OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting Opening Plenary
February 6, 2025 | 9:00 AM
Grand Hyatt Manila
His Excellency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.—the driving force behind the institutionalization of Open Government Partnership (OGP) in the Philippines;
Archbishop Charles John Brown and members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo;
Speaker of the House, Martin G. Romualdez;
Fellow ministers from around the world and colleagues in the Philippine Government;
Champions of open government in civil society and distinguished guests from around the world;
Magandang umaga! Good morning! Mabuhay!
Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Welcome to the 2025 OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting! We are so honored to have you all at this gathering of visionaries, reformers, and changemakers who believe in and fight for a world where transparency is the norm, accountability is a commitment, and citizen participation is a right, not a privilege.
I started my term as part of the OGP Steering Committee, representing the Philippines, just last October. So I can't believe we are hosting this monumental event in just a little over three months since joining the SteerCom! But we are grateful and excited because seeing all of you here, I know we are off to a good start in making the message of Open Government reverberate not just in our country but across the Asia-Pacific Region and beyond!
We are also very privileged today to welcome our incoming OGP Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Aidan Eyakuze. This is historical because it is his very first regional meeting! Thank you, Sir! This marks the beginning of a new era in Open Government!
Aidan, we have our work cut out for us but we stand ready to push the Open Government agenda alongside you, especially here in the Asia-Pacific.
Speaking of which, we have a lot to aspire for in terms of the Open Government Challenge. In the Philippines, we are proud to share that based on the latest Open Budget Survey, the Philippines ranked No. 1 in Asia in Fiscal Transparency.
We have also enacted the New Government Procurement Act which has been hailed as the biggest anti-corruption measure in the country’s recent history, as it introduces open contracting, disclosure of beneficial ownership information, and public participation at all levels of the procurement process, in sync with Open Government values.
I am particularly impressed with our very own Procurement Service for taking our anti-corruption efforts a step further through their submission of an ambitious commitment in the OpenGov Challenge.
I likewise commend the local governments of Baguio and Larena for also taking on the challenge. Sana po ay dumami pa kayo!
At the same time, we are eager to listen and learn as well from the OGP journey of Georgia, Armenia, Australia, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Papua New Guinea, who all developed platforms for citizens to better understand the government budgets and processes, and report concerns about public services, among other achievements towards transparency and accountability.
In terms of regional commitments, we look forward to the Republic of Korea opening and expanding administrative appeals, Sri Lanka and the Kyrgyz Republic strengthening their Right to Information frameworks, and New Zealand implementing its algorithm charter.
Finally, we proudly welcome our two newest members, Maldives and Timor Leste! Thank you for joining the Partnership and recognizing the OGP values as the cornerstone of democracy.
On a side note, may I just share that in the spirit of inclusivity and sustainability, for your welcome kits, we tapped Persons Deprived of Liberty in Quezon City—a local government unit that just last year became a member of the OGP Local Program—as well as our artisans in the province of Bulacan to repurpose some 2,800 square feet of used tarpaulins into tote bags that you have right now. Inside those tote bags is the Auro Chocolate, our internationally acclaimed chocolate brand, which works directly with local farmers. We also exerted our best effort to make this event paperless! Please explore our mobile application to learn more and connect with fellow Open Government champions.
I hope you are all as excited as we are to join the conversation, raise ambitions for our peoples, and strengthen our collaborations.
In Tagalog, our native tongue, the word open translates to “bukás.” And tomorrow or the future translates to “bukas.” So remember: let us be “bukas” for a bright “bukas.” Let's all be open for a bright future for all.
Now, may I present a short video on our OGP journey in the Philippines. We hit the ground running as a founding member in 2011 and as you will see, we have been working tirelessly to inculcate Open Government values in our country.
As Sanjay Pradhan said, Open Government is in the Philippines’ DNA. We hope that our journey of OGP story will inspire others to take the same path, or better yet, improve on what we have already achieved.
Once again, welcome to the Philippines, dear Partners for Prosperity! Mabuhay!
Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.
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