CITIZENS' VOICE IN GOVERNANCE: THE CIVIL SOCIETY-LGU PARTNERSHIP IN GENERAL SANTOS CITY

Partnership is necessary for efficient and effective delivery of expected outcome. 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 on the nature of 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 promote participation by providing partnerships to accredited CSOs.

Using qualitative research design, this study used structured interview 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 had participated the Focus Group Discussion.

The study found that LGU of General Santos City is practicing citizen- centered local governance and applying 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, CSOS have roles in 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 lead to more specific dilemma in the delivery of the expected outcome. Hence, the LGU of General Santos City categorized partnerships into different forms to draw out the favorable terms and conditions. Finally, CSOs have some impact to the process of governance of LGU.