promotions Office
• Human Resource Management Department

On the other hand, civil society organizations from the following sectors were present and represented:

• Professional
• Environment/Urban Protection/Solid Waste
• Persons with Disability (PWD)
• Transport/PUV/Drivers/Operations/TODA
• Senior Citizens
• Labor/Workers
• Social Justice/Peace and Order
• Womens
• Business
• Health and Sanitation
• Academe/Education
• Home Owner’s Association
• Urban Farmers
• Livelihood/Vendors
• Socio-Cultural Development
• Youth/Sports/Children
• Charitable/Socio-Civic

How many groups participated in these spaces?

42

How many public-facing meetings were held in the co-creation processCollaboration between government, civil society and other stakeholders (e.g., citizens, academics, private sector) is at the heart of the OGP process. Participating governments must ensure that a dive...?

2

How will government and non-governmental stakeholders continue to collaborate through the implementation of the action plan?

The lead implementing Quezon City Government department or office together with the relevant civil society organizations shall meet and conduct various activities, when necessary, for the implementation of the action plan. An initial meeting will be called by the Local Steering Committee once the Local Action Plan has been submitted and disseminated properly.

Please describe the independent Monitoring Body you have identified for this plan.

The Independent Monitoring Body identified is a member of the academia, capable of providing unbiased feedback and evaluation on the involvement of Quezon City in the Open Government Partnership Local Program. 

The aforementioned monitoring body is the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG), the Graduate School of Leadership and Public Service of the Ateneo de Manila University which aims to provide an institutional vehicle for the development of public servants and a forum for dialogue and partnership among government, private, non-government, and people’s organizations.

ASOG shall fulfill the following roles as agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding:

• Collect evidence, assess the degree and quality of the co-creation process of the action plan, and complete an online inception report to be submitted to the Quezon City Government two  months after the action plan is submitted;
• Collect evidence, assess the results of each commitment once each is fully implemented, and complete an end-of-commitment assessment one  month after the implementation of each commitment;
• Conduct and lead the Final Learning Exercise for the evaluation of the action plan as it relates to the co-creation process (from the inception report) and the implementation of the commitments (from the individual commitment assessments) to be carried out and submitted online two months after the end of the action plan;
• Attend and observe the co-creation sessions in December 2024 and January 2025.

Provide the contact details for the independent monitoring body.

• Benjamin Roberto G. Barretto, Professor, Ateneo School of Government, bbarretto@ateneo.edu
• Philip Arnold P. Tuano, Dean, Ateneo School of Government, ptuano@ateneo.edu

What types of activities will you have in place to discuss progress on commitments with stakeholders?

The Open Government Local Steering Committee shall conduct an annual summit with relevant Quezon City Government departments and offices and civil society organizations to present the progress on commitments. The Independent Monitoring Body shall be also invited to ensure that the process will be evaluated based on the principles of OGP.

How will you regularly check in on progress with implementing agencies?

The Open Government Local Steering Committee shall conduct quarterly check-in meetings with concerned Quezon City Government departments and offices, together with civil society organizations to discuss the progress of the various commitments. The Independent Monitoring Body shall be also invited to ensure that the process will be evaluated based on the principles of OGP.

How will you share the results of your monitoring efforts with the public?

Updates regarding the implementation and monitoring shall be disseminated to the public through the following methods:

1. The Open Government Partnership Local Program page in the Quezon City’s official website
   1. This shall serve as the official repositoryAccess to relevant information is essential for enabling participation and ensuring accountability throughout the OGP process. An OGP repository is an online centralized website, webpage, platform or ... of all information regarding Quezon City’s involvement in the Open Government Partnership Local Program
   2. Documentation such as photos, videos, and minutes of the meeting will also be uploaded here.
2. The Quezon City Government’s Social Media Pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tiktok)

Endorsement from Non-Governmental Stakeholders

• Clarissa Magsarili, Representative, Zero Waste Philippines, Inc.
• Irma Percela, Representative, Zero Waste Philippines, Inc.
• Victor Rescober, Representative, Visually Impaired Society for Unity Advancement and Liberty, Inc.
• Jorge Banal Jr., Representative, Federation of Senior Citizen Association of the Philippines, Inc.
• Nelda Estrella, Representative, Pambansang Kalipunan ng mga Manggagawang Impormal sa Pilipinas (PATAMABA) Inc.
• Lourdes Gula, Representative, Pambansang Kalipunan ng mga Manggagawang Impormal sa Pilipinas (PATAMABA) Inc.
• Rudy Bungad, Representative, Bantay Bayan Foundation In. (Sauyo Chapter)
• Marilyn Torrevillas, Representative, Federation of Quezon City Women’s Organization with Dignity and Intergrity, Inc.
• Vix Hipolito, Representative, Manila Water Foundation Inc.
• Rachel L. Martin, Representative, Council for the Restoration of Filipino Values Inc.
• Josephine B. Custodio-Samala, Representative, Arlegui Homeowners Association Inc.
• Crystal I. Rodas, Representative, Calderon Urban Gardeners
• Ma. Divine S. Toquero, Representative, Ultra Bandila Federation Inc.
• Edilberto M. Adraneda, Representative, Barangay San Vicente Movement (BSVM)
• Joycyl B. Detoyato, Representative, World Vision Development Foundation, inc.
• Jeanette R. Dumo, Representative, Partnerships for Integrated Services and Social Development (I-SERVE) Inc.
• Errol Eugenio S. Garcia, Representative, Quezon City Council, Boy Scouts of the Philippines
• Mark John Pulvera, Representative, Lions Club International District 301-D1, Inc.
• Ranz Lebria, Representative, Mother Earth Foundation
• Jerome Ku, Representative, Mother Earth Foundation
• Dr. Rylan Flores, Representative, Quezon City Medical Society, Inc.
• Rowel B. Ignacio, Representative, Cubao Zion Fire & Rescue Volunteer Association
• Amor Adante, Representative, Zero Waste Philippines, Inc.
• Eugene A. Vallespin, Representative, Bantay Bayan Foundation In. (Sauyo Chapter)
• Emil Lagco, Representative, Barangay Fairview Tricycle Operator’s and Driver’s Association, Inc.
• Lorrie L. Calaunan, Representative, Federation of Senior Citizen Association of the Philippines, Inc.
• Justo S. Dela Cruz, Jr, Representative, Federation of Senior Citizen Association of the Philippines, Inc.
• Vic Arsenel, Representative, Pambansang Kalipunan ng mga Manggagawang Impormal sa Pilipinas (PATAMABA) Inc.
• Crystal I. Rodas, Representative, Sta Lucia
• Carmencita Medalla, Representative, QC Ladies Foundation

OGP Introductory Message

Commitments

• • Enhancing Public Participation in the Creation of the Annual Budget of Quezon City Government Departments and Offices
  • Expanding Access to Legal Services through the Organization of Lawyers for the Provision of Pro-Bono Legal Aid
  • Increasing Transparency through the Creation of a Centralized Data Dashboard and Feedback Mechanism in the QC E-Services Platform
  • Strengthening Civic Engagement through Capacity Development on Participatory Governance
  • Expanding Civic Engagement through the Establishment of Community Centers for the Bayanihang QC or the Quezon City Volunteer Program