The International Center for Innovation, Transformation, and Excellence in Governance (INCITEGov) held a partners' forum on May 4 as part of its 18th General Assembly (GA) to discuss strategies and potential partnerships for achieving democratic electoral outcomes in the country.

Aligned with INCITEGov's 2020-2028 strategic objectives, the GA reflected on current strategies to elect leaders who prioritize good governance, transparency, accountability, and people's participation, and discussed new approaches in the run-up to the 2025 midterm polls.

Among those who attended were representatives from Tindig Pilipinas member hubs (Akbayan and Akbayan Youth, EveyWoman, Alyansa ng Samahang Pantao (ASAP), People Power Volunteers for Reform (PPVR), Talisayen/ Solidar, and ManindiganNa), Ateneo School of Government, Ateneo de Manila University Political Science Department, Affiliated Network for Social Accountability-EAP Foundation (ANSA-EAP), Community Organizers Multiversity, Build Pilipinas, CODE-NGO, Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP), Urban Poor Associates, Young Public Servants, Peoples Alternative Study Center for Research and Education in Social Development (PASCRES), and the Asia Democracy Network.

Here is a summary of the sessions:

1. Teresita "Ging" Quintos Deles, convenor of Tindig Pilipinas and founding trustee of INCITEGov, opened the discussion on current civil society strategies for the defense, protection, and strengthening of democracy in a "more complex" political landscape. This is characterized by the shift in policies from the Duterte to the Marcos administration, particularly on key issues like the drug war and the West Philippine Sea disputes; the historical distortion around the Marcos dictatorship; and the deepening rift between the two political families. For civil society, reaching audiences outside existing echo chambers has become a top priority. Deles said this entails collective political analysis and effective communication strategies to address Filipinos' urgent political and economic concerns.

 

2. Looking back on the previous electoral cycles, urban poor leader Rowena Amon of ASAP underscored the prevalence of vote buying, harassment of candidates, and fraud at the local level. These experiences thus posed a challenge to relate the work of CSOs in social protection and human rights with broader democratic processes, including the elections. Some ways forward include reforming political representation, launching educational programs against vote buying, and strengthening the bargaining power of CSOs in local governance.

 

3. PPVR Caraga Chairperson Conception Asis shared a successful training initiative for 52 youth leaders during the elections. The prospective candidates learned about campaign management, election contexts, social media fundamentals, and winning and losing strategies. As a result of the coaching, 45 were encouraged to run in the Sangguniang Kabataan, and 29 were elected (12 of which were part of PPVR Youth). Beyond the elections, winners were given additional training to enhance their leadership skills and support programs focused on gender and development.

 

4. INCITEGov and the Ateneo School of Government are implementing the initiative "Peer Solidarity: Mayors Mobilizing for Local Governance and Development." The first part of the project is an action research examining the case of eight local chief executives (LCEs) who are either "dynastic political leaders" or "dynasty challengers" (opposition to long-standing political leaders) and their adaptive governance strategies to achieve development in their locality. INCITEGov member Veronica Villavicencio shared the study's key findings: Members of political dynasties appeared progressive as they tried to target investments and programs for specific industries for growth and job creation. They also cultivate stakeholder networks and draw resources from business partners and national agencies. These efforts help gain the trust of constituents and other partners, and are supported by a clear development strategy and anti-corruption/ transparency measures.

    

   Meanwhile, the second part involves a series of workshops to advocate for a peer learning platform for LCEs and to distill and sharpen their leadership inspired by INCITEGov's Politics-Governance-Development (PGD) framework. This platform aims to create a safe space where LCEs can converse about lessons around participatory governance, accountability, and leadership practices.

 

5. BUILD Pilipinas President Jason Gonzales described the social media trends shaping cultures and behaviors of Filipino citizens, including community organizing. For instance, TikTok is used for entertainment, Facebook for connection, and YouTube for research. "In social media, the digital world has its own logic, its own language, its own mode of operations," he said. Hence, with these developments, Gonzales highlighted the power of platforms to mold political identities and distribute narratives-whether truthful or not-at breakneck speed and greater volume. As an NGO focused on countering disinformation through responsible content creation, BUILD Pilipinas recognizes the increasing role of social platforms and aims to build a network that could capture the public imagination and fight polarization in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections. ?