CITIZENS' VOICES IN GOVERNANCE: THE CIVIL SOCIETY — LGU PARTNERSHIP IN GENERAL SANTOS CITY

The partnership is necessary for the efficient and effective delivery of expected outcomes. The CSO-LGU partnership in General Santos City provided a voice to citizens of the city to participate in decision-making and governmental affairs The general content of this paper revolves around the nature of the partnership, roles of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), problems and challenges, forms of partnership, and effects to governance. The aim of this paper is to understand how LGU promotes participation by providing partnerships to accredited CSOs. Using qualitative research design, this study used structured interviews for the Key Informant Interview (KII) and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Five (5) informants from different offices in LGU of General Santos City were interviewed and five (5) representatives from the different Civil Society Organizations participated in the Focus Group Discussion. The study found that the LGU of General Santos City is practicing citizen-centered local governance and applying a mutualism form of symbiotic relationship with the partnered CSOs. The CSOs are clustered in different committees and local special bodies, and they are performing specific functions. Consequently, CSO5 has roles in the articulation and aggregation of interests, delivery of services, and evaluation of programs and projects. Problems and challenges are unavoidable in the CSO-LGU partnership which leads to more specific dilemmas In the delivery of the expected outcome. Hence, the LGU of General Santos City categorized partnerships into different forms to draw out favorable terms and conditions. Finally, CSO5 has some impact on the process of governance of LGU.